Members of the Samish Tribe last week re-dedicated the “Maiden of Deception Pass” carving at Rosario Beach. I shot this photograph in 1983 at the request of the late Ken Hansen (red vest), who led a tenacious campaign to have the Samish Tribe recognized by the U.S. government. Artist was Tracy Powell, who studied with tribal elders before completing his work. Powell was present at Saturday’s 30th anniversary ceremony. The funding to pay the carver was made possible by a Washington State Centennial celebration grant of $6,000 organized by Debbie Aldrich, Ellen Bynum and others serving on the Skagit Centennial Committee. The Committee also helped bring  the snagboat W.T. Preston to the city with the help of the Anacortes Museum. Other projects included a traveling photo exhibition titled: “Then and Now,” featuring Darius Kinsey prints and living Skagit photographers, which showed in libraries, the Sedro-Woolley bakery and various other locations. An Art Index compiled by the Committee found that 600 people of the 66,000 population in Skagit at the time self-identified as artists.