Snoqualmie Tribe Supports Snoqualmie City Council Removal of Downtown Totem Pole and Council Chamber Murals

In December 2025, at the final meeting of former Mayor Katherine Ross’s administration, the Snoqualmie City Council voted to remove a totem pole along Railroad Ave near the Snoqualmie Train Depot for assessment and restoration. During the same December meeting, council members also approved removing the murals from Council Chambers, which depicted the City’s logging history. 

The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe issued a news release in appreciation of those City Council actions, saying “both the totem pole and murals were offensive to the Tribe as they contributed to erasure of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and people who have been part of the Snoqualmie Valley for time immemorial.”

According to the Snoqualmie Tribe, in the Pacific Northwest, totem poles are misinterpreted as traditional art of the Tribes in Western Washington, leading to the erasure of traditional designs and uses of art from this region. Unlike the beautiful representations of Southeast Alaskan art styles, the totem that was displayed in downtown Snoqualmie was carved by a non-Native person and was a poor representation of the Southeast Alaskan art and culture.

The Snoqualmie totem pole was carved decades ago by non-native Hugh H. Hines, who carved the since-removed totem pole that had been in downtown Fall City. According to the Snoqualmie Tribe, the [Snoqualmie] totem pole was an inaccurate and unrelated representation of the Snoqualmie people’s history, culture, traditions, and sacred lifeways.

“The totem pole has always been offensive to the Snoqualmie Tribe and the experiences of tribal artists in our community.  We are glad to see steps move forward to take it down and look forward to future government-to-government consultation with the City of Snoqualmie,” said Snoqualmie Tribal Chairman Bob de los Angeles.

“Our Snoqualmie Indian Tribe is strong and resilient.  It is important to mark these steps forward with surrounding jurisdictions.  Our Snoqualmie leaders have historically expressed the importance of respectful government-to-government relationships.  We will continue to remind the City of Snoqualmie of the need for respect and acknowledgement of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe,” said Alternate Council Member, Melynda Digre.

The Snoqualmie Tribe also expressed that the removed City Council Chambers mural did not accurately represent Snoqualmie’s history, leaving out some community groups, including the Snoqualmie Tribe, which was greatly impacted by settler colonization, as well as the railroad and timber industry expansion.

The City of Snoqualmie Arts Commission was charged with deciding a future location for the totem pole, although the Council made clear it preferred the pole not return to its Railroad Ave location.  

During the December meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Brian Holloway described both the murals and the totem pole as distractions, particularly to every conversation had at council meetings.  The Snoqualmie Arts Commission will also decide on a future home for the murals and the new backdrop for council chambers.

The City said retiring the totem pole and council chamber murals is part of a broader effort to ensure public spaces better reflect Snoqualmie’s history, including the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe’s history, culture and enduring connection to the valley. City officials said they plan to continue consulting with the Tribe as they consider a more inclusive replacement.