Two controversial statues are on the agenda
By Terry Murry on Monday, October 18th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – The Walla Walla County Board of Commissioners will possibly discuss and act regarding the fate of not one, but two statues today (Monday, Oct. 18): the Christopher Columbus statue, located on the Walla Walla County Courthouse lawn, and the Marcus Whitman statue, located in National Statuary Hall, located in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Discussions of both statues are on the agenda for today’s county commissioner’s meeting which begins at 10 a.m.
Several members of the public have called for the Columbus statue to be removed as the historical figure has been criticized for his treatment and colonization of the Indigenous communities he encountered. In June 2020, vandals painted the words “Genocide” and “Stolen Land” on the more than century old statue. At that time the commissioners decried the vandalism, urging that conversation, not vandalism, be the route taken as the appropriateness of the statue is considered.
Meanwhile, family members of the Italian community who gifted the Columbus statue to the city of Walla Walla back in 1911 want the statue to remain in honor of their ancestors.
In August, the board of commissioners decided to receive public comment via email or mail regarding the statue. The comments have since been reviewed by the commissioners.
In addition to the discussion on the Columbus statue, commissioners will also discuss the fate of a statue of Marcus Whitman, physician and missionary, given to the National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington D.C. back in 1953.
In January, a bill was introduced in the Washington Legislature to remove Whitman’s likeness from the United States Capitol and replace it with one of Billy Frank Jr., a Nisqually tribal leader. The vote in the state House of Representatives was 92-5 followed by passage in the state Senate on a 44-5 vote. Before the bill passed, an amendment, authored by Rep. Skyler Rude (R-Walla Walla), was included to allow for the Whitman statue to return home to Walla Walla where Whitman founded a mission in 1836. In April, Governor Jay Inslee signed the bill.
“The issue of Walla Walla County accepting the statue is now a requirement of state law, so not really optional at this point. The law requires the Governor and commissioners to jointly select the specific site within the county, so that part is up to the commissioners and the Governor’s office,” Rude said.
The deadline for selecting a site for the Whitman statue was the end of September, which has been missed. Rude hopes the commissioners select a site at today’s meeting.
“This is essentially a gift from the State of Washington to Walla Walla County, so there will be no cost to the county associated with transportation and placement of the Whitman Statue,” Rude said.
As for the fundraising, design, and construction of the replacement statue (Billy Frank Jr.), Rude said that is likely years out, so Walla Walla County won’t be seeing the Marcus Whitman statue here for some time.
