FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2021
The City of Charlottesville seeks information from parties interested in removing the statue depicting Sacajawea, Meriwether Lewis, and William Clark
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - The City of Charlottesville has issued a Request for Information to determine if there is any suitable organization or person who would be willing to safely remove, relocate and take ownership of the statue depicting Sacajawea, Meriwether Lewis, and William Clark located at the intersection of Ridge Street, West Main Street, and McIntire Road.
This is not a solicitation to purchase goods and/or services and no contract will be awarded as a result of this Request for Information. The assumption by the City of Charlottesville is that any prospective recipient would be responsible for the safe removal and relocation of the statue, including all of the associated planning and logistical work required. The recipient would also bear all of the associated financial costs related to this work. In return for this service, the City of Charlottesville would transfer full ownership of the statue to the recipient at no cost to the recipient.
The City is asking interested parties to explain their interest in the statue and to state their intended purpose for the statue, including proposed locations and future uses. The complete Request for Information and instructions on how to respond can be downloaded from the City’s website.
Background
On November 15, 2019, Charlottesville City Council received input on the statue from representatives of the Shoshone and Monacan tribes including lineal descendants of Sacajawea. The lineal descendants of Sacajawea expressed their extreme displeasure with the depiction of Sacajawea in the statue located on West Main Street. At the conclusion of the work session, Council directed City staff to prepare for the removal of the statue and to prepare a cost estimate for the removal as well as options for the disposal of the statue.
This Request for Information will inform the City’s next steps towards removal of this statue. Council also directed staff to present a plan for a new statue of Sacajawea and other memorializations of Virginia native peoples with primary consultation from indigenous people on the design of the statue and other memorializations of Virginia native peoples. That portion of the project has not been started.
Information on the Statue
The statue depicting Sacajawea, Meriwether Lewis, and William Clark is known as “Their First View Of The Pacific.” The statue is approximately eighteen feet in height, five-and a-half feet in length and five-and a-half feet in width. Three bronze figures are set atop a tall-carved rectangular pedestal of pink granite. The figures face toward the west from the center of a small landscaped circle of 1,452 square feet at the intersection of Ridge Street, West Main Street, and McIntire Road.
Media Contact
Brian Wheeler
Director of Communications
City of Charlottesville
434-970-3129
wheelerb@charlottesville.gov
