Author Bill Holm to Speak at Fort Nisqually

Bill Holm, esteemed authority of Northwest Coast Indian Art, will give a special presentation at Fort Nisqually on March 22, 1 p.m.

“We are honored to have Bill bring his great passion and deep knowledge of Northwest Coast Art to Fort Nisqually,” said Fort Nisqually Site Manager Mike McGuire. Holm’s is appearing as a guest of the Fort Nisqually Foundation.

Holm’s topic will be the “The Northwest Gun in NW Coast Indian Art.” Northwest Coast Indians sometimes carved striking designs on the wood stocks of their trade guns. (To see an example of this type of gun in the collection of the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology, click here). 

Holm’s presentation is included with Fort admission ($4-$7). 

Seating is limited, and available on a first come, first served bases. For more information, call (253) 591-5339.

Trade guns were versatile weapons. They featured a large iron guard and a smooth-bored barrel that could be loaded with either shot or round ball. They were an important commodity during the fur trade era. The sale shop at Fort Nisqually carried a supply, and replicas can be seen at the Fort today.

Holm is the author of eight books, including Northwest Coast Indian Art, An Analysis of Form. First published in 1965, it was a groundbreaking work. It is one of the all-time best-selling books published by University of Washington Press. Holm is Professor Emeritus of Art History at the University of Washington and Curator Emeritus of Northwest Coast Indian Art at the Burke Museum. He is recognized around the world as a leading authority of Northwest Coast Indian art history.

Located in Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum is a restoration of the Hudson’s Bay Company outpost on Puget Sound. Visitors experience life in Washington Territory during the 1850s fur trade era. Nine buildings are open to the public, including the Granary and the Factors House, both National Historic Landmarks, and a Visitor Center with Museum Store. The Fort is a facility of Metro Parks Tacoma.