UAF-1976-35-87

Title from caption. Photograph of a totem pole in Ketchikan. Caption reads: "One of the finest carved totem poles in S. Eastern Alaskan [sic], situated at Ketchikan. These totem poles represent the history of the tribe that erect them & generally stand in front of the chiefs house." Additional information was supplied by Karla Sunderland of the Tongass Historical Museum in Ketchikan, Alaska. Discussing Alaska Digital Archives photograph ASL-P44-03-079 [Alaska State Library], she writes: "It is a photograph of the original Chief Kyan pole and this image is dated in the early 1900's. The Chief Kyan pole was carved before 1900 and stood on Barney Way, approximately where the Centennial Building parking lot is now. The pole fell over in the late teens or early twenties. It was repaired (and modified), and moved to the outside of the Pioneer Hall in 1924. It was taken down in sections in 1964. Through a statehood centennial project funded by city, state, federal governments, a second Kyan pole was carved by Stan Marsden in 1966. Erected at top of Main Street, the pole was repaired by Israel Shotridge in 1986. The pole was eventually taken down in March 1997 and moved to the Totem Heritage Center. A third Kyan pole was carved by Israel Shotridge in 1992 and was erected at Whale Park on July 3, 1993 where it stands today."

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