Totem Bight State Historical Park

Beautiful and majestic totem poles carved by the Native Americans of the northwest coast serve as a record of tribal and family histories and myths. You can see some of these magnificent totem poles and a reconstructed clan house at Totem Bight State Historical Park, about 10 miles north of Ketchikan, Alaska.

History of Totem Bight State Historical Park

As non-native settlers moved into areas the Tlingit and Haida tribes called home, Native Americans moved away, leaving their totem poles behind. With the villages overgrown, these totems began to rot away. In 1938, a project funded by President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal used Civilian Conservation Corps funds to hire skilled native carvers to restore the poles or copy them as accurately as possible if beyond restoration. Traditional tools were used and traditional skills passed on to younger artisans as part of the project. A model village was also planned, and by the time CCC funds were depleted, a clan house and 15 totem poles were in place. When Alaska achieved statehood in 1959, title to the property passed from the Federal Government to the state. Hence, Totem Bight State Historical Park was born.

Amenities at the park

Park features include one picnic shelter, handicapped accessible toilets and trails, excellent interpretive signage and a small park bookstore open in summer months. Visitors may reserve guided tours for a fee, and a printed guide is also available.

The history and aesthetic of Alaska is indelibly shaped by its Native peoples. Totem Bight State Historical Park offers visitors an opportunity to connect with these early lives and marvel at the artistry and skill that still exemplifies the Tlingit and Haida tribes.