Although the Tokeland Hotel is best known today for purportedly being one of the most haunted locations in Washington State, [1] in its heyday the Kindred Collection of Coast Salish and Chinookan baskets at the hotel is what put it on the map. Per Chinook Story, a joint cultural project between the Chinook Nation and Portland State University, “Lizzie Brown Kindred displayed these valuable baskets at the Tokeland Hotel, which she owned and ran with her husband William Kindred from 1885 until her death in 1930. Lizzie Brown, whose family settled near the camp used by the family of Chief Toke in 1858, was born in Bruceport in 1862. Her family lived only three miles from the Shoalwater Reservation, established in 1866. At one point in her life, Lizzie Brown also lived on the reservation at Georgetown, where she learned to speak the Chinook language. According to the Willapa County History Project, edited by Mrs. Nels Olson in 1965, Lizzie obtained strings of beads and many of these baskets as personal gifts from Indian friends.” [2] The website further noted that “the baskets were displayed during Lizzie Brown Kindred’s lifetime,” [3] giving us some date range for the creation of the baskets in this important collection. Please note that the provenance chain for this basket is unbroken: Lizzie Brown Kindred > Curtight & Son Tribal Art > An Important Private Collection, Camano Island, WA > By descent to Present Private Collection.

This finely imbricated basket was likely created by a Puget Sound Coast Salish artist in the early 20th century. The basket features a fully intact, imbricated sawtooth and “V” design pattern. Many baskets from this era have some sort of damage or loss to their imbrication, so the condition of this one really is exceptional.

1. The Haunted Historic Tokeland Hotel. https://lifeotherthan.com/travel-articles/the-haunted-historic-tokeland-hotel. Accessed 27 August 2026.
2. Chinook Story. Basketry and Art. https://chinookstory.org/basketry-and-art/. Accessed 27 August 2026.
3. Ibid.

CWS