World’s Largest Concrete Totem Pole: world record in Chelsea, Oklahoma
Chelsea, Oklahoma, United States--Totem Pole Park in Foyil/Chelsea, Oklahoma, owned and operated by the Rogers County Historical Society, contains a 90-foot tall main totem pole heavily carved with baseline designs, the largest art object on the property, made of red sandstone framed with steel and wood with a thick concrete skin and sits on a large three-dimensional turtle; it sets the world record for being the World’s Largest Concrete Totem Pole, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.
"Oklahoma’s Totem Pole Park is the work of local artisan Ed Galloway, who created the attraction on his own across a number of decades. After leaving his job as an art teacher, Galloway began construction on his personal park in 1938. His main goal was to create a series of totem poles using sturdy building materials," the Atlas Obscura says.
"Using concrete, rebar, and steel reinforcement, he created a number of colorful tapered totems on his land surrounding what is known as the “Fiddle House,” which was modeled after a hendecagonal Navajo hogan, and which was itself supported by a series of cement totems.
"The grandest creation in the park, however, is the main totem, which took Galloway 11 years to finish. The massive tower stands around 90 feet tall, and is completely covered in bright reliefs of animals and characters similar to some traditional Native American styles. It features 200 carved pictures, with four nine-foot Indians near the top, each representing a different tribe. The entire stack of looming faces and squashed beasts was made to sit on the back of a giant concrete turtle who looks a bit crushed by the weight of the world."
"The Ed Galloway Totem Pole Park is a Route 66 icon and home of "The World's Largest Concrete Totem Pole," the Travel OK says.
"One of Oklahoma's landmarks, it has been featured in several important articles and books on environmental folk art and Route 66 lore. In 1999, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places."
"Totem Pole Park in Foyil/Chelsea, Oklahoma, owned and operated by the Rogers County Historical Society, is a frequent Route 66 destination. The
World's Largest Concrete Totem Pole located in this unique sculpture park is most impressive. This icon is the creative genius of Ed Galloway who developed the park as a monument to Native Americans. The gigantic colorful Totem Pole, the centerpiece of the nine-acre park, rises from the back of an enormous kelly-green and aqua-painted turtle," the
official website says.
"Totem Pole Park also includes Ed Galloway's eleven-sided Fiddle House Museum which retains many of Mr. Galloway's hand-carved fiddles. Other artifacts made by Ed Galloway and visuals of the park's development are also on display in the museum. An array of other colorful totems are scattered throughout the park.
"Featured in the sculpture park, besides the Large Totem and Fiddle House Museum, are the Arrowhead Totem, Birdbath Totem, Fireplace Totem, Gate Totems, Tree Totem, uniquely designed Picnic Tables, Child's Playhouse, and Ed Galloway Home built in the late 1930s.
"Picnic pavilions, a pet park, and a 1/2 mile wooded nature trail are located on the property for guests to enjoy. Space for bus parking is also available. Groups often stop to have lunch at Totem Pole Park, stroll the grounds, and shop at the Fiddle House Gift Shop."
"Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park consists of eleven objects and one building on 14 acres (57,000 m²) in Rogers County, in northeastern Oklahoma. The park is ten miles (16 km) north-east of Claremore and is located 3.5 miles (6 km) east of historic U.S. Route 66 and Foyil. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 30, 1999. The park is now owned and operated by the Rogers County Historical Society. The park's main totem pole is billed as the "World’s Largest Concrete Totem Pole".
"The park was constructed by Ed Galloway (b. 1880 in Springfield, Missouri; d. 1961 in Foyil, Oklahoma). A US Army veteran who had served in the Philippines, he began carving monumental sculptures from tree trunks when he returned to the United States after his military service. In 1914, his work attracted the interest of Tulsa-based philanthropist Charles Page, who employed him as a manual arts teacher at the Children's Home orphanage in Sand Springs, Oklahoma.
"Galloway lived at and worked on the park every day up to his death in 1962 of cancer. Some say that he hoped to use his work to educate young people about Native Americans, but others say that he thought the park would be a good place for youngsters, Boy Scouts in particular, to visit." (Wikipedia)
"Visit one of the iconic destinations along Route 66, Totem Pole Park in Chelsea. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Totem Pole Park is the result of Ed Galloway’s hard work in his retirement years," the Discover Oklahoma TV says.
"This was his tribute to Native Americans. This park has a museum, gift shop, picnic tables but the centerpiece is the 90 foot tall totem pole. Come see “The World’s Largest Concrete Totem Pole.”
"See a piece of Oklahoma’s Route 66 history at Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park. Constructed near the towns of Foyil and Chelsea by folk artist Ed Galloway from 1937 to 1961, this one-of-a-kind landmark has attracted Mother Road travelers for decades, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999," the Green Country Tourism says.
"The park has been featured in several articles and books on environmental folk art, and its centerpiece is known as the world's largest concrete totem pole.
"Pack a lunch and take in the sights at one of the park's uniquely designed picnic tables, and stop into the on-site Fiddle House museum while you're there to see some of Galloway's hand-crafted fiddles and other artifacts. Make sure to include this iconic stop on your next trip down Green Country's stretch of Route 66!"
"Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park is the oldest and largest example of a folk art environment in Oklahoma; its construction lasting from 1937 to 1961. Totem Pole Park contains the original, highly decorated creations of Galloway, one of Oklahoma’s premier folk artists and significant in the “visionary art” movement," the National Park Service says.
"The park is located just 3.5 miles off the Mother Road. All of the art objects are made of stone or concrete, reinforced with steel rebar and wood. Galloway incised and carved the objects in bas-relief and applied paint to decorations that generally include representational and figurative images of birds and Native Americans of Northwest Coast/Alaska and Plains cultures arranged facing the four cardinal directions.
"Between 1937 and 1948, he created a 90-foot tall main totem pole heavily carved with bas-relief designs, the largest art object on the property. This totem pole is made of red sandstone framed with steel and wood with a thick concrete skin and sits on a large three-dimensional turtle. The turtle forms the base and is carved from a broad, flat outcrop of sandstone in place on the site. The totem pole is hollow and ascends nine “floors,” with the ground floor measuring nine feet in diameter. The plastered interior depicts painted murals of mountain-and-lake scenes and bird totems. Native American shields and arrow points line the tops of the murals. At the very top, the cone is open to the sky."
"If you drive down the streets near Foyil, Oklahoma, you’ll stumble upon a unique roadside attraction that will make you look twice. Tucked away on the side of East Highway 28A, is Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park – home to the “World’s Largest Concrete Totem Pole.” This Route 66 icon is one of the most unique things you’ve ever seen, and is the perfect place to go for a fun afternoon outing," the Only In Your State says.
"In 1948, after retirement, Ed Galloway built the world's largest totem pole, with a completed height of 90 feet tall. The base of the pole is 30 feet wide and is decorated with over 200 images, including Indian folklore art. The "World's Largest Concrete Totem Pole" stands on the back of a turtle and is one of the most unique roadside attractions you'll ever see in Oklahoma.
"This unique park also contains smaller concrete totem poles and four sets of animal-form gateposts that can be seen from the road. The enormous totem pole was made from 100 tons of sand and rock, 28 tons of cement and 6 tons of steel. It's incredible that one man built such a unique and enormous structure."
"Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and claiming the title of the World’s Largest Concrete Totem Pole, Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park features a 90-foot totem pole that towers over the park in a vivid array of folk art colors," the Legends Of America says.
"Ed Galloway built the totem pole over an 11-year period from 1937 to 1948, utilizing some 28 tons of cement, six tons of steel, and 100 tons of sand and rock. His tribute to the American Indian features 200 carved pictures, with four nine-foot Indians near the top, each representing a different tribe.
"The centerpiece totem pole, rising from the back of an enormous turtle, sits in the midst of a beautiful nine-acre park. The park also features Galloway’s eleven-sided “Fiddle House” that previously housed his hand-carved fiddles. Artifacts made by Ed Galloway and visuals of the park development are also on display in the museum. Throughout the park are numerous colorful totems that display a variety of Indian Folk Art."
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