1. Totem Yacht Club
A Look Back
Prepared by Totem Archive Committee

2. Archive Committee Commitment
 Sort and save existing assets
 Fill in/complete assets
 Provide for collection of future assets
 Preserve for the long term
 Share with members/appropriate persons and organizations
Totem: A Look Back

3. Early Interest
 Mrs. Jean Henning and Layton Stalcop June 1955 conversation about boats
and yachting and idea of a yacht club
 Announcement ad placed in newspaper and on radio inviting those interested
to a meeting
Totem: A Look Back

4. First Meeting – June 16, 1955
 Seventeen attendees
 Layton Stalcop acted as chairman and Jean Henning was secretary
 Mostly an exchange of ideas
 Purpose: Get boating people in southern Commencement Bay together for
social and boating activities
 Decision to meet each Thursday at Grace Moore branch of Library
Totem: A Look Back

5. Second Meeting – June 23
 Officers were elected
• Kirk Wagner elected first commodore
 Club name and burgee agreed to
• Name and design suggested by Virginia Martens
• Why Totem?
 Work begun on By-Laws
Totem: A Look Back

6. Totem: A Look Back
Early Meetings - 1955

7. Totem: A Look Back
Early Meetings - 1955

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Membership
 Seventeen at first meeting – June 16, 1955
 Charter members – Oct 18, 1955 - 75 members(hips)
 175 paid members by year end, including women
 Dues – Sept. 1955 – adjusted to $6 annually and $6 initiation

9. Totem: A Look Back
Early Boating Activities
 First Rendezvous September 25, 1955 Maury Island sandspit
• Invited clubs: TOA; Tacoma Yacht Club; Day Island Yacht Club
• Attended by 16 boats, 60 persons and one dog
 Other 1955 rendezvous was Dockton, October 1955
 Occasional day and overnight cruises to waterfront properties owned
by club members

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First Rendezvous – Maury Island – September 25, 1955

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First Rendezvous – Maury Island – September 25, 1955

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Dockton Rendezvous – October 25, 1955

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Dockton Rendezvous – October 25, 1955

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Early Boating Activities
 Totem sponsored races
• First Foul Weather Outboard Race – December, 1955
• First Vashon Island Marathon Race – May, 1956
• Lyle Smith Memorial Marathon
• Predicted log races
 Sponsorship of unlimited hydroplane “Miss Rocket;” later the “Coral
Reef”

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Real Foul Weather Race – December, 1955

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First Vashon Island Marathon Race – May, 1956

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Miss Rocket carries Totem burgee on tailfin

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Cruises Continuing Over the Years
 Daffodil Boat Parade
 Special People’s Cruise
 Dockton Cruise
 Fair Harbor Cruise (with RVs)
 Blake Island Work Party

19. Totem:A Look Back
Social Activities
 Average about 6 dances or parties per year
 Annual Spaghetti Feed
 Crab Feeds
 Annual Fishing Derby
 Commodores’ Balls and Officer Dances
 Land Cruises
• Ocean Beaches
• Lake Chelan Caravans and Campouts

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21. Totem: A Look Back
Announcements about Totem dances and events were a big deal; usually carried on the Society pages

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First Clubhouse
Commodore’s member survey regarding new clubhouse features and amenities, February 1956

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First Clubhouse
 Property purchased in 1957
 Except for pilings, all work done by club members
 Building exterior completed in 1962
• Christmas party held with members wearing overcoats and mittens

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First Clubhouse
The Club’s printed history places the original clubhouse at Ruston Way and Alder Street

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First Clubhouse
Another source places the location adjacent to the remnants of the Dickman Lumber Mill. Any historical
documentation of actual location is welcome.

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First Clubhouse

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First Clubhouse
Dock completed, May 1960

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First Clubhouse
 Destroyed by fire – January 30, 1970

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Second Clubhouse
 Shoreline development regulations prevented rebuilding
 Current property located and purchased in February, 1976
 Contractor began construction in second half of 1976
 Board held its December, 1976 meeting in the new clubhouse
 Property and clubhouse paid in full March, 1977

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Second Clubhouse

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Second Clubhouse

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First Newsletter – December, 1955
 Totem Yacht News
 Contest for newsletter name

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First Woman Commodore - 1988
Commodore Sharon Nell, center

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Some early members you may know…
Rocci and Sharon Blair

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Some early members you may know…
Sharon and Jack Nell

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Some early members you may know…
Will Witte

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A remarkable history…
Wonderful memories…
Some great opportunities!

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Totem Yacht Club welcomes your questions
and any contributions of data or artifacts
that can add to this history.
Totem Yacht Club
5045 North Highland – Tacoma, Washington 98407
(253) 759-9062