By Zachary R. Jones, Rick Huteson, and Lois Wilson
Title: Linn A. Forrest Photograph Collection, c. 1930-1950
ID: PO/014
Primary Creator: Forrest, Linn A.
Extent: 1.0 Boxes
Date Acquired: 12/27/2007
Subjects: Haida Indians--History., Tlingit art., Tlingit Indians--History.
This collection consists of approximately 150 black and white photographs taken by or of Linn A. Forrest’s work on Southeast Alaska Native architecture and totem pole restoration projects in connection with his work for the U.S. Forest Service during the late 1930s as a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) project. These photos concern two projects that Forrest was involved in; the construction of the Shakes Island Community House and totems in Wrangell, Alaska during 1938-1939 and a totem pole restoration project in Sitka, Alaska during 1939. These items were formerly arranged in an album, presumably by Forrest, and have been removed and the original arrangement of Forrest has been retained.
The bulk of the collection consists of images documenting the Shakes Island Community House and totems. These images contain good views of construction of the meeting house, original and restored totems, views of totem and carving art, carvers and construction employees at work, the dedication ceremony of the completed House, a large traditional canoe used in conjunction of the ceremony, and images of specific Native elders connected to the dedication ceremony. These images are primarily 3.5 x 5 inch photos, but some smaller 1.5 x 2.25, as well as 5 x 7 and 8 x 11 inch photographs.
The second batch concerns images of a Sitka National Park totem restoration project. These images, primarily 1.5 x 2.25 inch photos, capture carvers at work on old and new totems and views of standing totems at the park. The final folder in the collection consists of a newspaper clipping about the project that was originally found in Forrest’s album. Of importance, this clipping contains hand-penciled corrections by Forrest about the inaccuracies in the article.
Note: MRV Architects donated Linn Forrest’s architectural drawings to the Juneau-Douglas City Museum in 2006, and were then accessioned under the number 2006.33. The National Archives Pacific Alaska Region branch, in Anchorage also contains correspondence concerning the CCC project to restore these totems, see: Record Group 95: Records of the Forest Service, 1870 - 2000; Creator: Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Region 10 (Alaska Region); Series: “Correspondence Relating to Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Activities, compiled ca. 1937 - ca. 1942”.
Folder listing at a glance:
Fd 1: Images of the Shakes Island Community House and totem project.
Fd 2: Images of the Shakes Island Community House and totem project.
Fd 3: Images of the Shakes Island Community House and totem project.
Fd 4: Images of the Sitka National Park totem restoration project.
Fd 5: Newspaper clipping entitled “Shakes Island House Gets a Face Lift”, undated.
Fd 6: Images of the Shakes Island Community House and totem project (donated in 2014).
Repository: Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives
Acquisition Source: MRV Architects
Acquisition Method: The materials in the collection were donated to SHI by Linn A. Forrest’s continued architectural firm, MRV Architects, Juneau, represented by firm president Paul Voelckers on Dec. 27, 2007.
Item 1: Mortuary Pole (Old Totem – Old Wrangell 1940 on reverse)
Item 2: Mortuary Pole as Item #0001 with a man standing front. (Only remaining totem – Old Wrangell-1940 on reverse)
Item 3: Photograph of a tree growing out of old structure debris. (Tree growing over Ganz ga heet- Old Wrangell 1940)
Item 4: Front view showing great house poles being placed for new House.
Item 5: Interior of House with various small carved poles, carved house poles and wooden boxes.
Item 6: Elderly man sitting wearing button/beaded designed tunic. He is holding adze over partially carved pole.
Item 7: Man working at one end of a pole depicting a Frog.
Item 8: Woman standing in front corner of house fewer than two mortuary poles.
Item 9: Landscape view from water of house site.
Item 10: Portrait view of building start-showing two smaller house poles as a doorway. The old mortuary pole is on the right. Wenches and rope are shown.
Item 11: Two men rolling smoothed house pole in yard.
Item 12: Front view of house construction. Shows house poles in place, sides completed and roof. Yard has various size lumber.
Item 13: Back view of house. (Shakes Island Community house – back side – Raven Totem being raised – 5-23-40 on reverse)
Item 14: Portrait view of two men standing at corner of house.
Item 15: Interior view of unfinished house. Shows: house pole, doorway, and dirt floor.
Item 16: View of two men working on placing roof timbers.
Item 17: Landscape view initial house framing. Man on scaffold working on slot for house pole placement.
Item 18: Landscape view of house building site. Has one pole standing and two poles on the ground.
Item 19: Front view of house in final stages of completion. Several men are working on roof.
Item 20: Landscape view shows upright pole, work area and house building site in various work stages.
Item 21: Front view of house with several men in around site. Wooden walkway is shown to the front of the house. And a carved pole on ground on the right.
Item 22: Front view of house shows: almost completed house, a large carved pole on the ground and a smaller mortuary pole.
Item 23: Front view of house. Foreground has three men working at wood working site. Two old mortuary poles stand near the house. (On the reverse – Shakes House – Wrangell- Known as the Big House – Shakes Island, surrounded by Human Hip Lake)
Item 24: Back view of house on a pad of rock. Working site debris removed. (On the reverse – Shakes Island Community House – Back View – 5-23-40)
Item 25: Front view of woodworking site and house construction site.
Item 26: View of woodworking area. Several large logs are being viewed by four workers.
Item 27: Front view of house has large carved wooden pole on the ground and the area in the front of the site.
Item 28: Aerial view of Etolin Harbor (Wrangell) showing Shakes Island community house and causeway, 5-29-1940
Item 29: Shakes island Community house under construction, also Killer Whale totem, Bear totem, and Raven Totem in process of being raised, 5-23-1940
Item 30: Chief Shakes house under reconstruction
Item 31: Chief Shakes house under reconstruction
Item 32: Shakes Island Causeway
Item 33: Raven Strong man Wolf totem in Wrangell Alaska
Item 34: View of Chief Shakes reconstructed house from water
Item 35: Shakes Island Community house during raising of Raven Totem, 5-23-1940
Item 36: Shakes Island Causeway and community House Raven Totem being raised, 5-23-1940
Item 37: Raven totem in the process of being raised
Item 38: Raven totem being transported
Item 39: Low tidal view of Chief Shakes’ community house
Item 40: Bear and Raven totem in the process of being raised next to Chief Shakes’ community house
Item 41: Bear totem in the process of being raised next to Chief Shakes’ community house
Item 42: Photograph shows the bear totem, sometimes called the ‘Supernatural Grizzly Bear Pole’, in the process of being raised next to Chief Shakes’ Community House, photographer unknown, 1940. Image shows workers pulling the totem upright with ropes attached.
Item 43: Bear totem in the process of being raised next to Chief Shakes’ community house
Item 44: Bear totem in the process of being raised next to Chief Shakes’ community house
Item 45: ANB/ANS Hall in Wrangell hosting the June 3-4 potlatch commemorating the dedication of the Chief Shakes Clan House, 1940.
Item 46: Tlingit elder sitting in a row boat with a large dance drum
Item 47: Tlingit carved long boat with Killer Whale designs painted on the bow
Item 48: Tlingit carved long boat with Killer Whale designs painted on the bow
Item 49: two Tlingit infants playing outside
Item 50: Tlingit carved long boat full of paddlers with Chief Shakes standing in front.
Item 51: Community gathering in front of Chief Shakes’ Community House; likely for the House dedication ceremony.
Item 52: Aerial view of Wrangell
Item 53: Shakes Island: left to Right: Killer Whale Totem, Shataqua Totem, Bear Totem, Community House, Raven Totem, Frog Totem, 8-30-1940
Item 54: Raven totem
Item 55: Tlingit elders wearing dance regalia standing in front of Chief Shakes’ community house, 8-3-1940
Item 56: Tlingit elders posing for picture in front of Chief Shakes’ Community House
Item 57: Totem with man, Raven, Killer Whale carvings on it
Item 58: Wrangell totem with Frog, Raven and Bear carvings on it
Item 59: Tlingit carver Joe Thomas working on the frog portion of a totem, 1939.
Item 60: Two carvers working on Killer Whale section of a totem
Item 61: Two finished Frogs for totem, 5-11-1940
Item 62: Sha-ta- qua totem, tallest in Alaska, 8-3-1940
Item 63: Chief Shakes VII (Charley Jones), 1940.
Item 64: Elderly Tlingit male individual wearing a shirt with a Frog crest
Item 65: Killer Whale totem
Item 66: Sha-ta- qua totem
Item 67: Eagle, Seal, Killer Whale totem,
Item 68: raising of the Bear totem next to Chief Shakes’ community house
Item 69: raising of the Bear totem next to Chief Shakes’ community house (side view)
Item 70: raising of the Bear totem next to Chief Shakes’ community house (side view)
Item 71: raising of the Bear totem next to Chief Shakes’ community house (frontal view)
Item 72: Killer Whale totem (side view)
Item 73: Tlingit elder next to a totem
Item 74: Tlingit dancers performing, identified crest: Killer Whale, Eagle, Raven, Bear
Item 76: Chief Shakes standing next to totem
Item 77: male individual displaying a Tlingit dance blanket baring the crest of the Bear
Item 78: Chief Shakes displaying the back of his Chilkat blanket
Item 79: Chief Shakes standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 80: Thomas Ukas displaying the backside of his blanket
Item 81: Thomas Ukas standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 82: Tlingit individual displaying his blanket with a Frog crest
Item 83: Tlingit individual standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 84: Tlingit elder wearing Chilkat blanket, standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 85: Walter Obert of Kake, Alaska wearing a Raven hat and wing spread standing next to Chief the Shakes community house
Item 86: Tlingit elder standing next to The Chief Shakes community house
Item 87: Tlingit individual wearing a shirt with a Frog crest, standing next to Chief Shakes community house
Item 88: Tlingit individual wearing a shirt with a Bear crest beaded on the front and a cedar rope across his chest symbolizing his professional dancer status. He is standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 89: Tlingit individual wearing a Chilkat blanket with a Killer Whale crest while standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 90: Tlingit individual wearing dance regalia with an Eagle crest on the shirt, standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 91: Tlingit individual wearing dance blanket and hat standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 92: Tlingit individual wearing a frontlet and Chilkat blanket while standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 93: Tlingit individual wearing dance blanket and headdress while standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 94: Tlingit individual wearing dance blanket, headdress and cedar woven rope while standing next to the Chief Shakes community house
Item 95: Tlingit individual displaying a dance blanket with a beaded Bear on the back
Item 96: Frontal view of the Chief Shakes community house
Item 97: Frontal view of the Bear crest on the Chief Shakes community house
Item 98: Aerial view of a flying grumin goose air plane flying over a snowy mountain range, photo by William L Paul Jr.
Item 99: Tlingit totem in the process of being carved, reverse reads “Repaired 9 times – Sitka, June 2, ’39. Old Native said they represent that the chief was going to give a potlatch and write 2 different tributes to it.”
Item 100: Reverse reads “First totem being repaired and painted, Sitka Totem Park, June 2, ‘39”.
Item 101: Tlingit totem at the Sitka Park
Item 102: Killer Whale, Wolf and Bear totem at the Sitka Park
Item 103: Haida totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 104: Small Tlingit totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 105: Small Tlingit totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 106: Close up of an old Tlingit totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 107: Haida totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 108: Tlingit totem representing a man, Wolf and Seal at the Sitka Historical Park
Item 109: Haida totem lying on the ground next to a short Tlingit totem
Item 110: Side view of “Item 108” (Tlingit totem representing a man, Wolf and Seal) at the Sitka Historical Park
Item 111: Raven totem at the Sitka Historical Park
Item 112: Distant view of two totems next to a house
Item 113: Haida totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 114: Fitting repainted poles, Sitka June 3, 1939
Item 115: Haida totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 116: Scaffolding built around a totem at the Sitka Historical Park
Item 117: Haida totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 118: Haida totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 119: Top of a Tlingit totem depicting a person with a Raven on his head
Item 120: Reconstruction of a Tlingit Raven totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 121: Distant view of the reconstruction of a Tlingit Raven totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 122: Close view of a carver reconstructing a Tlingit Raven totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 123: Haida totem in the Sitka Historical Park
Item 124: Haida totem in the Sitka Historical Park
