Last update: 07/01/2009
Chief William Shelton’s story pole
Location:
Northeast lawn of the west campus, on the south side of the
General Administration building
Description:
- Artist- Chief William Shelton of the Snohomish Tribe (1868 - 1938), completed by other tribal carvers after his death
- Endorsing Entities- Washington State school children, under the organization of the Snohomish County Parent-Teachers Association
- Dedication Date- May 14, 1940
- Materials- cedar, paint
- Inscriptions: "This pole was carved by William Shelton of
the Snohomish Indian Tribe, Tulalip. Presented to the State by
Washington Congress of Parent-Teachers, sponsored by Snohomish
County Parent-Teachers Association. Purchased through
contributions of school children.
This plaque was made by the Vocational Department, Senior High School, Everett, Washington, 1940."
History & significance:
The idea of including a piece of Native American art on the capitol campus grounds first came about when then-Governor Ronald Hartley visited the Tulalip Indian Reservation during the end of his administration in the 1930’s. Hartley met with Snohomish Chief William Shelton, a man well-educated in the traditional beliefs and culture of his and other tribes. Shelton, in addition to working for the Indian Bureau and traveling widely to lecture on Native American tradition, was revered as one of Puget Sound’s last great story pole carvers. Governor Hartley, knowing this, discussed with Chief Shelton the idea of having a story pole created for the capitol campus. The pole was to symbolize the peace that had existed between the Native Americans and white settlers since the signing of treaties between the Washington Territory and Northwest Native tribal governments in 1854.Chief Shelton supported Governor Hartley’s idea and, after allowing Hartley to select the great cedar tree from which the pole would be carved, he began work. Sadly, Shelton died in 1938 after spending five years carving the capitol campus story pole. The massive piece of art was not yet finished at the time of his death, and was finished by other tribal carvers.
Once the story pole was completed, the funds needed for its purchase were raised through the organization of the Snohomish County Parent-Teachers’ Association. This group launched a statewide campaign to encourage all Washington schoolchildren to donate one cent toward the $200 needed to buy the monument in the name of the state. The campaign was a success, and on May 14, 1940 the dedication of the story pole was held on the capitol campus. Interestingly enough, the ceremony proceeded with the pole not yet set upright, and Olympia remained the only settlement in the world with a horizontal story pole until a month later. It was then that the monument’s concrete base was completed and members of the State Forestry Department got the pole off its back. The great timber, although 85 feet in total length, stands 71 feet tall due to its buried base.
Throughout its history on the capitol grounds, Chief Shelton’s Story Pole has often been incorrectly referred to as a totem pole. A totem pole symbolizes a family’s history through the depiction of certain animals and their cultural legends. A story pole, on the other hand, puts its emphasis on teaching children community responsibility and cultural attitudes through the depictions of these same animal characters. Story poles are most often carved from the interior pillars of ceremonial longhouses. Therefore, this free-standing pole provides a rare look at carvings typically seen only within sacred structures of the Snohomish and other Salish tribes. The story pole features 21 beautifully carved figures, each teaching a certain life lesson. Additional interpretive information on the story pole’s depictions is available at the State Capitol Visitors’ Center.
Maintenance record:
- Early 1950’s—Pole was repainted, but the details of the project are unknown
- 1962—Pole was repainted (sponsored by schoolchildren in Everett and Snohomish Counties)
- 1974—Pole was scraped, weather cracks were filled, and was repainted by the Department of General Administration. Del McBride of the State Capitol Museum selected new color scheme for the pole
- 1987—Pole had its rotted wood replaced, and was recaulked and repainted by the Department of General Administration
- 1997—Pole was pressure-washed, sanded, caulked, and painted by the Department of General Administration in the original color scheme used by Chief William Shelton
