I've always had a quirky fascination for the monumental, especially when it proudly dons the illustrious title of 'world's tallest.' However, little did I know that my soul secretly yearned for the surreal experience of stumbling upon a roadside wonder, claiming the towering crown, strategically positioned behind the unassuming shelves of a local Safeway grocery store. Life is funny, and apparently, so are my travel preferences.
Huddled in the foggy embrace of McKinleyville, renowned as the third wheel in Far NorCal's "big three" towns – lagging behind Eureka and Arcata, but hey, it's not a competition, right? This Totem Pole is truly a towering and strange testament. But, truth be told, in a region celebrated for its legendary redwoods, an insatiable appetite for all things Bigfoot, and, ahem, a certain herbal interest, the totem pole's placement doesn't seem too outlandish or weird in the eclectic tapestry that is Humboldt County.
Forged from what I can only assume is mystical redwood from the damp forests, this towering totem is a vibrant saga in woodwork, each flamboyant foot of the pole etched with eccentric characters on its ascent towards the celestial realm. At its zenith, a regal thunderbird presides, its twelve-foot wingspan commanding attention with a gaze that suggests an all-knowing cosmic secret. Descending, the totem introduces the usual suspects one would expect in such places– the cunning coyote, the amphibious frog, the diligent beaver, the wise owl, and the formidable grizzly bear – all key players in this arboreal epic.
However, lurking among the expected figures is a face more peculiar than the rest, an enigmatic expression that feels like a fragment of a surreal dream destined to haunt my nights for the next 15 years.
And as advertised, it's pretty damn tall—160 feet to be exact—and towers over everything in the area. And what an area it is! You can't beat the location, truly. Need to pick up some chicken stock and fresh eggs from a grocery store, but also fiending for a totem pole fix? Well sir, this complex has you covered. It’s truly a one-stop shop for all of your primal needs.
And if you don't believe me, there's even a "plaque of authenticity," a term I use loosely since it seems to have been made by the artist himself.
This totem pole not only stands as a testament to the art of crafting but also as a gateway to the bizarre narratives that linger in the heart of Humboldt County and her many quirks. Much more on that weirdness spread within these pages…
HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?
Carved from a single redwood tree by local artists Ernest Pierson and John Nelson in 1962, the world's largest totem pole clocks in at a whopping 160 feet and weighs close to 57,000 pounds. The pole was originally created to attract tourists to the newly opened McKinleyville Shopping Center (which explains its odd location) and was a hit right out of the gate.
However, in 1984, after 22 glorious years, the wood began to rot (due in part to the weather vs. the sapwood from the tree), and the pole was taken down for a full makeover. Two cranes lifted the pole off from its base-- which itself weighed over two tons-- and a month of re-carving and painting ensued. This resulted in a slimmer, taller, and more nimble pole.
While other poles have beaten it in height (a 185-footer lays claim in Victoria, British Columbia), this certainly holds the record for the largest totem pole carved from a single tree, which is an impressive feat in itself.
