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© Adelaide de Menil
   
Object name     Photograph
Culture of Origin     Tlingit
Subject     Saxman, Ketchikan, Alaska, House Post
Photographer     Adelaide de Menil
Exhibit Label     The U.S. Forest Service started the totem pole restoration program in 1938. One of their projects was to create the Saxman Totem Park. Saxman is located three miles south of Ketchikan, on the Tongass Narrows. The park was intended to showcase Tlingit carvings, originals and replicas, from Tongass, Cat, Village, and Pennock Islands, as well as Cape Fox Village. Today, Saxman has 34 totem poles, a large clan house and several carving centers. The park features a scenic driveway bordered with poles and a grassy square. Two sets of stairs allow access to the square. One stairway is flanked by Raven house posts, while the other is flanked by Bear house posts. This photo depicts one of the two Tired Wolf house Posts (Tlingit). These posts were carved by two brothers on Village Island and installed in a house on Kanagunut Island belonging to the people of the Forest Island House. Later they were moved to a new house on Tongass Island. The posts were eventually taken to Pennock Island, where they marked the grave of Tongass George. They were repaired and erected at Saxman in 1939. It is thought they were originally carved about 1827.
Original Photo Source ID     de Menil 66-8-39P/25
Source     Ms. Adelaide De Menil
Credit     Gift of Adelaide de Menil
 

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