Wenatchee Mayor Frank Kuntz has confirmed he'll meet with members of the Colville Tribe about the future of the Skookum Sign.

“So, I’ll be going up on August the 18th, and I’ll be meeting with representatives of the tribe to discuss the Skookum sign,” Kuntz said.

Kuntz said he received a letter from the tribe asking for a discussion about the sign, which is a caricature of a smiling Native American.

Owner Blue Bird Inc recently took down the sign from its longtime perch on top of a building at 9th Street and Wenatchee Ave.

Kuntz says he hasn't had much luck in having discussions with Blue Bird about the sign's future.

The mayor has floated the idea of the city or Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center possibly obtaining Skookum to preserve its historical value.

“Obviously, the Skookum sign has been something the community has been talking about,” said Kuntz.

Bluebird, a fruit shipping and packing company, owns the sign and removed it for repairs but intends to keep it in storage.

The company says they no longer use the Skookum logo in their marketing efforts and they believe use of the image may have been hurtful to some.

The sign was first erected in 1921 and has been located in several locations in Wenatchee.  The last two decades, it sat on top of the Office Depot which was a former Skookum Fruit packing warehouse.

Kuntz has suggested the city council could consider purchasing the 14-foot-tall structure for it's historical value.

There have been suggestions on social media that the sign be displayed either inside the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center or somewhere outdoors for passersby to view it.

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