An Open Letter on the Fate of Charlottesville’s Lewis and Clark Monument

By Eduardo Montes-Bradley

Charlottesville, Virginia — November 10, 2025

Preface

The following open letter was delivered today to the Mayor and City Council of Charlottesville, as well as to local and regional media outlets. It concerns the absence of public records regarding the removal and disposition of Charles Keck’s Their First View of the Pacific, the Lewis and Clark Monument formerly located at Ridge–McIntire Road and West Main Street.

A piece of civic heritage has been rendered orphaned,

An Open Letter on the Fate of Charlottesville’s Lewis and Clark Monument

In response to a formal request under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq.), the City of Charlottesville has confirmed that it possesses no records relating to the ownership, transfer, or disposition of the Meriwether Lewis and William Clark Monument, known as Their First View of the Pacific, sculpted by noted artist Charles Keck (1875–1951), formerly located at Ridge–McIntire Road and West Main Street.

In an email dated November 10, the City’s FOIA Officer wrote:

“The City of Charlottesville has reviewed its files, and records responsive to your request could not be found or do not exist.”

This official statement means that no resolutions, contracts, transfer documents, or chain-of-custody records exist to explain who authorized the monument’s removal, where it was taken, or who now owns it. By its own admission, the City has no documentary evidence governing the fate of a public artwork that stood in Charlottesville for more than a century.

This absence of record-keeping raises serious concerns about transparency, stewardship, and compliance with Virginia’s public-property and records laws. If the City transferred or deaccessioned the monument, documentation of that process is legally required. If no such transfer occurred, then the City has effectively acknowledged that a public monument was removed and disposed of without authority or oversight.

Public reporting has noted that the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center participated in the monument’s removal in coordination with members of City Council. That partnership was presented to the public as part of a lawful process. Yet the City’s present claim—that no records exist—leaves both the monument and the municipality in an untenable position: an important piece of civic heritage has been rendered orphaned, and the public has been denied the documentation necessary to understand how or why that occurred.

This is not merely a clerical lapse; it is a matter of public trust. Citizens of Charlottesville deserve a full accounting of what happened to the Lewis and Clark Monument, who authorized its removal, and under what legal authority. I call on the City to produce any and all existing records, to explain the absence of documentation, and to initiate an independent review of its handling of this historic work.

Furthermore, in light of the City’s acknowledgment that no records exist establishing lawful ownership, custody, or transfer of the Lewis and Clark Monument, I respectfully request that the City of Charlottesville, its contractors, and any associated organizations refrain from undertaking any further actions that could alter, relocate, damage, or otherwise affect the monument until ownership and accountability have been properly documented and verified. Any modification or movement of the monument at this stage—absent a clear legal record—would risk compounding the City’s exposure and further eroding public trust. Preservation of the status quo is the only responsible course until transparency is restored.

Finally, while errors may have been made in haste or misunderstanding, the path to integrity remains open. The Lewis and Clark Monument—Their First View of the Pacific by Charles Keck is not merely a statue but a significant work of American public art. The City now has an opportunity to correct its course honorably: by acknowledging the absence of due process, restoring the artwork to its lawful and rightful place, and recommitting to the preservation of our shared artistic and historical heritage. Such an action would not erase the past—it would redeem it, reaffirming Charlottesville’s respect for truth, culture, and the rule of law.