Chief of the Suquamish – Chief Seattle

The Chief Seattle statue is a bronze sculpture located at two sites in Seattle: Pioneer Square and Tilikum Place. It depicts the leader with his right hand extended in a greeting gesture and stands as a substantial public monument.

Artist James Wehn designed and created the sculpture in 1912, establishing it as one of Seattle's first commissioned public artworks. This piece became a milestone in how the city valued and displayed art in its public spaces.

The statue portrays Chief Seattle, a leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish peoples who played a key role in relations between his communities and early European settlers. It now serves as a gathering point where people recognize his importance to the region and the city that shares his name.

The main statue sits at the corner of First Avenue and Yesler Way in Pioneer Square. A second version also stands on the Seattle University campus, giving visitors more than one location to explore.

The statue was originally coated with gold leaf, a detail discovered during restoration after the surface had turned green from oxidation. This hidden golden layer reveals the artist's original intention beneath the weathered patina.