Ketchikan in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)
Clan House Construction
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, September 2, 2026
1. Clan House Construction Marker
Natives throughout the Pacific Northwest used giant trees from this rainforest to build impressive winter homes. These houses provided comfortable shelter from the cold, rainy winter and protection against attacking enemies.
Making Materials
The Tlingit chose spruce or cedar planks for houses and sometimes used hemlock, but the Haida and Tsimshian used only red cedar. It took many laborers hours to fell one giant tree using adzes, wedges, chisels and fire. Workers split thin, wide boards from the logs using wedges and a stone maul. Some boards were beveled so they could be overlapped and used as house planks. Wooden pegs held joints together.
Posts and Beams
Clan houses were post and beam construction. The four corner posts stood approximately 10’ high. Side beams 3’ in diameter and 30’ long rested in grooves carved in the top of the corner posts. Two center posts supported a central beam. The plank roof, wholly independent of the walls, sat on top of cross beams and had a smoke hole. Walls were formed by fitting vertical planks into sills that were mortised into the bases of the corner posts. The floors were made of planks
this page online
Handled with Care
All wood in the clan house received careful preparation. Beams were trimmed to a uniform diameter and adzed with great care. Even the floors were carefully adzed. The elaborately carved and painted frontal pole displayed crests showing the matriarchal clan designation. The corner posts in this house depicts Duk-toothl, a man of the Raven moiety.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Indigenous Peoples and Communities.
Location. 55° 25.2′ N, 131° 46.369′ W. Marker is in Ketchikan, Alaska, in Ketchikan Gateway Borough. It can be reached from Totem Bight Road. Marker is located in Totem Bight State Historical Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9883 North Tongass Highway, Ketchikan AK 99901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Alaska, in Tlingit and Haida & Tsimshian Region. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, in the Inside Passage, on the Pacific Rim, in
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, September 2, 2026
2. Clan House Construction Marker
Several markers are found here. The Clan House Construction marker is the one on the left.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Look Into the Clan House (here, next to this marker); Houses of Heritage (here, next to this marker); Preserving the Past (here, next to this marker); Aging in the Elements (here, next to this marker); Transforming Trees (a few steps from this marker); Original Artists (a few steps from this marker); Continuing the Cycle (a few steps from this marker); Understanding Totem Poles (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ketchikan.
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, September 2, 2026
3. Clan House
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, September 2, 2026
4. Inside the Clan House
Credits. This page was last revised on September 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 15, 2026, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 15, 2026, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
