Double-ended Davis Boat, circa 1918-1940

John Davis & Sons Boat Builders

Davis Family Boatmakers: The Davises, a Tsimshian family from Metlakatla, first made money by building rafts for the Alaskan gold rush.

Returning home, the family used that money to start a wooden boat company. Their boats took design inspiration from local canoes and boats for hunting whale and seal. The boats were so well-made, efficient, and suited to the environment that their name became a standard for that particular type of boat. It was said that if you ordered a boat from the Davis family, they'd have it ready within days, and the paint would still be wet when you rowed it back home.

Ketchikan Museums, KM 95.2.29.1