Artifact of the Month: December 2020

Jean Howard's Christmas Ornaments

If you have lived in Ketchikan over the past 37 years, chances are you have seen or maybe even own Christmas ornaments made by Jean Howard. Jean grew up on the Gravina Island homestead her parents, Vincent and Helen Boucher, farmed south of where the airport is now. After high school, she moved away but returned to Ketchikan in the 1980s to care for her parents. Making ornaments was a way to earn income while home with her family. Jean sold her ornaments in curio stores downtown, where they were popular with locals and tourists alike. More recently, the ornaments have been sold at the Plaza Mall's Christmas bazaar, where proceeds from sales are donated to charity. Jean estimates she has made and sold thousands of ornaments.

Jean began making ornaments at the request of a friend who had seen an Inuit angel ornament in a magazine. Jean designed a pattern from the photo with some changes to make it her own. Since then she has developed 18 unique designs, including many local animals, Ketchikan-like characters, and the iconic Rainbird. In 2019 and 2020, Ketchikan Museums acquired 12 of Jean's ornaments, including a contemporary version of the Inuit angel (far left) and the 2019 design which combines a snowman and an angel (far right).

In February 2020, Jean Howard turned 90 years old.

Object credit:
Ketchikan Museums, KM 2019.2.17.1-6 and KM 2020.2.2.1-6

Image caption:
Jean Howard poses with some of her ornaments on display in the 2019-2020 exhibit, Solving Problems, Telling Stories at the Tongass Historical Museum.