Indian City USA placed up for sale

<br>ANADARKO, Okla. (AP) _ Indian City USA, an attraction that includes historical representations of tribal villages, has been put up for sale after several years of disappointing attendance figures.

Friday, April 9th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ANADARKO, Okla. (AP) _ Indian City USA, an attraction that includes historical representations of tribal villages, has been put up for sale after several years of disappointing attendance figures.

George Moran, Indian City's manager, said the 230 stockholders in the 50-year-old business voted overwhelmingly to sell it, preferably to someone who will continue to run it and improve the operation.

``We now get about 32,000 visitors a year,'' Moran said. ``In the past, we would have 80,000 to 90,000 visitors in a good year.''

He said a general economic downturn was to blame for some of the drop in attendance.

Indian City also includes a museum, gift shop and a campground. It employs about a dozen dancers, clerks and guides during the summer months. It has representations of Indian villages of the Kiowa, Caddo, Wichita, Apache, Pawnee, Pueblo and Navajo.

It includes 200 acres of canyon and hill country. The land is a small portion of the Kiowa, Apache, and Comanche reservations established by the federal government in Oklahoma. This was the site of a Civil War-era massacre of 137 Tonkawa Indians by other tribes.

``Visitors came to Anadarko with Indian City as the primary reason for their visit,'' Moran said.

``It is our hope that the future owners of Indian City will keep Indian City open for the preservation of tribal cultures and traditions. Indian City has authentically provided and shared with the public part of American history which lives every day here in Anadarko.''

Moran said he didn't know what a likely sales price would be. Advertisements will be placed in metropolitan newspapers.

He has worked for Indian City since 1973.

``You put a whole lot into it in that length of time,'' he said. ``You remember the people who have come through and the people that have worked here. I have a lot of fond memories.''