Chief To Visit Osage Monument Under Construction in Central Missouri

Osage Nation Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear says he fully supports a monument under construction in Missouri to honor the Osage people.

The monument next to Interstate-44 in Cuba, Missouri will stand 35 feet tall,20 feet wide and 80 feet long. 

The chief will be Missouri this week to show support for the monument and organizers are pleased the Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear is behind the project.

"This visit will allow the Chief an opportunity to meet with several government officials," said Executive Advisor Johnny Williams.

One of the organizers, Dennis Rodemeier said the majority of the $500,000 has already been raised and the project is just $75,000 shy from being fully funded.   Monument sculptor Glen Tutterrow is a local artist in Cuba. He is working on the monument with his son Curtis Tutterrow. 

Tutterrow envisioned the monument as a symbol of the importance of the Trail of the Osage and how it continues to be a pathway for progress. 

“This corridor that runs right through Cuba was used for [Osage] travel and trade. The Osage Trail is one of the most important trails to the south that goes across our state. It has always fascinated me because of its historical significance,” Glen Tuterrow said. 

For information on the monument located between Rolla and St. Louis on I-44, visit OsageTrailLegacy.com.