Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
Sequim’s Farmer’s Market is going full swing this month. Even though it doesn’t look crowded it was quite lively last Saturday with lots of people coming and going on Washington Street.
I understand that the plaza of our new Civic Center is destined to be the site of the Farmer’s Market but I guess it wasn’t ready in time this year to lock in all the arrangements. For now it’s split between two spots not far from each other on Washington Street.
Last week I posted a photograph of the front of Fudd’s, a new fish and chips restaurant on West Washington. Earlier this week I was downtown and hungry. There was Fudd’s. The photo above was my “smokey chowder.” One word: Yum! They were out of clam chowder but this seafood chowder was no second best. Great flavor, plenty of clams and rich without the pasty glop that is sometimes passed off as chowder.
DH opted for fish and chips. This was the “small” version. They also offer a medium and large. The fish was fresh and lightly coated. I had a little taste and I’d like to try it again. Usually I don’t care much for the chips. These were very tasty, nicely seasoned and crunchy. I had french fry envy. Nothing seemed greasy, one of the reasons I usually avoid fried foods.
The inside of the restaurant is simple but clean. The prices seemed reasonable.
Today I thought I’d give you a closer look at the new totem pole donated by the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe to the City of Sequim for our new Civic Center plaza. Carved by the tribe’s master carver, Dale Faulstich, it was blessed last month at the dedication of the City Hall.
This shot shows the first figure at the bottom of the pole. In Salish culture totem poles are used for many reasons. They can commemorate family and community history and convey the folklore of religious and cultural beliefs.
This is the middle section of the new pole. This pole depicts a story of brothers who became the Sun and Moon and the maidens they married. In the story they slay the Chief Above to bring light to the land.
This is the top of the pole. Old growth Western Red Cedars are carefully harvested to create totem poles. The trees are typically 500 to 900 years old, taken from the Hoh Rain Forest on the western Olympic Peninsula.
I returned to Sequim’s new Civic Center Plaza recently. I’d read that there is an artifact memorializing 9/11 from New York’s Twin Towers and I wanted to take a look. I found it, modestly placed at the base of two flag poles.
It is a piece of steel from the collapsed towers. Sequim’s Police Chief Bill Dickinson and other police officers went to New York on their own time (and dimes) to collect the piece and bring it back for eventual placement in the new Civic Center. It had been in storage since 2011.
It’s a substantial piece of steel, about two inches thick. When I saw it there was no label or interpretive information. At least for now you need to know what you’re looking at to understand its significance.
Kiwi’s Fish and Chips changed hands this spring and it’s now Fudd’s. A young couple with background in the food industry has taken it over, promising fresh tasting fish and reasonable prices. The buzz on Facebook and Yelp so far is pretty good. My shadow, shown in the shot above, is about as close as I got to the front door. It was closed when I came by. I’ve not done any taste testing. Any locals care to report?
This is one of the benches at the new Civic Center plaza. I like the shadows that it cast.
Sequim’s new Civic Center was dedicated a week ago with a brand new totem pole taking center stage in the adjacent plaza. You can see it to the right in the photo above. According to the local Peninsula Daily News, the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe was originally asked if they might contribute some wall art to the Center.
The tribe, Sequim’s first residents, decided instead to commission a totem pole from their master carver, Dale Faulstich. The 30 foot pole depicts “The legend of Sequim’s sunshine.” Click here to learn more about the legend as well as the dedication ceremony.