The plaque at the Totem reads:
"This Totem Pole has been erected in the memory of Janet R. Waneberg by the Kalama Chamber of Commerce in the year 1974, with the aid and encouragement of the citizens and organizations of this area."
Here are some websites that have additional information:
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visit link)
"World's Largest Totem Pole Stats
from Cowlitz County Deptmt. of Tourism brochure...
"The four totem poles feature mythical forms, symbols and creatures of Pacific Northwest Native American culture. The poles were carved in the early 1960s by native American artist and craftsman, the late Chief Don Lelooska. the tallest pole, at 140', was carved from a 700 year-old Western Red Cedar. Easily visible for miles, the totem poles give a sense of long-ago Native American lore and tradition to the beaches and recreation areas along the modern scenic Columbia River. Marine Park is a beutiful and relaxing family day-use facility and provides walking and picnicking adjacent to the historic Columbia River."
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visit link)
"Record setting totem poles attract everyone's attention. For the full story of record setting totems, purchase Altitude's Totem Poles.
Where is the world's tallest totem pole?: You'd think it would be a simple matter to document the world's tallest totem pole. But it's not. If you want "tall" measured in feet or meters, think Alert Bay, B.C. Canada. They claim to have the world's tallest totem at 173 ft (56.4m). So what's the problem? Well, the pole was built in three pieces and telescoped together. Some people think that's sort of cheating; it's not one pole, it's three stacked poles. Hmmm.
Tall totems have always had a bad reputation for causing quarrels. Only a few years ago in 1992, the undisputed world's tallest (Guinness Book of Records) was raised in Victoria, B.C. Canada. It was 185 ft (56 m) and in one piece, a real sky scraper. So what happened? There was so much controversy over it, in the year 2000 it was taken down and chopped into sections. It is no more. Hmmm.
Now in Kake, Alaska, there stands the world's tallest properly sanctioned totem pole, they claim, at 132 ft, (40 m). Carved by the Chilkats in 1967 for Alaska's centennial, it's in one piece and it stands on a bluff high over a Native reservation. And it's an authentic totem pole if you count the tradition as part of the totem's authenticity. But before you start rejoicing, there's a taller totem pole to reckon with in Kalama, Washington . At 140 ft (42.7 m) it's pretty darn tall and it s in one piece, but it has a problem too. It wasn't built by a real Native American, though the man who did carve it was talented and very respectful to the tradition. So you decide... who has the world's tallest totem?
1) Kalama, Washington 2) Alert Bay, B.C. 3) Kake, Alaska"
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visit link) Port of Kalama
The Marine Park is a five acre day-use park that is bordered by a pedestrian/bicycle pathway along the Columbia River and also features playgrounds, covered picnic shelters and the largest totem pole carved from a single tree in the Pacific Northwest - all within walking distance from the City of Kalama.