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By Courtney Maxwell-Alves, Archive and Library Assistant Back to The Cairn Without opening a single box, I knew I liked her: everything was meticulously labelled and organized. Considering most items arrive at the archive in a much different state, I was excited. I knew I had found a friend in Dorothy Wardle. As the new Archive and Library Assistant at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, I have the privilege to delve in to our backlog and process diverse materials, making them available to our users. As I make my way through these materials, I will share the stories of the people I meet and the unique gems I find in the archive. Dorothy Hope Wardle was born on May 23,1919 to James and Leette Wardle. Her father was a civil engineer for the Government of Canada whose work brought the family to Banff. Dorothy grew up in Banff, went to the Mountain School operated by Margaret Greenham, and participated in the official trail rides with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. Although the family had a home in Ottawa, Dorothy was fiercely protective of Banff. In 1975, she wrote a heated letter-to-the-editor of the Calgary Herald responding to an earlier editorial that applauded the renaming of Castle Mountain to Mount Eisenhower in 1946 under the Mackenzie King administration. In her diligent recordkeeping, Dorothy maintained a file labelled “The Castle Mountain Battle” and maintained meticulous records surrounding its renaming in 1946, as well as the fight to have the Castle name restored in 1975-76. Dorothy was exceptional in many respects, including graduating from Queen’s University in 1942 and becoming the first female president elected for Queen’s Alma Mater Society in 1941. During her academic career, Dorothy was also a member of the Levana Intercollegiate Debative, University Centenary Committee, and Queen’s War Aid Commission. She was the first Secretary-in-Charge of Records of Carleton College (now Carleton University) from 1942-1944, a self-described “research type” as a secretary for the Glenbow Foundation in the mid-1950s, and from there worked as a freelance writer. As a young woman living and working in the middle of wartime Ottawa, Dorothy’s photographs and books from this period are littered with annotations of names of people she knew who went (and often died) overseas. From the 11 boxes that make up this fonds, I discovered a trailblazing woman who was always smiling and had an incredible eye for detail. Her family owned a home in Banff, and although Dorothy sold the home upon the death of her father in 1971, her Need to Reside in Banff was acknowledged by Parks Canada in 1984, based primarily on her ongoing membership and volunteer work with the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. Although she eventually moved to Sidney, British Columbia (where she died in 2003), Dorothy was laid to rest alongside her parents in the family plot at the Old Banff Cemetery. Dorothy and her family were avid travellers and a good portion of her records are related to their travels overseas and in North America. Among the photographs and travel guides are many small notebooks in which Dorothy recorded, in often minute detail, their travel experiences and expenses. Going through these materials showed me how similar we are, and with every box or folder I open I feel that we would have been good friends. As I completed my initial overview of the materials I had for the Wardle family, it became increasingly apparent that these records mostly belonged to Dorothy. In archives, it is not uncommon for records belonging to women to be grouped with the wider family unit or closest (usually male) relative. For example, it would be all too easy to focus on James Wardle who was, among many other important things, the Superintendent of Banff National Park from 1918-1921. Yet, I am not presented with James Wardle’s personal papers or correspondence or collected research materials; these records all belong to Dorothy. It is her life that I am going through while processing, and while her father was an important figure in Banff and Canada, this is Dorothy’s fonds. Banff’s recorded history is dominated by adventurous and entrepreneurial men (and some women, cue Mary Schäffer, Lizzie Rummel, and Catharine Robb Whyte). Many of these men had wives and daughters who were just as adventurous and enterprising, and rather than having their own fonds their records were integrated with the “family.” This was, after all, accepted practice. But things change. As a conscious decision I have selected to rename the Wardle Family fonds to the Dorothy Wardle fonds. In the early twentieth century, Banff produced a number of independent, confident, intelligent, adventurous, and fierce women. Why not let our holdings reflect that? Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn In the summer of 1930, newlywed Catharine Robb Whyte arrived in Banff to begin a new chapter of her life. Trading sailing for skiing, she took on the challenge of integrating herself into a lifestyle and community completely unknown to her. However, after spending a lifetime in Banff she had become one of the foremost ambassadors of the history and culture of this area. Ninety years after Catharine first stepped foot here, we arrived in a Banff that was much-changed, but still retained the same alluring essence. Like Catharine, we knew little of the stories these mountains had to offer; but also like Catharine, we were eager to integrate ourselves into our new community, both in and out of the museum. While at the Whyte, we studied hard, familiarizing ourselves with Banff’s history and gaining a better sense of the interconnected stories that make up Banff’s past. Outside in the park, we continued our education, this time through hiking, biking, and visiting other locations such as the Luxton Historic House Museum and the Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Seventeen weeks later, we understood that knowledge and education is more than opening up a book. It’s both researching the experiences of others, and making our own memories. It’s easier to appreciate Peter Whyte’s admiration for Mount Rundle after summiting it yourself. It’s easier to appreciate J. B. Harkin’s conservation work after a close encounter with a grizzly bear. And it’s easier to understand why Catharine fell in love with the Bow Valley, when you’re surveying it from the top of Tunnel Mountain. This knowledge helped us educate visitors to the Museum not only about Banff’s past, but the influence of that past on the present. Our goal as Interpreters is to offer people an understanding of Banff that they will take with them after they leave. For us, knowledge is not a Monday to Friday, nine-to-five activity, and we wanted our visitors to share that experience with us. Whether that was describing a person or place, concept or personal experience, the goal remained the same: to tell stories that visitors will remember in the already unforgettable landscape that is Banff National Park. Thank you for reading! Avril, Aidan, Patrick, Clémence and Jon a.k.a. The Guardians of the Galleries Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn By Mollie Riley, Young Canada Works Summer Student In May of 2019, I was hired on a four month contract through Young Canada Works in the Whyte Museum Archives and Library. While I have only been working here for a short while, I have noticed an overwhelming effort in becoming better allies for Indigenous Peoples in our communities, but more broadly, in all communities. Both relieved and excited to be working for an organization that cares about their social footprint, I embarked on a journey to understand more. Below I have compiled a list of the ways in which the Whyte Archives and Library has been taking steps to become stronger, more supportive allies to Indigenous Peoples. 1) Accessible Information Arguably, the most vital component in becoming an ally is through education and being informed. In order to stand with a group facing oppression, you have to understand your privilege, the problems being faced and the ways in which you can support the community. Upon entrance into the reference room, visitors and staff alike have access to a binder that reads, “READ ME: Indigenous Peoples Resources.” Within the binder, interested readers can delve into a comprehensive selection of resources that serve as an Indigenous Ally Toolkit. The information pertains to resources aimed at encouraging proper and sensitive language, dispelling myths, and promoting healthy relationships between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous people. Additionally, the Whyte Archives and Library is working to expand its collection of books pertaining to the Indigenous experience both in terms of subject and authorship. While most of the library is held alongside the archival material, we have ensured that a selection of books pertaining to Indigenous life continues to be accessible in the reference room. Accessibility of material is vital in terms of education, and we are doing our part in ensuring interested visitors can access the materials they need. While we are constantly working to make materials more accessible for visitors, the Whyte Archives and Library additionally supports the learning and education of staff members. Recently, I completed reading a book edited by Gerald T. Conaty titled, We are Coming Home. The premise of the book is centered on the repatriation of sacred medicine bundles known as, Iitskinaiksi. For years, sacred materials have been wrongfully held in museums across the world, with a particular focus on materials held at the Glenbow Museum and the Provincial Museum of Alberta, now referred to as the Royal Alberta Museum. The book follows the journey of various Indigenous Elders and allies who fought to have these sacred medicine bundles repatriated into Indigenous communities. Topics such as repatriation can be sensitive, polarizing and highly political, however, it remains an important issue. In part with becoming an ally, is learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Here in the Whyte Archives and Library we are constantly discussing uncomfortable topics in an effort to be more understanding, and become more educated about the realities Indigenous Peoples are facing. 2) National Indigenous Peoples Day On June 21, 2019 staff from the Whyte Archives and Library had the privilege of attending National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canmore, AB. Prior to the event, the staff came together to organize a display that would be featured at the celebration. As a staff, we decided to challenge the common narrative surrounding the portrayal of Indigenous history in Banff. We opted to tell the stories and legacies of Indigenous families, rather than retell the history of Banff Indian Days, as it is so often portrayed. Additionally, we ensured that the photographs on display were removable. At times, Indigenous culture can be looked upon as being stagnant and historically rooted. We wanted to stand against this, and ensure that our display reflected the fluidity of Indigenous life, while celebrating a culture that continues to flourish in the present. 3) Peer Review and Collaboration In the case of culturally sensitive material, as topics pertaining to Indigenous Peoples often can be, it is imperative that we are seeking the constructive opinions of our colleagues. It is vital that as a predominantly non-Indigenous staff, we are checking to ensure that we are speaking and working in a culturally sensitive, and appropriate way. Here in the Whyte Archives and Library, much of the work we do contains elements of collaboration. We function as a team and value the opinions, perspectives and expertise of our co-workers. Additionally, we collaborate with other members of the Whyte outside of the Archives and Library in order to gain a comprehensive understanding. As an ally, we value the opinions of others and know that outsourcing and working collaboratively is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness. Dawn Saunders Dahl, the Whyte Museums Indigenous Program Manager is an invaluable resource to both the Whyte Museum and community at large. Dawn is of Metis ancestry – discovered later in life – and thus her work helps to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, as she herself is of both sides. Dawn reflects on her work in the following quote, “… I am always learning something new from Elders and Communities I work with, which encourages me to share with others as we reconcile actively together.” We frequently collaborate with Dawn in hopes of gaining some of her expertise and knowledge, while ensuring that we are acting in culturally appropriate ways. 4) Educating non-Indigenous people As a predominantly non-Indigenous staff, we are not in a position to tell of a history that is not our own. Telling the history of Indigenous Peoples without the inclusion of Indigenous voices is nothing less than a form of colonial aggression. Ultimately to be an ally is to exist in a position of privilege. As disappointing as the reality is, sometimes visitors ask questions that either contain offensive language, or are blatantly racist. In order to help educate non-Indigenous people, it is vital that the information is coming from an Indigenous source. In order to do so, we have ensured that we have an abundance of accessible resources that have either been authored by, or completed in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, readily available in the reference room. Part of our work in being a stronger ally is not telling the Indigenous story for Indigenous Peoples, but rather re-directing to sources that come from Indigenous voices. While there is, and always will be work to do, the Whyte Archives and Library is taking progressive steps in becoming betters allies for Indigenous Peoples. In late July, staff from the Whyte Archives and Library joined Dawn Saunders Dahl, the Indigenous Program Manager, at a Tsuu T’ina Powwow in Bragg Creek in an effort to share word of the Recognizing Relations project. I am encouraging you to get uncomfortable, become informed and educate yourself in order to become a better ally for Indigenous Peoples. Please feel free to stop by the Whyte Archives and Library in order to access our resources. Further reading: Indigenous Ally Tool Kit (PDF): https://segalcentre.org/common/sitemedia/201819_Shows/ENG_AllyTookit.pdf Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. Blog: https://www.ictinc.ca/blog First Nations Information Governance Centre: https://fnigc.ca/ For information regarding the repatriation of scared materials: https://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/sites/default/files/indigenous_repatriation_handbook_rbcm_2019.pdf Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn Mark your calendars! Join us on Friday, October 11 at 7 PM for the opening of our Fall Exhibitions, Unbridled, Artistry Revealed: Peter Whyte, Catharine Robb Whyte and Their Contemporaries and A Few of My Favourites: Walter J. Phillips. Unbridled October 11, 2019 — January 26, 2020 Main Gallery Spanning the early 1900s to the present day, Unbridled celebrates the horse by combining historic photographs, archival material and heritage artifacts from the Whyte Museum collections along with historic and contemporary art borrowed from private and public lenders. Included are early photographs of outfitting and guiding, advertisements, beautifully beaded Indigenous tack and emotionally moving paintings aside equines in action. ​ Contemporary and historical art weave a tale of the horse through various genres and interpretations. The role of the horse may have evolved over the years but it remains our constant companion worthy of our enduring high esteem and admiration. Artistry Revealed: Peter Whyte, Catharine Robb Whyte and Their Contemporaries October 11, 2019 — January 26, 2020 Rummel Room Portions of the Whyte Museum’s 50th anniversary exhibition Artistry Revealed: Peter Whyte, Catharine Robb Whyte and Their Contemporaries will be on view in the Rummel Room. The exhibition received rave reviews during the summer of 2019 while at the Audain Art Museum in Whistler and during its 2018 premier here. A Few of My Favourites: Stephen Kennedy August 19, 2019 — January 26, 2020 The Philippe Delesalle Staircase Our 19th guest curator Stephen (Steve) Kennedy is an avid art collector and aficionado of the Whyte Museum. He has selected a few black and white prints from the collection including this stunning image by Walter J. Phillips. ​ A Few of My Favourites exhibitions provide a unique opportunity for Whyte Museum enthusiasts to select a few of their favourite works from our collection and have them displayed. Don't forget to check out our Upcoming Events related to these exhibitions! Find out more here! Back to The Cairn

By Cole LeGree, Visual Holdings Technician Back to The Cairn Since May 2019, I have been fortunate enough to be working in the Whyte Museum’s Archives and Library as a Visual Holdings Technician. As an excellent compliment to my analogue photography practice and completion of my BFA in Photography at Ryerson University (2020), my primary responsibility at the archives is to assist in the digitization and organization of photographic materials. In addition to creating digital copies of images for research and reproduction purposes, digitization is an invaluable tool for the preservation of photographic objects. This is especially true concerning chemically unstable materials, particularly black and white negatives with a cellulose nitrate base. Eastman Kodak originally introduced cellulose nitrate in 1889 as their first flexible film base. The flexibility of a nitrate base allowed for roll film to be produced on rolls and sheets rather than delicate and cumbersome glass plates. Within a decade, the innovation of flexible roll film would pave the way for smaller cameras that were able to be used handheld, making them highly marketable to amateurs and professionals alike. Although the Eastman-Kodak company profited immensely from cellulose nitrate products, the disadvantages of the material eventually became evident. In addition to being highly flammable (nitrate can continue to burn even when fully submerged in water), nitrate negatives release hazardous gases as they degrade. These gases combine with water vapour to form nitric acid, further accelerating the deterioration of the negative. The ideal way to prevent these chemical processes is to freeze the materials in a low humidity environment. Recently I have had the privilege of handling and digitizing the negatives of Mary Schäffer, all of which have been indicated as nitrate negatives. In addition to Schäffer’s local prominence as a photographer, botanist, and travel writer, the inherent instability of these negatives makes their preservation essential. Due to the negatives already demonstrating signs of nitrate degradation, preparing them for freezer storage is a priority. However, long-term cold storage is not without its own complications. In order to get the most out of cold storage preservation, it is crucial that materials are not frequently moved between varying temperatures, i.e. once materials are frozen, they must only be removed from the freezer under extenuating circumstances. In addition, if materials are removed from cold storage, they will need approximately 24 hours to adjust to room temperature before they can be accessed and handled. This freezing protocol is in direct conflict with what archives consultant Laura A. Millar describes as “the ultimate archival activity”: providing public access. Especially with an archive of immense local and cultural interest like Schäffer’s, it is imperative to ensure that the images can be shared, reproduced, and accessed. It is at this point that digitization becomes a crucial tool for upholding the Whyte Museum’s mandate of preserving and presenting the cultural history of the Canadian Rockies. By digitizing the degrading negatives on a specialized flatbed scanner before they go into long-term cold storage, archivists are able to create digital reference copies for public use. This way, public access to the content of the images is easily facilitated while the original copies are preserved for future generations at an optimum temperature. Back to The Cairn

By Jennifer Royal, Manager of Education Back to The Cairn It has been a great start to summer for the Whyte Museum! The Education Department has five fabulous Museum Interpreters who are delivering tours daily and roving the galleries (until August 31) and they have been busy. Some museum guests want to spend all afternoon here, but some only have an hour. Either way, there are many tour options for all visitors. There are three daily tour opportunities on site at the museum, and one longer tour that takes guests offsite and around the town. The three on site are the Heritage Homes Tour, the Art Gallery Tour, and the Gateway to the Rockies Tour. The 45-minute Heritage Homes tour occurs once a day and takes guests through the historic homes of Philip Moore and Pearl (Brewster) Moore as well as the home of Peter and Catharine Whyte. This gives the visitor a glimpse of two vast and captivating collections. It also provides a deeper look at each couples lives and interests. The tour finishes with the historic cabins on the museum grounds. In June, there were 65 participants on this tour. The Art Gallery Tour takes place three times a day and focuses on the summer exhibition, Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte: An Eclectic Eye for Collecting. Since this tour started on June 22 and there has been over 67 participants who've wanted to learn more about Peter and Catharine, their artistic influences, and their “insatiable quest to collect” which has resulted in the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. The third tour offered four times a day is the Gateway to the Rockies Tour. This was the most popular tour in June with 679 museum visitors taking part! This tour gives visitors and locals a great overview of the history of this place and the mountain landscape that has influenced both residents and visitors. The Historic Banff Walk is a tour offered once a day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and is preferred by those that have some extra time. Although this 60-minute historic walk starts and ends at the Whyte Museum, most of this tour takes place offsite. We journey through the town to hear about the pioneers who helped build and shape Banff, and even visit two historic buildings. Regardless of interests, the Whyte Museum offers a tour for everyone. Experience artifacts, artwork, architecture, and learn about early mountaineering, skiing, female adventurers, and more. Beyond this, it is the vast and varied stories of the people of this area that seems to resonate with all. Visit our website here for more details on all of our tours. Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn Recent Acquisitions June 16 — October 6, 2019 Rummel Room The Whyte Museum collects objects from the cultural roots of Banff and beyond to ensure relevance and future preservation. Each object is a story unto itself, bearing marks of the past and giving insights into the fundamentals of life in eras gone by. We preserve objects for future study by making history and culture accessible through exhibitions and interpretation, and to share knowledge and inspire future generations. The donors of these objects are steadfast contributors to the museum collections and on-going programs. We are grateful to each and every one and thank you for the continued support. Below are a few select donations currently in the exhibition. David Foxcroft (1956-, Canadian) David Foxcroft confesses to a magpie-like attraction to glittery objects and underlying tendencies to hoard. The quirkiness has been quintessential to his art form, and the resulting chaos essential for a composition to appear. Foxcroft explains how his brain involuntarily switches into a mode similar to a slow-motion movie and an arranged sequence of colour, content and structure abstraction is observed in the pandemonium. Like a large intricate jigsaw puzzle, the artist diligently positions, removes, pivots, and returns objects and fragments, maneuvering each until an obvious cohesiveness is divulged. Nicholas Raffael de Grandmaison, RCA (1892 – 1978, Canadian) Nicholas was born in Russia on February 24, 1892, into a French and Russian family of noble descent, he was educated in Moscow and studied art, music, languages, history, cartography, and topography. At the age of 19 he entered the military and fought as a commissioned officer with Russia during the First World War. He was captured by the Germans and spent four years in a German prisoner of war camp. He arrived in Canada in 1923 and would eventually marry Sonia (Sophia) Orest Dournovo on September 13, 1931 in Red Deer, Alberta. The artist and his family moved to Banff in 1940. Although de Grandmaison painted some of his portraits in oils, he preferred pastels and favoured a type of pastel paper imported from France. In the 1950s, de Grandmaison realized that what he was doing was not only important to him as an artist but that he was preserving Alberta history. He began collecting information on his sitters by taking photographs, taking notes and recording oral histories. Nicolas de Grandmaison lived most of his life in Calgary and Banff. He died in Calgary on March 23, 1978, and was buried on the Peigan Reserve. Nicholas painted the above portrait of his daughter, Sonia Clair in 1951. Sonia Clair stated, "My father painted this portrait of me in 1951 when I was five years old. I return home from school to our Cave Avenue house and he asked me to sit for him." This image was recently reproduced in the Russian Art Magazine Golden Palette Magazine, Issue No. 2 (15) 2016 on Nicholas de Grandmaison. A copy of this magazine is housed in the Whyte Museum Archives and Library. Come by and check out the other wonderful donations we have received recently. This exhibition is only on until October 6, 2019! Back to The Cairn

By Anne Ewen, Curator of Art & Heritage Back to The Cairn Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte: An Eclectic Eye for Collecting June 16 — October 6, 2019 Main Gallery As well as being talented artists, Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte combined their resources to create this gem of a museum. It began in 1948 when Catharine and Peter initiated the process of creating the foundation that would eventually serve as the principle funding vehicle behind the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. Their desire to house an art gallery, archives and library has evolved into this current facility while their personal interests combined to create an eclectic collection of art and objects. Their vision manifested with the help of architect Philippe Delesalle, friends Philip and Pearl Moore, as well as Mary Alice Stewart who would later become the Museum’s first director. Their Stoney Nakoda friend Chief Walking Buffalo (George McLean) provided the foundation’s original name Wa-Che-Yo-Cha-Pa. Peter and Catharine’s love of the outdoors, visits to various international destinations and assorted inheritances form the basis of this exhibition. Many of the works exhibited in this exhibition are by artists who became mentors, friends or confidants of Peter and Catharine. Their continued willingness to encourage garnered an ageless array of creative companions and connections. Formally trained as artists at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in the 19th century academic tradition, portraiture was the primary focus. Their studies equipped them to paint formal portraits of family and friends. Between 1925-1929, Peter’s summer landscape painting excursions in Banff were in the company of either American artists Belmore Brown and Aldro Hibbard or Canadian Group of Seven painter J. E. H. MacDonald. From these experienced painters, Peter’s own artistic abilities developed. With landscape painting absent from the Boston school’s curriculum, Peter imparted his painterly insights to Catharine. Their interest in multiple cultures, the productivity of other artists and an insatiable quest to collect, has resulted in a diverse and abundant collection of art and artifacts, thus, works from the Whyte Museum's historic, Indigenous, Japanese and contemporary collections are included in this exhibition. Join us for the 50th Annual Back to Banff Day and celebrate the opening of our feature summer exhibitions Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte: An Eclectic Eye for Collecting and Recent Acquisitions on Sunday, June 16, 2 to 4 p.m. for free! Find out more here. Back to The Cairn

By Amie Lalonde, Collections Cataloguer Back to The Cairn If you’ve walked down Bear Street towards the Whyte Museum you’ve probably noticed a little brown cabin with bright blue shutters—the colour of larkspur. If you’ve stopped to read the sign out front, or perhaps taken one of the tours offered by the Museum, you know that the house is that of the late Philip and Pearl Moore. Philip and Pearl were colourful characters in Banff’s early years. Their home remains a reminder of the life that some Banffites lived in the early years of the twentieth century. In April of this year the Museum began an initiative to fully inventory and catalogue all of the objects in the Museum’s collection—especially those hidden away in the drawers and cabinets of both the Moore home and the Peter and Catharine Whyte home. For the past two weeks I’ve been working through the dining room in the Moore home—double checking old catalogue records and cataloguing some objects that were hidden away in drawers, cabinets and chests. So far I’ve come across some very real reminders that this building really was a home—including salt and pepper shakers still full of spices and a half full bottle of wine. There have been some mysteries as well. A buffet cabinet door that is stuck shut (I desperately want to know what is in there), a silver chest that took over an hour to open (the key was hidden under a large pile of table linen) and trying to figure out exactly what the purpose of a spoon with a cup on the end was (an old fashioned bar multi-tool is my hypothesis). Though Pearl and Philip didn’t often entertain guests for meals in their home (they preferred to go to the Mount Royal Hotel—conveniently owned by Pearl’s brother, Jim Brewster) the dining room has an abundance of china, silverware, glassware and barware in English, Japanese, Russian and North American styles. For as many things as the dining room contains—it’s actually one of the sparser decorated rooms in the home. The main bedroom, the study and the living room will be even bigger projects and each will likely present their own mysteries and challenges. Stay tuned for more dispatches from the homes over the coming months and years! If this sneak peek has piqued your interest, stop by the Museum for a tour of the Moore and Whyte homes! Daily 45-minute tours begin at 11:30 a.m. and cost $10+GST per person. Want to learn more about the Moore family? Check out our virtual exhibition, Mountain Women: The Lives of Pearl Brewster Moore and Edmée Moore Reid of Banff. Back to The Cairn

By Kate Skelton, Processing Archivist Back to The Cairn Over the past few weeks, members of the Archives and Library team at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies have been working collaboratively with staff from the Museum’s Curatorial and Photography departments to help prepare for a new exhibit opening this month, titled Recent Acquisitions. This new exhibit will feature specially selected items which have been donated to the Whyte Museum recently, including photographs, blueprints, letters and more. As the Whyte Museum’s Processing Archivist, I have been working up-close with some of these new acquisitions to ensure that items are properly organized, stored and recorded on the Whyte Museum Archive and Library’s database system before being put on display. In particular, I have processed donations related to the Kidney family (including Forest “Pop” Kidney and Ella Maud Kidney), Parks Canada employees and naturalist Aileen Harmon, Bruno Engler’s Veteran’s Ski Race (now referred to as the Bruno Engler Memorial Ski Race) and violinist David Zweifel. I have also worked with other recently acquired collections in preparation for the Recent Acquisitions exhibition, including those of David McDougall (the first owner of the Mount Royal Hotel), and the Wing family, who owned and ran the Dominion Café in Banff. Processing and drawing from these donations has led to the uncovering of some incredible personal stories and historical moments from the Bow Valley. Some of my favourite pieces from the new acquisitions include: photographs from the Kidney family depicting an early Banff building overlooking Tunnel Mountain, dated 1886, and Banff’s first community picnic in 1888; personal letters between David McDougall and Gordon Carling from 1910, discussing Gordon’s engagement to David’s daughter, Annie McDougall; and a photo album from the Wing family containing scenes from their lives in Banff (ca. 1950-1980). Items from the Kidney family, Aileen Harmon, the Wing family and David McDougall collections, along with works by artist and local ski map producer Murray Hay, will be included as part of the Recent Acquisitions exhibit, which will have its opening reception on Sunday, June 16th between 2 and 4 p.m. We will also be celebrating the 50th annual Back to Banff Day. Items from the David Zweifel collection will also be accessible in the Archives and Library Reference Room as part of Back to Banff Day’s activities at the Whyte Museum. Entry to the opening reception is free! All are welcome to come and see these local treasures for themselves. Items from the featured acquisitions which have not been selected for display may also be accessed in person at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies Archives and Library (open weekly from Tuesday to Friday between 1 and 5 p.m.) or by searching our online database. More information about current and upcoming exhibitions can be found here. Back to The Cairn

By Elizabeth Kundert-Cameron, Head Archives and Library Back to The Cairn For over a century, Hollywood has been coming to the Canadian Rockies to film movies. Collecting these films for the Archives Library collection has been ongoing since the 1980s, when former staff members Brian Patton and Mary Andrews began to research and source out rare videocassettes. Since then with increasing film restoration initiatives, more films are now becoming available. With every film, there are related stories and insights that can be explored. A recent purchase, The Sky Pilot (1921) was adapted from the novel by Ralph Connor, a pseudonym for Reverend Charles W. Gordon, who was a minister in Banff and Canmore in 1890-1892. Directed by King Vidor, the opening scenes show Banff as the fictional, Swan Creek. Ralph Connor’s book Corporal Cameron of the North West Mounted Police: A Tale of the Mcleod Trail was also adapted into a movie filmed in Banff titled Cameron of the Royal Mounted (1921), which featured local R.C.M.P. Sergeant E. O. Taylor. While only a portion of this film survived, this remnant has also been purchased for the Archives Library. Screenshots from The Sky Pilot (1921), DVD, Alpha Home Entertainment, 2014 The interconnection between the films collected and how they relate to the existing holdings of the Archives and Library is exciting to explore. The Archives Library contains many of Ralph Connor’s original books, including The Sky Pilot and Corporal Cameron of the North West Mounted Police: A Tale of the Mcleod Trail. Another silent era film recently purchased was The Calgary Stampede (1925) starring Hoot Gibson. It was filmed on location at the Calgary Stampede, E. P. Ranch and at Buffalo National Park (1909-1940) near Wainwright, Alberta. The bison shown in this film were from the Pablo-Allard herd, which were later moved to Wood Buffalo National Park. The bison that Banff reintroduced to the Panther River Valley in 2017, were also descended from the bison from the Pablo-Allard herd which had remained in Elk Island National Park. The movies that have been collected for the Archives Library collection are interesting because of their connections to the community, but are also important for film studies research. Since 2017, the Whyte Museum has been screening some of its film holdings through its Rockywood Reels Film Series: Eternal Love (1929), 49th Parallel (1941), Son of Lassie (1945), Saskatchewan (1954),The River of No Return (1954), The Far Country (1954), Rose Marie (1954), Little Big Man (1970), Buffalo Bill and the Indians or Sitting Bull’s Lesson (1976), and Death Hunt (1981). While the movies could be watched for pure entertainment value–some movies were “campy” at best. The films highlighted outdated and often disturbing stereotypes perpetuated of women, Indigenous Peoples, Mounties, French-Canadians, and others. The contrast between Saskatchewan and Little Big Man was especially compelling. During the screening of the Rockywood Reels’ movies, it has been interesting to observe the audience’s reactions to movies that at one time were considered innocuous. At times, there has been a collective gasp! As the final offering of this season’s Rockywood Reels, the National Film Board movie Reel Injun: On the Trail of the Hollywood Indian (2009) will be shown on May 16. Purchased recently for the Archives Library collection, it will provide excellent context to many of the films that have been made in the Canadian Rockies. All of the films collected are available for viewing in the Archives and Library Reference Room. As to the public screening of Sky Pilot and Calgary Stampede… stay tuned! Find your tickets or join the guest list for Reel Injun here. Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn For Immediate Release Banff, Alberta – Marino DiManno, Chair of the Board of Directors, the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation, is pleased to announce that Donna Livingstone has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation and the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies in Banff, Alberta, effective June 24, 2019. Read full release Back to The Cairn