Guide to the Dudley Carter Totem Pole Carving for Sand Point Naval Air Station Photograph Collection
August 1960

Biographical Note

Dudley Carter was a wood sculptor who made massive sculptures using a double bladed woodsman's axe. He was born to a pioneer family in New Westminster, British Columbia in 1891. Carter's family operated logging camps in the Pacific Northwest, and at age 15 he moved to Alert Bay where he lived among the totem carving Kwakiutl Indians. He spent many years working in the lumbering business as a timber cruiser and forest engineer before he began experimenting with art and sculpture at age 39. Carter continued working as both a woodsman and sculptor for the next forty years. He remained an active sculptor past the age of 100 before his death in 1992. Some of his influential works include "The Ram" and "The Goddess of the Forest."

Scope and Content

Photographs of a tree being felled by sculptor Dudley Carter, milled, and transported to be carved into a totem pole by Carter for the Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle. The collection includes a photograph of the totem pole surrounding by scaffolding.

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Restrictions on Access

The collection is open to the public.

Historical Background

On August 11, 1960, Dudley Carter began the public carving of a 52-foot red cedar tree into a totem pole. The carving was done using a double-bitted faller's axe, and took place at the Westlake Mall in Seattle through September 2, 1960. Once completed, the pole was placed at the main gate of the Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle. The carving was arranged by the Thunderbirds, a group of 450 enlisted Naval Air Reservists from the Sand Point Naval Air Station.

Acquisition Info

Source: Fairlook Antiques, October 2008.

Processing Info

Processed by Holly Hernandez, 2008.

Inventory

Date

1

Dudley Carter preparing to chop down a red cedar tree

August 1960

2

Dudley Carter chopping down a red cedar tree

August 1960

3

Dudley Carter's double-bitted faller's axe and the felled red cedar tree

August 1960

4

Three men posing with the felled red cedar tree

August 1960

5

Bulldozer backing up to the red cedar tree chopped down by Dudley Carter

August 1960

6

Red cedar log with bulldozer

August 1960

7

Dudley Carter and two men surveying the base of the red cedar log

August 1960

8

Dudley Carter watching the red cedar log he will carve being hoisted onto a truck

August 1960

9

Two men secure the red cedar log onto a truck bed with chains

August 1960

10

The red cedar log being transported by truck

August 1960

11

Woman pointing to log intended to be carved into a totem pole by Dudley Carter for the Seattle Navel Air Station

August 1960

12

Dudley Carter, five men from the Sand Point Naval Station, and two women on a float pose with the red cedar log

August 1960

13

Two men with the truck used to transport the red cedar log

August 1960

14

The log to be carved by Dudley Carter being milled

August 1960

15

Dudley Carter and two men inspect the milled red cedar log while it is loaded on the truck bed

August 1960

16

Totem pole being carved by Dudley Carter surrounded in scaffolding at Westlake Mall in Seattle

August 1960

Subject Terms

Personal Names:

Carter, Dudley--Photographs.

Geographic Names:

Westlake Mall (Seattle, Wash.)--Photographs.

Subjects:

Sculptors--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs.

Totem poles--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs.

Wood-carving--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs.

Genre Headings:

Photographic prints.