Category Archives: Attractions

Our World – Road Trip to see Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park

Sunday, SuperPizzaBoy and I loaded up and headed up Route 66 northeast from Tulsa to the little town of Foyil, Oklahoma to check out the world’s largest concrete totem pole.

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The totem pole is 90 feet tall and is made of concrete over a metal and sandstone base. He started working on it in 1937 and finished in 1948.

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The exterior has many bas relief native American inspired designs.

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Apparently when asked why he built it he just said that he needed something to do when he retired.

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The base of the tower is a turtle. He fashioned it from a sandstone outcropping that was already in place.

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There is a small room inside that contains more artwork and an informative sign. If you start googling you will see find that there are lots of totem poles taller than ninety feet. So maybe this is the tallest concrete totem pole.

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(SPB photo)

SPB brought his camera. Of course a self portrait was in order.

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(SPB photo)

Hmm, this is also a pic of his, That is the scariest face on the Totem.

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(SPB photo)

SPB also captured images of some Galloway’s other pieces. I love the arrowhead below.

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(SPB photo)

I’m guessing this is a tree trunk.

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The park has a gift store inside the “Fiddle House” that includes a variety of fiddles carved by Mr. Galloway.

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This was my favorite

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The park has a short nature trail which of course we tried.

Galloway died in 1961 and the park fell into disrepair until rescued in the late 1980’s by the Rogers County Historical Society who runs the facility today.

We’ll post the second half of our road trip next week, unless of course we decide to do something else.

National Park Service Article on the Totem Park

Roadside America Link on the Totem Park

TravelOK.Com article on the Totem Park

Our World