Not long ago totem pole carving in Southeast Alaska was in a state of decay. No new poles were being carved and traditions were fading. In 1938, the US Forest Service began salvaging totem poles in abandoned villages across Southeast Alaska. Native carvers were hired to either repair or reproduce the old poles. The project at Totem Bight sought to simultaneously support the carving tradition as elders taught and supervised a team of carvers working to create a model village and inform visitors about the region's first people.

Silent Storytellers of Totem Bight State Historical Park includes the history of the park's origins. Each of the 14 totem poles and clan house are described and illustrated, including a sampling of their Native legends and stories. Learn how to interpret the carvings and take a look at today's master carvers in this unique window into a fascinating cultural history of Southeast Alaska.