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NEWS RELEASE
Ceremony to dedicate
historic landmark in Neah Bay Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who was instrumental in the project’s development by bringing parties together and securing state funding toward its construction, will join Makah Tribal Chairman Micah McCarty and Luis Fernando Esteban, honorary consul of Spain, in giving opening remarks at the ceremony. First Gentlemen Mike Gregoire will be among those taking part in the dedication, as will several representatives from the armed forces, local tribal officials, Spanish dignitaries, veterans groups and land donors. Fort Núñez Gaona – Diah Veterans Park is on the site of a Spanish trading fort constructed in 1792. It also stands as a memorial for the nearly 300 Neah Bay veterans who served in the U.S. military. Diah was the ancestral name of part of the village now called Neah Bay. The project is a collaboration of the Spanish government and Consul Esteban, the Makah Tribal Council, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Neah Bay area veterans and members of the local Neah Bay community. The structure on waterfront property overlooking Neah Bay is comprised of six large cedar columns to resemble a traditional Makah longhouse. The columns were made from a tree felled on the property. Along its western side is a tall fort-like fence of logs. The site bears the flags of the United States, Spain, the Makah Nation, Washington state, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribe of Canada and each branch of the United States military. A stone monument bears the names of Neah Bay area veterans. Lt. Gov. Owen said the park began with a conversation between he and Ed Claplanhoo, who, together with his wife, Thelma, donated a substantial piece of property for the park. “We both wanted to recognize the history and honor the veterans,” he said. Claplanhoo will be among the speakers at the dedication. Owen said the monument “will stand as a very important marker not only for the history of our state but for the history of the United States and area tribes. It also pinpoints a very important time in our state’s history, the place where international trade first began.” The park “is a huge testament to our participation in international trade prior to becoming citizens of the United States,” added tribal chair McCarty. “It’s a very interesting aspect of our history. It’s important to know how some of the dynamics of history shaped the course of how we became Americans.” That it is also serves as a tribute to area veterans is a particular source of pride because of the Makah’s long history of serving in the armed forces, McCarty said. The project may also open some new avenues of tourism and cultural exchanges with Spain, he said, as well as draw new attention to the diverse role the tribe and the area has in maritime history. McCarty adds that the welcome treaty is an important element of the ceremony as it will help the tribe to forge a stronger relationship with Spain. The treaty, to be signed by representatives from the Makah Nation and from the Spanish government, formally welcomes the nation of Spain to Neah Bay and, in return, the Makah Nation to Spain. From the perspective of Spain, Esteban said the park “is a beautiful reminder of Spain’s legacy in establishing Washington’s first European settlement and site of the first international trading. “I am deeply grateful for the key role that Lt Gov. Brad Owen and the Makah Tribal Council played in bringing people together in the spirit of cooperation to officially realize for the first time the significance of our important shared history,” he added. The park was built with $58,000 in state funds; $40,000 from the Spanish Embassy; donated labor and equipment from Forks area residents Bill and Kitty Sperry; $30,000 in graphics services donated by Orca Creative Group Inc. of Woodinville; a $2,000 donation from Neah Bay Veterans and the donation of land from the Hawley and Youngblood families and Edward and Thelma Claplanhoo. High
resolution version of photo Office of the Lt. Governor Brian Dirks (360) 786-7707 or
dirks.brian@leg.wa.gov or Makah Nation Washington Department of Veterans Affairs Northwest Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America |
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