New Native American Art Decorates Ferry Terminal

A pair of 10-foot-tall hand-carved Native American-themed “welcome poles” were recently installed in the passenger walkway at the Washington State Ferries (WSF) Bainbridge Island terminal.

[Above photo by WSDOT]

According to Native American lore, the poles represent the concept that “all humans may travel and have great strength to go wherever they desire and have protection and power within.” Local community members selected this artwork through a process managed by the Washington State Arts Commission in partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation’s WSF.

In a blog post, WSF said it consults with federally-recognized tribes with treaty rights where its projects are located so it can include tribal cultural design elements at its ferry terminals. While these pieces add beauty, their presence signals something deeper, WSF emphasized – providing a link to the Native American culture in the Salish Sea and often telling a story of the place or history of the tribe.

Native American artist Andy Wilbur-Peterson – who grew up in Shelton, WA, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Native American studies from Evergreen State College in Olympia – created the two welcome poles; which are called “Crossing the Water.”

Across the country, state departments of transportation are involved in a variety of cultural and archaeological efforts – many involving Native American communities.

For example, in September 2024, the Iowa Department of Transportation – with support from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration – released a 25-minute film about the Black Hawk Bridge and that of the local communities surrounding it.

Named after Chief Black Hawk of Lansing, IA, the bridge connected Wisconsin and Iowa communities – including Native American tribes – on either side of the Mississippi River

Created as a compliance requirement with the National Historic Preservation Act, the short film – entitled “Bridging Generations: The Story of the Black Hawk Bridge” – details the history of the 1,700-foot bridge that spans the Mississippi River, connecting Iowa Highway 9 in Lansing, IA, to Wisconsin Highway 82 in rural Crawford County.

And in September 2023, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation received federal funding to help create a Tribal Technical Assistance Program or TTAP Center for 65 tribal nations across 30 states.