Totem Bight State Historical Park, Pole on the Point – Ketchikan AK

City:
Ketchikan, AK

Site Type:
Archaeology and History, Art Works, Sculptures, Historical Restoration

New Deal Agencies:
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Work Relief Programs

Started:
1939

Completed:
1941

Artist:
Tlingit craftsmen

Designer:
Architect Linn A. Forrest (restoration)

Quality of Information:
Very Good

Site Survival:
Extant

Description

This Tlingit heralding totem is a reproduction carved by Charles Brown and a crew of apprentice carvers. A 2013 Department of Natural Resources, Master Development Plan for Totem Bight describes the characteristics of the carving: “The top figure is a shaman in ceremonial garb, headdress, and fringed leather apron. The figures carved under the shaman depict a series of adventures including the story of the Chief’s Nephew Who Fed Eagles and the story of a woman with a frog husband and children. Near the bottom of the pole, Brown carved one of the many stories about Raven as ‘the trickster.’ There are four legends associated with this pole.“

Source notes

Garfield, Viola and Linn Forrest, 1961, The Wolf and the Raven, Seattle: University of Washington Press, p. 71-99. Totem Bight State Historical Park, Master Development Plan, Department of Natural Resources, 2013, accessed July 15, 2017.

Site originally submitted by Steve Forrest (with documentation courtesy of Linn Forrest); Brent McKee on July 19, 2017.

Location Info


Totem Bight State Historical Park
Ketchikan, AK

Coordinates: 55.419525043034476, -131.77337991363066

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.