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Car dealership removes Native American statue after 50 years
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A North Carolina car dealership has taken down a 23-foot fiberglass statue of a Native American that has drawn complaints over its 50-year history.
The Asheville Citizen Times reports that Harry’s On the Hill was prompted to take down the statue known as “Chief Pontiac” partly because of a bad experience by a female customer who’s a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
The newspaper said an employee was fired after sending an offensive text message to the customer in June. Even before that, some Native Americans had complained about the statue.
The statue was removed Friday with a crane. It’s being donated to the Pontiac-Oakland Transportation Museum in Michigan.
Pat Grimes, owner of Harry’s, said he received offers to buy the statue but felt that the museum was best for it.
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