Sitka ’ s Poles
THE AREA AT THE MOUTH OF INDIAN RIVER has been used by Sitka residents for thousands of years .
By the late 1800s , the beautiful ancient forest where the Indian River and Sitka Sound converge had developed into an informal community park . On a recommendation by local officials , President Benjamin Harrison declared the land a federally designated park , creating Alaska ’ s oldest federal park called Sitka Park . In the park ’ s 130-year history , it has been known by several different names , but in 1972 , the park received its current name , Sitka National Historical Park ( SNHP ).
In 1903 , Alaska District Governor John Brady , who was living in Sitka , assembled a remarkable collection of totem poles from across Southeast Alaska . In 1904 , the poles were shipped to St . Louis for display outside the Alaska Pavilion at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition . The poles were then displayed at the 1905 Louis and Clark Exposition in Portland , Oregon , before finally returning to Sitka , where they were installed along a trail through the federal park .
By the 1930s , the poles had badly deteriorated . Through funding from the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps , 10 Tlingit carvers , including lead carver George Benson , were hired to restore the poles . In the contemporary SNHP Visitor Center , you can view some of the original poles that John Brady brought to Sitka . In 2000 , a specially designed climate-controlled display room was built to house the delicate poles and artifacts . When you visit the park today , you can admire a thriving Alaska Native culture by watching Native artists at work in the studio .
VISIT SITKA MAGAZINE 15 VISITSITKA . ORG