Resident urges council to reconsider 'End of the Trail' imagery as city debates flag

David Bible, a lifelong Muskogee citizen and local coach, urged the Owasso City Council during the public-comment period to reconsider the symbolism of a proposed city flag that features the "End of the Trail" statue. Bible said the statue depicts a weary, defeated plains Indian whose head is bowed and that the image does not reflect the history of Southeastern Indigenous peoples who experienced removal and different cultural traditions.

"When I look at this statue ... it doesn't give me a good feeling because I know where I've been," Bible said, linking the statue's imagery to the experience of his ancestors and to regional Indigenous history. He told council members he is proud of Owasso's growth but asked them to remember local meanings and languages when choosing symbols: he noted that Owasso is Osage in origin and means "end of the trail," while in Muskogee the name can mean "owls." He also described childhood memories of local parks and schools to frame his appeal.

The council did not debate the flag during the remainder of the meeting; Bible's remarks were taken as public comment and recorded for council consideration. No formal motion or vote on the flag occurred during the session.