Basket Weaving Workshop

Jefferson County Historical Society
JCHS Mission: To actively discover, collect, preserve, and promote the heritage of
Jefferson County in the State of Washington.

Native American Baskets

A new exhibit of baskets collected by the family of Lucinda Hastings opened June 6, 2009. The wife of Loren B. Hastings, one of Port Townsend's founders, Lucinda was the first non-native woman to set foot in town, just ahead of Sophia Pettygrove as they stepped off the schooner Mary Taylor on February 23, 1852. She eventually became one of the town's most prominent businesspeople.

This collection of twelve baskets includes work by Makah, S'Klallam, Aleut, Coast Salish and possibly Tsimshian, Haida or Tlinget basket makers. The collection was donated to the historical society by Lucinda's granddaughter, Lucinda Eubank. JCHS Executive Director, Bill Tennent said, "This is an extremely valuable collection historically because it ties into both the native customs of the region and also into the first settlers of Port Townsend. We are thrilled that Lucinda has chosen to share her family's collection with the public."

The art of basket making was highly developed by aboriginal women throughout Washington State. Different types of baskets were used for cooking, food gathering and storage and carrying water. Colored grasses, which were the Indian woman's version of embroidery silks, were among her most valued possessions. Basket makers embellished their work with fancy edges and many varieties of stitches.

A woman who needed to make baskets began planning many months in advance. Basketry was primarily winter work but the materials were gathered in the summer. Roots and twigs were soaked, peeled and split, grass was cured and sometimes dyed. One Indian woman said, "When I begin to weave a basket, my work is already half done."

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