• sumeg-01-2c6757e4074f47f8
    Salvaged and cleaned redwood boards from the restoration work on one of the Family Houses are stacked next to those being repurposed due to rot.
  • sumeg-02-95d4021fead264ee
    The ends of the large old growth redwood planks used for the Family House roof are chiseled into a scalloped pattern.
  • sumeg-03-da99ed031215ce63
    Yurok Trail Crew member Ro-tah Shorty, of Crescent City, used a drawknife to smooth edges of a redwood board.
  • sumeg-04-8fee4d64404303cd
    Walt Lara Sr., of the Yurok Tribe, paused for a moment in his master builder role to check in with his restoration crew.
  • sumeg-05-7d24c9044fed2229
    The restoration work underway revealed the massive redwood beams inside the Family House located at the south end of Sumêg Village. Please respect the caution tape on site.
  • sumeg-06-f3cad409c95441cb
    Yurok Trail Crew members Napooi Shorty (left) and Michael Wolf, both of Crescent City, team up with sledge and wedges to split out beautiful redwood boards from an old growth log.
  • sumeg-07-889a7ccc3f957a2e
    Yurok Trail Crew member Michael Wolf (right) held a wedge being hammered in by Napooi Shorty as they split out multiple beautiful redwood boards from an old growth log. Pre-European contact, elk antlers were shaped into wedges for this task.
  • sumeg-08-6b2ff50b4d74389d
    Yurok Trail Crew member Michael Wolf, of Crescent City, repositions a large redwood slab that was being split into boards.
  • sumeg-09-3a0b164aa507d2a1
    Greg Collins, supervisor of the Cultural Resources Program and District Tribal Liaison for the California State Parks’ North Coast Redwoods District, described how the restoration crew salvaged and cleaned some of the roof planks for reuse on the Family House behind him.
  • sumeg-10-f615fb4257f81129
    Yurok tribal member and Senior Park Aide Jake Reed, of Hoopa and McKinleyville, used a chisel to create the finishing touches on the beams to be used in constructing the new women’s Dressing House.
  • sumeg-11-646a919e4cf1eda6
    Sumêg Village interpretive sign side A describes the planned geographic layout of the recreated village and the uses of the various structures.
  • sumeg-12-6ac3d57e495ed581
    Sumêg Village interpretive sign’s side B describes the traditional construction design and techniques.
  • sumeg-13-30b7a91895f9aee5
    Construction crew members Senior Park Aide Jake Reed (left) and Yurok Trail Crew members Napooi Shorty and Michael Wolf (partially hidden) lift the first of the new roof planks onto the framework of the new women’s Dressing House.
  • sumeg-14-a720074d8f98919b
    Master Builder Walt Lara occasionally moved inside the framework of the women’s Dressing House under construction to offer advice to a crew member.
  • sumeg-15-66693886f3e73d10
    “My favorite part of the project has been watching the boys do the work,” said Walt Lara Sr. “They’re a pretty good crew and it’s important that traditional people are here doing it.”
  • sumeg-16-73e37e7e9550c6ff
    Traditional construction techniques are being used to build the women’s Dressing House, including use of hazel rope lashings instead of nails. Hazel wood saplings are burned and then soaked to make a pliable but extremely strong and durable rope. These ties are used to lash together the beams in the frame and the planks to the ceiling beams.