Tillicum Village History

In the summer of 1958, Bill Hewitt, owner of Hewitt's Catering Service in Seattle, catered a party for a sorority on the shores of Lake Washington. This was an outdoor event, and Milo Moore provided the main course for the meal. Moore worked for the Washington State Department of Fisheries and, as a hobby, baked salmon in the traditional method of the Northwest Coast Indians. The salmon, with the head and backbone removed, were cooked whole, held vertically on five-foot cedar stakes around a blazing alder wood fire. Hewitt was fascinated by the process. There was a great deal of showmanship in the method of preparing and cooking the fish, but the most impressive thing was the product itself; it was delicious, the best he had ever eaten.

A short time later, Hewitt received a call from Boeing. They wanted to know if he could suggest a theme for a party that would be different from what they had been doing. His suggestion of an Indian potlatch salmon dinner prepared in the traditional style was accepted immediately.

Milo Moore had offered to barbecue salmon for Hewitt anytime. As it turned out, the Boeing party was scheduled for the same day the Department of Fisheries' picnic and Moore was not available. Moore did, however, offer to show Hewitt how to put the salmon on the sticks and to loan him some sticks. Bill Hewitt accepted the challenge, and with the assistance of Bill Holm's dance team and Dudley Carter, who demonstrated carving on the 35-foot totem pole, Hewitt created his first "potlatch style" salmon bake, cooking the fish in the Indian method himself. Although there were no Indians involved, the potlatch was a huge success. Hewitt started using the Indian method of baking salmon at various locations, and by 1959 it was so popular he had begun searching for a site to build an Indian longhouse restaurant. A local newspaper article regarding Blake Island's recent transformation into a state part caught Hewitt's attention. He approached the State Park Commission on the possibility of building his longhouse on the island.

The proposal to locate on a state park, which at the time prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol, caused Hewitt's only financial backer to withdraw. Undaunted, Hewitt continued to negotiate with the state on the basis that he would form a corporation to finance and oversee the development of Tillicum Village, which upon completion would be deeded to the state and leased back to the corporation.

Plans to open with the World's Fair began to slip away as a number of unforeseen circumstances delayed the project. The official opening for Tillicum Village was July 28, 1962.

Although severely underfinanced, Tillicum Village was able to survive thanks to a continued infusion of capital from the Hewitt family. Eventually after over a decade of struggle, Tillicum Village could stand on its own without subsidies from Hewitt's Catering. While there always are challenges due to the remote island location and seasonal nature of the business, Tillicum Village has demonstrated tenacious determination to overcome those obstacles to success.

In addition to entertaining thousands of school children and visitors from all over the world every year, Tillicum Village has played host to some very special events. Highlights have included visits from heads of state such as Norway's King Olav V. The National Conferences for Governors, Secretaries of State, Mayors and State Attorneys General have all visited Tillicum Village. In 1993 Tillicum Village was chosen as the site for the first Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Leaders Meeting with President Clinton and the leaders of the other Pacific Rim countries. That enormously successful event was broadcast throughout the world.

Tillicum Village has taken part in some very significant cultural events. In 1999 Tillicum hosted the participants of "The Power Paddle to Puyallup" in conjunction with the raising of the David Family Pole. Believed to be the first traditional Nuu-chah-nulth, Tla'oquiaht pole raised in over a century, the totem pole was designed and carved by Hyacinth Joe David in collaboration with his younger brother George David. Although both carvers have distinguished themselves as master carvers, this was the first time they had worked together on a project.

In May of 2004 Tillicum Village was the site of a very special wedding between David Boxley, a Tsimshian Eagle and his bride, Lorene Hanlon, a Tlingit Raven. Both are artists who take great pride in preserving their tribal traditions and culture. Their wedding ceremony combined their Christian faith with the ancient wedding customs and rituals of the Tsimshian and Tlingit people. With not only the wedding couple, but many of the guests, in full regalia the ceremony was unlike any other wedding previously held in this area. At the potlatch feast that followed, Boxley honored his wife's family and other honored guests with a fabulous mountain of gifts, drums, boxes, bowls, paddles and carvings that were given out to those in attendance. The Tillicum Village longhouse provided a wonderful setting for their special day.