2009-02-26

Museum’s fabulous totem pole

By Judith Pannebaker

Although the meaning of the symbols carved on it continue to be a cause for speculation, a magnificent totem pole standing sentinel in front of the Bandera’s Frontier Times Museum remains an impressive part of the collection assembled by founder J. Marvin Hunter.

Indigenous art
Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast, Washington State to British Columbia and southern Alaska, carved most totem poles – normally from a single trunk of a native red cedar tree.

The carved designs often recount familiar legends, clan lineages or even notable events. Some celebrate cultural beliefs, while others are intended mostly as artistic presentations. However, totem poles were never meant as objects of worship.

And, but for an apparent change of heart, the 20-foot tall colorful wood sculpture might be standing in the Witte Museum in San Antonio.

Hunter was first approached in 1939 about adding the totem to his museum’s collection.

In a letter dated August 8, 1939, PC Hodson wrote, in part, from San Antonio: “My cousin, Mrs. Louisa Gordon, has asked me to notify you that she has changed her Will. Upon her death, she leaves her antiques and curios to your museum instead of to the Witte Museum as she had formerly intended.”

Hodson indicated he intended to follow his cousin’s instructions about the disposition of her personal affects. “It will be a pleasure to assist you in relocating her collection in its new home,” he concluded.

In an August 10 return letter, Hunter replied: “I shall in time make due preparation to receive the collection, by providing a room in my museum and fitting it with the necessary protection against burglary and fire, that it may be preserved as a memorial to both Mrs. Gordon and to Captain Gordon.”
Woodpeckers begone

The next missive from Hodson came on August 5, no year, when he indicated that he intended to keep the totem pole at its current home in San Antonio until Hunter could arrange for its transport to Bandera. Hodson noted, “We will try to keep the woodpeckers off it in the meantime though there is a pair of them that has located in our yard.”

Expressing concern for the monumental carving, he added, “If we knock the bolts out that bolt the pole to the anchor post, it may damage part of the craving. I would rather have you judge what is best to do – perhaps saw off the anchor post.”

Hodson continued, “I do not think that it will be any trouble to take the pole down and I do not think that there is any need to go to the expense of getting a wrecker to do it.”

He even offered to assist Hunter remove the massive carving. “If you will let me know a day before hand what day you will be here, I will help you any time after 5 o’clock. I think that we can let it down directly into the truck by rigging up some blocks which I have here.”

Louisa Gordon passed away in 1941, and Hodson began to execute the terms of her will.

His final correspondence extant to Hunter came on Sept. 28, 1941, after the famous totem pole had wended its way to Bandera at last.

Hodson wrote: “I have come across some notes, both printed and written, on the totem pole with the meaning of the different animals carved on them, which, I am sure, will be of interest to you. I will keep these things for you …”

However, the notes Hodson had unearthed about the carvings were not found in the museum archives or Hunter’s private papers after his death.

Life & ‘Frontier Times’
Hunter was apparently well acquainted with the globetrotting couple prior to Louisa Gordon’s generous bequeathal to his museum.

In fact, Hunter had chronicled her husband’s life in the January and February, 1942 editions of his “Frontier Times Magazine.”
According to information supplied by Hodson, George Gordon was born July 26, 1850, and baptized at the Arbroath Cathedral in Scotland. Hodson surmised Gordon had also been born in Arboroath.

In a letter to Hunter in 1941, Hodson said that Gordon had joined the navy when he was 14. “He and my father’s brother served on HMS Briton. My father invited (Gordon) to his father’s house in London after the ship returned to England. There he met the future Mrs. Gordon, my father’s sister.”

According to Hodson, Gordon and his wife emigrated to Texas, perhaps influenced by Hodson’s father’s “glowing description of the glories of Texas, and San Antonio, in particular.” In 1881, Gordon established the OWL Ranch in Kimble County, nine miles west of Junction. After retiring from ranching, the Gordons moved to San Antonio.

However, in an earlier March 1932 edition of the “Frontier Times Magazine”, Hunter had published an even more amazing account of Gordon – one that had featured his search for the legendary San Saba silver mine.

It was long believed the Spaniards had hauled bullion over an old road leading south from the presidio of San Luis de las Amarillas to San Antonio and Mexico. It was called the Silver Trail. As the tale went, the land the trail traversed was on the North Fork of the Llano River. Gordon acquired that high and open ground, known as the Lechuza Ranch, in 1881, and apparently renamed it the OWL Ranch.

According to Rebecca Norton, director of special collections at the Frontier Times Museum, Louisa Gordon was a great collector in her own right.

“The couple traveled the world and she brought back things from everywhere – from a small tourist items to this magnificent carved totem pole,” Norris said, adding, “Even the bells that are still on exhibit in their original case came from the estate of Louisa Gordon.”

However, the centerpiece of the Gordon collection will always be the imaginative totem pole in front of the museum on 13th Street.