Elsie Allen, 1972.
Born in 1899 near Santa Rosa, Elsie Allen was a fourth-generation basket weaver taught by her mother and grandmother. Elsie’s mother, Annie Burke, was a renowned weaver, and together they would travel to art fairs to show baskets.
Tradition dictated that a weaver’s baskets be buried with her or a relative whenever she died. When Elsie’s grandmother passed, Elsie lost many examples of weaving and relied on her mother to continue learning. Annie was worried about the art of weaving and baskets being lost or forgotten, so she requested Elsie break this tradition and keep her baskets when she passed. Elsie granted this wish, even as some Pomo people and relatives told her she shouldn’t.
At 50, Elsie began weaving full-time and teaching the art to others. Between 1969 and 1971, she finished 54 baskets, some of which took years to make. In addition to teaching her family, Elsie taught at the Mendocino Art Center from 1966 to 1975. The course included several weekends in the spring that taught students to gather and cure materials. In the fall, students were taught to weave. Elsie’s classes were open to Pomo and non-Pomo students alike.
In 1972, Elsie published Pomo Basketmaking: A Supreme Art for the Weaver, which details weaving methods for different styles of baskets, how to gather materials, and more. Through this book, her teachings, and her many baskets on display in museums, Elsie’s work ensures that the art of Pomo basket weaving is never lost or forgotten.
In addition to weaving, Elsie was an outspoken representative for her community. She was a member of both the Pomo and Hintil Women’s Clubs. These groups promoted education, Indigenous rights, and cultural preservation. From 1979 to 1981, Elsie worked with the Native American Advisory Council, where she participated in a study to record the history of the Makahmno and Mahilakawna Pomo.
This council also partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the construction of the Warm Springs Dam and Lake Sonoma. This construction had the potential to destroy indigenous plants in the area, and Elsie contributed to a study of plants used by Native peoples for medicinal, economic, ceremonial, and artistic purposes. Her input was instrumental in relocating endangered plants before they were destroyed.
Elsie passed in December 1990 at age 91. In her lifetime, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree and given the title of Pomo Sage. In 1995, Elsie Allen High School opened in Santa Rosa, California, and her baskets remain on display at countless museums. Elsie’s work in preserving the history and art of Pomo basket weaving is unmatched, and her legacy continues today.
A Woman’s Place Was Everywhere: How Working Women Shaped Mendocino is on display until March 29th, 2026. The Kelley House Museum is open Thursday-Monday, 11am-3pm. Visit the Kelley House event Calendar for a walking tour schedule.