Mary Chittenden Catches a Big One on the Elwha River
This photo of Mary Chittenden hangs in Ted’s office. It was taken on a fishing trip on the Elwha River, probably in the 1920s. Mary was the daughter of Hiram M. Chittenden, engineer for the Army Corp of Engineers, for whom the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks were named. Also known as the Ballard Locks, they make possible the passage of ships between Lake Washington and Puget Sound.
This photo of Mary is special to us because of being taken on the Elwha River, can you imagine fishing in this clothing?
I belong to an internet group of mostly women, who appreciate and collect dolls of Wendy Lawton. If you follow my blog this name will be familiar to you. At the beginning of the year a theme for the year is given, with a more specific theme for each month. Members then post photos of dolls to fit the theme. This is called “Adults Playing with Dolls.” The overall theme this year is “favorite memories” and for June the specific theme is Favorite Summertime Memories. Creating scenes to represent memories has sometimes been challenging.
I have wonderful childhood memories of fishing. We grew up on a lake and I would get up early, dig some worms and spend the day on a little raft fishing. There were other fishing trips too. I remember salmon fishing with Dad and Grandpa in Puget Sound and once (for me) at West Port on the ocean. In the fall I would go with my grandparents to the Skagit River and we fished from the riverbank. During the summer we went to Lake Chelan and I fished from the dock there. Most of my family didn’t like to eat fish but I loved it!
So, I wanted to create a photo with a fishing theme, but, most of my dolls are rather elegantly dressed, which got me to thinking of Mary Chittenden and wondering if I could recreate the scene of her fishing at the Elwha. This is my entry for this month.
Mary Chittenden, played by Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, catches a big one the Elwha River, about 1920
stillwaterlakedawnblog 
Like you, I grew up in a fishing family. My Mother and Stepfather fished lakes,
rivers and oceans. We had any kind of fishing gear you can imagine. They made
their own lures, fly’s and specialty eggs. The kitchen table was often covered
with line, fingernail polish (to cover the frog lures), reels and poles being
repaired or improved on.
When we were river fishing for steelhead, I was the “gaffer”. And I felt
like a queen dashing to the side of the river to help catch the fish.
I will never know why I didn’t fish along with them. I was always left on land,
waiting for their return and a chance to see the catch of the day.
Last year one of my son’s put a pole in my hand and told me to fish!
I did not catch anything. I learned a great deal though. To fish is to experience
nature on its terms, to savor the quiet, to simply be.
Thanks for your story Norene. I was never able to get Ted interested in fishing, too impatient I think. But for me, I have happy memories of quiet times fishing.