Stop Selling Sacred Land--Save Picture Cave Before September 14!

Secretary Deb Haaland, US Department of the Interior

screenshot of Picture Cave listing from Selkirk Website featuring pictographs on a blue background with white text describing the listing

Legal Disclaimer: We are not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with the Osage Nation, Kickapoo (Kiikaapoi) Nation, Peoria (Kaskaskia) Tribe, or any of the federally recognized Sioux (Očhéthi Šakówiŋ) tribes.

Dear Secretary Haaland,

Picture Cave is an ancient sacred site that comprises 2 cave systems, 49 acres of land, over 290 massive prehistoric glyphs, and a rare indigenous colony of Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis), which are considered to be an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Despite Picture Cave being on the traditional land of the Osage, Kiikaapoi, Kaskaskia, and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ Nations, the wealthy family trust that has privately owned the land since 1953 and used it as a hunting ground has currently put it up for auction with an estimated value of 1 million to 3 million dollars.

Selkirk Auctions acknowledges the history of this land, stating on its website that Picture Cave contains the largest collection of indigenous people’s polychrome paintings in Missouri and is considered to be one the most significant North American archeological sites, on par with Cahokia and Chaco Canyon. They have no problem advertising it as a site of sacred rituals and asking for 1.5 million dollars as proof of liquidity and a 25k cashiers' check before their bidders register online. No contractual or preservation easement is included and according to them, the Bureau of Land Management has never been involved.

We humbly ask you to stop the sale of Picture Cave before September 14 and repatriate it to the Indigenous nations it rightfully belongs to. No sacred site should be for sale to the highest bidder. Picture Cave is stolen land--now is the time to make things right and return it to its original stewards.



Sponsored by
Default_group_icon
Chicago, IL

To: Secretary Deb Haaland, US Department of the Interior
From: [Your Name]

Dear Secretary Haaland,

Picture Cave is an ancient sacred site that comprises 2 cave systems, 49 acres of land, over 290 massive prehistoric glyphs, and a rare indigenous colony of Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis), which are considered to be an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Despite Picture Cave being on the traditional land of the Osage, Kiikaapoi, Kaskaskia, and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ Nations, the wealthy family trust that has privately owned the land since 1953 and used it as a hunting ground has currently put it up for auction with an estimated value of 1 million to 3 million dollars.

Selkirk Auctions acknowledges the history of this land, stating on its website that Picture Cave contains the largest collection of indigenous people’s polychrome paintings in Missouri and is considered to be one the most significant North American archeological sites, on par with Cahokia and Chaco Canyon. They have no problem advertising it as a site of sacred rituals and asking for 1.5 million dollars as proof of liquidity and a 25k cashiers' check before their bidders register online. No contractual or preservation easement is included and according to them, the Bureau of Land Management has never been involved.

We humbly ask you to stop the sale of Picture Cave before September 14 and repatriate it to the Indigenous nations it rightfully belongs to. No sacred site should be for sale to the highest bidder. Picture Cave is stolen land--now is the time to make things right and return it to its original stewards.