Nancy Dandona, owner and operator of Totem Village on US-2 west of St. Ignace, stands in front of some of the totems carved by the late Ralph McCarry. A totem pole and a painting of Mr. McCarry's have been featured in Michigan State University's museum and are currently on loan to the state historical museum in an exhibit about Michigan's roadside attractions. In a small museum about two miles west of St. Ignace stands a small portion of the legacy left behind by Ralph McCarry. Totem poles, wooden carvings of people and animals, paintings, intricate dioramas, and a collection of artifacts make up just a slice of the art and history collection Mr. McCarry contributed to the world. Some of his work is currently on loan to the state historical museum.

Born in 1900, he worked the lumber fields of the Tahquamenon Swamp area in the Upper Peninsula until 1948, when a heart attack left him unable to do the work he once could.

With all of this newfound spare time, Mr. McCarry started whittling, reading books, and researching the history of the Straits of Mackinac. He studied the lumber camps, early area forts and settlements, and Indian life, among other things.

One of the scale-models created by Ralph McCarry. Totem Village owner Nancy Dandona said this re-creation of Michilimackinac was crafted accurately after intensive research into the fort's history by Mr. McCarry. In 1950, he opened Totem Village, a roadside attraction originally located on US-2 about 12 miles west of St. Ignace, which featured about 20 totem poles, several scale models, a chapel, a garden, a historic museum, and numerous scenes of Chippewa Indian life.

Mr. McCarry opened Totem Village to help support his family of 12 children, said his son, Bob McCarry of Harbor Springs.

"He was sickly all his life, but he always just kept on working," he said. "All I know is that he was a hard worker."

Bob McCarry reminisced about standing outside in the winter and watching his father whittle.

"He put a lot of time and work into everything -- into all the work he did," he said.

As an example of Mr. McCarry's commitment to historical accuracy, he spent four years -- and even more in research -- constructing a diorama of the village of Sault Ste. Marie between 1815 and 1853 called "The Legend of the Locks." Friends said he studied more than 300 historic books, documents, maps, pictures, and letters before beginning the construction of the village of thousands of individual pieces.

Some of the artifacts collected by Ralph McCarry on display at Totem Village on US-2. In 1952, he was made an honorary chief by the local tribe of Chippewa Indians and given the name "White Wolf of the Chippewas" owing to his dedication to preserving the local culture. In an aerial picture still on display at Totem Village, Mr. McCarry can be seen talking to someone in the parking lot while wearing his ceremonial Indian headdress.

Later, he wrote a pamphlet entitled "Reminiscences," which attempted provide readers with a better understanding of Ojibwa culture.

In this book, he wrote, "Somehow, it seems to me, the more primitive peoples have a deeper love for their children and a more solid family tie than do the so-called advanced cultures. Even today, our government, our respect for others, our whole society depend on the home Õ Freedom comes by principles of each individual, not bureaus and material wealth."

His son, Pat McCarry, was also named an honorary chief, said Bob McCarry.

In 1956, one of Ralph McCarry's 20-foot-high totems left St. Ignace aboard a truck bound for New York, and was later shipped to a collector in France. Many more of his totems and other artwork have been spread across the country and across the world, although the largest concentration is still at the roadside attraction he started west of St. Ignace.

Since Ralph McCarry's death in 1961, Totem Village has moved to its current location about 10 miles down the road, but still features historic artifacts and the art of Mr. McCarry. Current store owner Nancy Dandona said unfortunately, many items had to be sold or given away when the store moved to the new location in 1983.

During the move, Ms. Dandona contributed a painting and totem pole of Mr. McCarry's to the Michigan State University Museum, representatives of which honored Mr. McCarry's memory by naming him a local "folk artist." These items have been on display in East Lansing since then, and were recently loaned to the State of Michigan's historical museum for a Michigan roadside attractions exhibit.

Ms. Dandona said she thinks it is important to preserve the items on display in Totem Village because this is part of the local history.

"I feel like I've been the caretaker of it all," she said of the art and artifacts Mr. McCarry left behind. "He was an important part of initiating interest and inspiring pride in native cultures."