Totem pole in Pioneer Square, Seattle, ca. 1911

• Main Author: Webster & Stevens
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Totem poles > Washington (State) > Seattle; Business districts > Washington (State) > Seattle; Commercial streets > Washington (State) > Seattle; Burlington; Mohai; Pacific; tlingit; Alaska
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/imlsmohai/id/1595

The totem pole at Pioneer Square has been a Seattle landmark since 1899. In that year, a group of Seattle businessmen visited the Tlingit village of Tongass, in Alaska. They thought the village was deserted and removed the 50-foot tall pole as a souvenir. The village residents were away at work, however, and the businessmen were later fined for the theft of the pole. The pole was originally created as a memorial to a woman of the Raven Clan. After being damaged by fire in 1938, it was replaced by a duplicate pole carved by Tlingit craftsmen. Signs in image: [.] Goldfarb, Tailor. Wm. Seeman, Merchant Tailor. Masquerade Costumes. Damus & Osner Real Estate. Merchants Cafe - Olympia Beer. Olympic Hotel. Northern Pacific Express Co. - Wells Fargo & Company Express - Burlington Route Freight & Ticket Office. Northern Pacific Ticket [Office]. Doctor Medical. Northern Pacific - Yellowstone Park [.]. [Calhoun?] Denny & [Ew.]. Ship [Brokers]. Handwritten on sleeve: Pioneer Square Totem Pole. Caption by MOHAI staff. 1 glass negative: b&w; 8 x 10 in.