Totem Pole Retrieval: Totem Pole at Sunny Point Cannery

Jane Demmert

The U.S. Forest Service and Smithsonian Institution brought in specialists to aid in the retrieval and stabilization of the totem poles. The poles were stored at Sunny Point Cannery for two years to dry out, slow any decay, and stop further cracking from changes in humidity. Tlingit carver Nathan Jackson and Northwest Coast Native Art historian Bill Holm were consulted and advised to preserve the totem poles in their present condition, rather than attempt restoration.

Ketchikan Museums: Alaska's Heritage in Peril Collection
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