Search Results

There’s Nothing Here... We can’t find the page you’re looking for. Check the URL, or head back home. Go Home

An Unexpected Adventurer at Abbot Pass Hut By Tera Swanson, Marketing and Communications Manager Back to The Cairn Perched on the precipice of Abbot Pass, a stone hut once sat at nearly 3000 metres, flanked by Mount Lefroy and Mount Victoria, and bordering two worlds below. To the north, Lake Louise – the epicentre of Banff National Park which attracts millions of tourists every year. And to the south, Lake Oesa and the broader Lake O’Hara region – a sensitive alpine area with restricted visitation in an effort to preserve the fragile environment. Much like the dichotomy of worlds surrounding it, Abbot Pass Hut served myriad purposes over the years: as a basecamp for classic mountaineering routes, as a destination in and of itself, and even as a lunch stop on a day hike. No matter the occasion, it has been a welcoming refuge and nostalgic reminder of a bygone era. As the years progressed, it also served as a time capsule. Although the interior was renovated in 1968 after ownership changed from the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to Parks Canada and the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC), few changes have been made from the original layout.[1] For a century, it has reliably stood by as an old friend to return to or remember fondly. 100 years after it was first built in 1922, Abbot Pass Hut was dismantled, with substantial removal of the hut completed on June 30, 2022. With slope erosion and glacial recession caused by climate change occurring at Abbot Pass, it was deemed uninhabitable during the summer of 2018 and was closed to overnight visitors. In February 2022, Parks Canada announced the following: When planning for the substantial removal of the hut, the Agency considered attempting to deconstruct it in a way that would allow for the hut to be rebuilt, either at Abbot Pass or at another location. This option is not feasible for two reasons: The unstable condition of the hut and the slopes at Abbot Pass mean that the delicate work required for this type of removal would pose too great a risk to the health and safety of Parks Canada staff and contractors. Based on consultations with experts in historical masonry, the type of material used to construct the hut (primarily limestone) is likely to fracture if moved and is not conducive to removal and reconstruction. Plans are being made to salvage some material from the hut for use in future commemoration of the site. Parks Canada will be working with stakeholders and interested parties to identify options for commemorating the enduring national significance of the site itself, the surrounding area, and to mountaineering in Canada. [2] Early Days of Abbot Pass Hut The hut was first brought to life thanks to the inspiration of Edward Feuz Jr. and Rudolf Aemmer, both respected mountaineers of the early 20th century. In her recently published book Edward Feuz Jr.: A Story of Enchantment , author D.L. Stephen explains: The guides were tired of leading guests up and down Mount Victoria in a single day and wanted to make the climb easier and "more enjoyable" for them. Abbot Pass was the ideal location for an alpine hut. Edward and Rudolf, used to high climbing huts in Switzerland, knew what they wanted. Putting their heads together they made some drawings and approached the construction foreman for the CPR, Basil Gardom, with their sketches. "He took things in hand," said Edward. This meant he badgered the CPR until architectural plans were made. The badgering was successful, because construction was begun and completed in 1922, at a cost of $35,000.[3] A small team of Swiss mountain guides constructed the hut using stones from the pass and supplies hauled up on horseback. The journey started from Lake Louise and over the infamous Death Trap – a route directly up the Victoria Glacier which today is not recommended due to crevasse and serac hazards. Given the location, constructing a building here would be no small feat even by today’s standards, let alone with the limitations of the time. In Stories of Ice , Lynn Martel writes in detail about the challenges of this undertaking: The logistics were stupendous. Two tons of cement, lime, timbers, windows and tools, plus a stove, beds, mattresses, bedding, cooking pots and pans, right down to the cutlery, had to be ferried up to the site. Food, too, to fuel the guides. It was all loaded onto a raft and paddled from the hotel to the southwest end of (Lake Louise). From there every piece was unloaded and carefully packed onto horses led by a wrangler who coaxed them onto the glacier – then extending some two kilometres lower than it does today – carefully guiding them around one crevasse and then the next. The steeds plodded upward on the bare summer ice until they reached a large gaping crevasse that stopped them in their tracks. From there the guides took over the Sisyphean job of man-hauling everything up the steep slope by rigging the jumbled icefall with a series of ladders and winches to facilitate carrying loads on a sled, each parcel weighing up to 35 kilograms. Anything that couldn't be loaded onto the sled they carried on their backs as they continued up the Death Trap – as they named the steep upper reaches of the glacier in apt reference to the unpredictable blocks and chunks that crash down from the unstable ice cliffs above. Once they were at the pass, thankfully, all the stones they needed to build the walls of the hut were already strewn all over the ground. With the help of a skilled stonemason they'd hired, the guides just had to gather up enough of them in the right sizes and shapes. The structure was then fastened to the bedrock with cables. Naturally, their work efforts were interrupted from time to time by howling gales. Abbot Pass Hut opened its doors to guests early in the summer of 1923. "The cabin had a big room for the kitchen and dining, a gentleman's dormitory, an attic with lots of mattresses," Feuz described. "There was even a sleeping room for ladies." For a time, there was even a pump organ for musical entertainment. As it was equipped with a pot-bellied stove, the guides carried firewood up to a spot below the hut where they kept it hidden, and then sold it by the bundle to hut users. No doubt they'd earned every cent, not an extra crumb of which was ever offered by the railway.[4] Gallery 1 An Unexpected Adventurer When news broke of the decision to dismantle Abbot Pass Hut, staff at the Whyte Museum dug into the vault of the Archives and Special Collections Library, bringing out Alpine Club of Canada hut registers that are stored here. Familiar stories jumped from the pages, both tragic and legendary. One related entry from Ernest Feuz in 1954 was also told on the walls of the hut itself, in a historic hut plaque written by Meghan J. Ward. It read: On July 30, 1954, Abbot Pass Hut played an integral role in sheltering and warming survivors of a tragic mountaineering accident on Mount Victoria in which three Mexican women and their guide were killed. In the safety of the hut, the rescuers, led by Ernest Feuz, “took off the girls’ boots and rubbed their feet, wrapped them in blankets and poured hot soup and tea into them,” wrote Harry Green in the 1955 CAJ.[5] In another entry from 1965,19-year-olds Charlie Locke and Don Gardner refer to themselves as "amateurs" on their traverse of the Ten Peaks. This still unrepeated route covered 22 peaks above Moraine Lake and Lake Louise over six-and-a-half days.[6] But a particular, peculiar entry stood out. It may be unusual for most to see a child’s drawings and “Count Dracula” signature in the logbook of the highest structure in Canada in the '60s, but for the author, Shauna Gillies-Smith, this wasn’t out of the ordinary. Having grown up at the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse, trips up to Abbot Pass – over the Death Trap, no less – were a treat to look forward to. Shauna recounts her experience as a young seven-year-old girl on her first trip to Abbot Pass Hut with Pierre Lemire, a hired hand at the teahouse who frequently went up the pass. “We went up as a trip for my birthday present, late in the afternoon,” Shauna recalls. “Pierre was like a big brother to us so we’d go on lots of hikes and scrambles, but this one was kind of epic. I remember the snow bridges and being pulled across things really quickly by Pierre to make sure we were in good shape. I remember it being very steep. But I had absolute trust in him." Then in his early 20s, Pierre was at the start of his career as a respected photographer and mountain guide. His path toward becoming an ACMG mountain guide began around the same time as his summers working at the teahouse, making various trips in the nearby mountain ranges, and eventually passing his first guide's exam in 1971 with Hans Gmoser and Leo Grillmair as his examiners.[7] "As we started getting up, the weather got more and more intense," Shauna continued. "By the time we got to the top, the weather had turned for the worse. Pierre had a big sense of humor so he had me take off all of my mountaineering gear, and he sent me into the hut full of people all by myself. I made quite an entrance walking in there alone with the stormy weather outside, the snow and rain, and everybody cozy and warm inside.” She recalls the laughter from the mountaineers shocked to see a child in their midst, seemingly appearing from thin air in nothing more than climbing boots and the clothes on her back. The next morning they awoke to beautiful, clear skies for their descent to Lake Oesa, a stark contrast to her experience the day before. Shauna and her family have a special connection to Abbot Pass Hut and the Feuz family, as it was because of this hut that her childhood home was created. A few years after it was built in 1924, Edward once again persuaded the CPR to build the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse in the valley below, under the supervision of the same foreman. Although he initially, and unsuccessfully, pitched it as a personal residence, the CPR agreed to the structure serving as a teahouse for tourists. Feuz often used the teahouse as an overnight stop with clients en route to Abbot Pass for mountaineering objectives.[3] His family owned and operated the teahouse until the '50s, serving pie and tea to guests from Chateau Lake Louise. To this day, the teahouse is open every summer serving visiting hikers. In 1959, the Feuz family sold the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse to Joy Kimball who raised her two daughters, Shauna and Susanne, right on the mountain. The younger of the two, Susanne, still runs the Teahouse today. “Abbot Pass Hut has always felt like a part of our teahouse home, as if they were siblings or a part of our family,” Shauna says. “It had been there for so long and as kids we’d always try to track the climbers, watching them going up and down. So going up there was an incredible source of pride, but also a coming of age. It’s really special to us to look back on.” — The Whyte Museum Archives and Special Collections Library houses several resources to aid in research for stories like these, including the Canadian Alpine Journal, Alpine Club of Canada fonds, archival photographs including the Edward Feuz fonds, and much more. Explore for yourself online at www.archives.whyte.org – or book an appointment to visit in person. Purchase your own copy of Edward Feuz Jr: A Story of Enchantment by D.L. Stephen and Stories of Ice: Adventure, Commerce and Creativity on Canada's Glaciers by Lynn Martel at the Whyte Museum Book Shop, located at 111 Bear Street. Back to The Cairn Endnotes: [1] Parks Canada Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Government of Canada. “Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin.” December 24, 1999. https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_fhbro_eng.aspx?id=8717&i=75126. [2] Parks Canada Agency, Government of Canada. “Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin National Historic Site.” Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin National Historic Site, July 13, 2022. https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/yoho/culture/abbot/info. [3] Stephen, D. L. Edward Feuz Jr.: A Story of Enchantment . Rocky Mountain Books, 2021. [4] Martel, Lynn. Stories of Ice: Adventure, Commerce and Creativity on Canada's Glaciers . Rocky Mountain Books, 2021. [5] Ward, Meghan. “Farewell to Abbot Pass Hut.” Meghan J. Ward, February 24, 2022. https://www.meghanjoyward.com/blog/abbot-pass-hut. [6] Scott, Chic. Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering . Rocky Mountain Books, 2000. [7] “Rockies Guide and Photographer Awarded Summit of Excellence.” RMOToday.com. Rocky Mountain Outlook, October 21, 2015. https://www.rmotoday.com/mountain-guide/rockies-guide-and-photographer-awarded-summit-of-excellence-1567911. Source: Gillies-Smith, Shauna. Interview by Tera Swanson. Personal Interview. Banff, AB, March 15, 2022. Image Captions: Abbot Pass Hut and the Death Trap from Victoria Glacier, 1929, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Peter and Catharine Whyte fonds ( V683/III/A/15/PA-18) Packing supplies to Abbot Pass, Alpine Cabin, 1922, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Joe Warner fonds (V301/lC/ACCN/3044/NA66-1216) Construction of Abbott Pass Hut , 1922, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Edward Feuz fonds (V200/I/A/II/PA -79) Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Alpine Club of Canada fonds (M200). [Shauna Gillies-Smith at Abbot Pass Hut], 1969. Photo by Pierre Lemire. Personal Collection of Shauna Gillies-Smith. Gallery Captions: Construction of Abbott Pass Hut , 1922, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Edward Feuz fonds (V200/I/A/II/PA -77) Construction of Abbott Pass Hut , 1922, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Edward Feuz fonds (V200/I/A/II/PA -76) Construction of Abbott Pass Hut , 1922, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Edward Feuz fonds (V200/I/A/II/PA -75) Construction of Abbott Pass Hut , 1922, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Edward Feuz fonds (V200/I/A/II/PA -68a) Construction of Abbott Pass Hut , 1922, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Edward Feuz fonds (V200/I/A/II/PA -72a) Construction of Abbott Pass Hut , 1922, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Edward Feuz fonds (V200/I/A/II/PA -72c) Construction of Abbott Pass Hut , 1922, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Edward Feuz fonds (V200/I/A/II/PA -69)

Back to the Community Book Sale: Copies From the Collection Back to the Cairn By Kayla Cazes, Librarian/Reference Archivist This October, the Whyte Museum Archives and Special Collections department offers a rare opportunity to add a bit of history to your library. Join the Whyte Museum for B ack to the Community Book Sale: Copies of the Collection, a special book event held October 27, 2023, for Whyte Museum members and donors, and October 28-29, 2023, for the general public. Items will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. “I love the idea that people have the opportunity to add some hard-to-find titles to their own collection, with the added thrill of knowing that the book may have been part of someone’s personal library, with a historic connection to the Bow Valley,” said Elizabeth Kundert-Cameron, Director of Archives and Special Collections. An impressive array of publications will be available, sure to delight bibliophiles, historians, naturalists, cartophiles, and the curious. There are books of literature and poetry, of travel and mountain adventure. And from naturalist Ben Gadd, there is a bounty of books for the public to choose from pertaining to natural history. Maps range from early Rocky Mountains Park of 1922 to topographical maps of the 1980s, while vintage pamphlets showcase a Banff from many eras. Up to 1400 books, maps, magazines, and pamphlets dating from the late 1800s to mid-2000s will be available for sale, many of which would have lined the shelves of prominent historical figures like Bill Peyto, Pearl Brewster Moore, and Whyte Museum founders Catharine Robb Whyte and Peter Whyte. What someone reads can tell you a lot about them. This book sale provides the opportunity to own a little bit of Banff's famous locals' library and to step into their lives. Learn more about these well-known historical locals below. Dorothy Wardle (1913–2003) Dot, Dorie, Dorothy was a local woman who as a child attended the Mountain School (205 Grizzly St.) in Banff, run by Margaret Greenham. Her father was the Superintendent of Banff National Park from 1918-1921, Chief Engineer for Parks Canada from 1921-1935, and Deputy Minister of the Interior from 1935-1936. A passionate and proud protector of Banff National Park, she was also a long-term volunteer here at the Whyte. Lillian Gest (1898–1986) Lillian was not Canadian and lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, she visited the Canadian Rockies almost every single summer for over 60 years. She began her love affair with the Rockies in 1921. She was Director of the Lake O’Hara Trails Club, and often rode with mountain adventurer Caroline Hinman. Her last visit to Lake O’Hara was in1981. Sam Ward (1884–1973) Sam was a builder and finishing carpenter in Banff, Alberta. Sam and Louisa Ward, 1884-1970, came to Banff in 1912. Alongside Vern Castella, Sam worked on various carpentry work on the Whyte Home, which is still on our grounds today. He and his wife were close with Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte. Sam Ward was quite the singer and known for music hall recitations. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Rummel (1897–1980) Lizzie was a lodge owner and operator in Banff National Park, Alberta and Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. Rummel was born Elisabeth von Rummel to an aristocratic German family. Her forty-two year career in the mountains included: working at Mount Assiniboine Lodge until 1942; managing Skoki Lodge and, at various times, Temple Chalet and Lake Louise Ski Lodge, ca.1943-1950; owning and operating Sunburst Lake Camp, 1950-1970; and working as assistant and oral history interviewer at the Archives of the Canadian Rockies (now the Archives of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies) from 1966 to 1980. Catharine Robb Whyte (1906–1979) Born in Concord, Massachusetts, growing up amongst the wealth and creativity of the Robb and Morse families, she began her studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925-1929. Here she would meet the love of her life Peter Whyte, eventually marrying and moving to Banff. Catharine was an artist, photographer, traveller, outdoor enthusiast, and philanthropist, she was heavily involved in the Banff community. She was also co-founder of the Whyte Museum alongside her husband, Peter Whyte. Peter Whyte (1905–1966) Peter, also known as ‘Pete,’ was born at Banff in 1905 to settler merchant Dave White and Annie (Curren) White. He was an accomplished skier and ski jumper and one of the region's first local-born painters. He had an intimate knowledge of the mountains and was an active photographer throughout his life. Peter Whyte studied art at the Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles, 1923-1924, and at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925-1929. He was co-founder of the Whyte Museum alongside his wife, Catharine Robb Whyte. Ebenezer William (Bill) Peyto (1868–1943) Bill was a guide, outfitter, prospector, and national park warden at Banff, Alberta. He was prominent among the early trail guides of the Rockies, beginning a colourful career around 1893. He led a number of mountaineers into climbing regions until ca.1910. Bill served in both the Boer and First World Wars, worked a talc mine on the edge of Banff National Park, and was a national park warden for over twenty years, retiring in 1937. Peyto Lake, Peyto Glacier, Peyto Peak, and Trapper Peak were named in his honour. Norman Bethune Sanson (1862–1949) Norman was a naturalist, meteorologist, and museum curator in Banff, Alberta. Born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of a prominent clergyman, he developed a life-long interest in natural history as a boy. In 1896 he was appointed curator of the Park Museum and also worked as zookeeper for the Banff Zoo. From 1896 until 1931, Sanson was meteorological officer and curator of the Park Museum. In 1903 an observatory was built on Sulphur Mountain on a site chosen by Sanson. During the period 1903-1931, Sanson made one thousand ascents of Sulphur Mountain to collect weather records. In 1948, the Dominion Government acknowledged his many years of service by naming a peak on the mountain for him. Nicholas (Nick) Everard Morant (1910–1999) Nick was a professional photographer based in Banff, Alberta. He was a Canadian commercial photographer of international repute and Canada's premier railway photographer of the 20th century. Nick served as Special Photographer to the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1929 to 1935 and again from 1944 to 1981. Nick had a prolific career as a freelance commercial, portrait, magazine, landscape, and documentary photographer. He married Ivy May "Willie" Young in 1936 when he was a photographer with the Winnipeg Free Press. Willie was his travelling and working companion until 1986. Justin James McCarthy (Jimmy) Simpson (1877-1972) Jimmy was a trapper, guide and outfitter, and lodge owner in Banff and Bow Lake, Alberta. Born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, Simpson was sent to Canada by his family in 1896. He worked briefly at Laggan (Lake Louise), Alberta for the Canadian Pacific Railway, travelled extensively and returned to the Rockies. By the early 1900s, he was a successful guide and outfitter with Carl Rungius and the Alpine Club of Canada as clients. Starting in 1920, Simpson began building Num-Ti-Jah Lodge at Bow Lake as a base for hunting and climbing parties. Simpson and Williamina (Billie) Ross Reid, 1891-1968, married in 1916 and had three children. The lodge was run mainly by Billie Simpson and in 1945 the business was turned over to Jimmy Simpson Jr., 1922-2003 . Daughters Margaret Simpson, 1917-1941, and Mary Simpson (Hallock), 1919-2002, were internationally-famous figure skaters. Back to the Cairn

There’s Nothing Here... We can’t find the page you’re looking for. Check the URL, or head back home. Go Home

There’s Nothing Here... We can’t find the page you’re looking for. Check the URL, or head back home. Go Home

Booze and Bars in the Bow Valley By Stephanie Laine Hamilton Back to The Cairn [Two R.C.M.P. officers on horseback on Banff Avenue, with King Edward Hotel in the background], ca. 1930-1940, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Peter and Catharine Whyte fonds ( V683/III/A/1/PA-321 ) In the fall of 2019, I was selected as one of the Lillian Agnes Jones Fellowship recipients in order to conduct research in the Whyte Archives & Special Collections Library about Booze and Bars in the Bow Valley . Collective regional identities in Western Canada can be seen through examination of heritage buildings and the societies that built them—pub culture in Western Canada is no exception. This type of exploration is unique and the common thread is a continuity in beer sales—yesterday and today. Pub culture heritage research is original in studies of Western Canada, and wide varieties of cultural tourism are growing on economic sectors across Alberta and Western Canada. All of the buildings researched are still licensed and in operation today. Collective identities have always been created among the working people, and among the travellers that continue to meet in the hotel beer parlors and pubs of the Bow Valley for the last 130 years! I’m a classicist by training, so having proximity to the originals to consult when contemporary historical topics is an amazing reality that shouldn’t be taken for granted. It’s so intriguing to consider these resources in real time with one’s own eyes, oftentimes decades after the fact. There are so many different kinds of materials one engages with in an archive—company cards, menus, receipts, permits, calendars, albums, maps, ledgers, and so on. Not to mention brochures! Trifold and serial varieties from the late 1800s to the early twenty-first century. If it hasn’t become pretty obvious, I may as well state it explicitly now—I heart the plethora of paper ephemera that is the archive! What one finds in the files, that are contained within the boxes, that are ordered in the stacks—not to mention what else might be contained here and there! [Pages with pressed flower petals from King Edward Hotel Ledger], 1909, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds ( LUX/I/C/I/49 ) Flower petals were found among the accounts on the ‘Bankhead Meal Account’ page. I wondered—why is this flower pressed here, in this ledger? Who put them there? Coal mining was dangerous business in the early twentieth century, and the Bankhead Memorial in the Old Banff Cemetery tells us that over 30 men died in the Bankhead Mine between July 1905 and January 1907. Did the ledger-keeper know someone who worked, or perhaps died, in the mine? Could very well be. In my mind I started thinking about questions I now had that were (in many ways) beyond my designated scope for the visit. Who would have been keeping this ledger, ca. 1909? Did they lose a loved one in a mine accident? Could also be, that it’s nothing like that at all. If one were to look through certain sections of my home-library, they would definitely find flowers among the pages of my books—some of the flowers are pressed at specific locations in specific books for specific reasons, others are not. So perhaps, the placement of the flower’s petals at this page was totally arbitrary; having had nothing at all to do with the mine? Regardless, what a thing to come across to prompt the mind to wander! [Page from King Edward Hotel Ledger], 1909, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds ( LUX/IC1/49 ) I came across another ledger from a similar time period from the King Edward Hotel that contained liquor inventories and bar tabs. This photo shows a list of ‘CPR Men’ with tabs at the King Eddy. There were also tabs for a number of packers, a handful of Brewsters, at least one Peyto, and even Tom Wilson himself. When considering heritage pub culture in Alberta, documents like the ones found in the Whyte archive shed light on the heritage bar-rooms spaces themselves. The hotels I am researching as case studies by which to focus my Lillian Agnes Jones research looks more broadly at the development of hospitality and tourism (as well as resource development and pub culture) in Banff National Park still exist. Vernacular architecture and built heritage resources are important to consider for thorough contemporary historical inquiry. So, to supplement my archival research I also stayed as a guest (and arranged insider building tours) at the King Edward Hotel , Mount Royal Hotel , and Banff Springs Hotel . Among other things, I made a point to write postcards in the once-upon-a-time writing-room at the Banff Springs Hotel (now a restaurant known as, Grapes ) over charcuterie and wine, ca. late 2019. Which is fitting because I can’t generally gush about archives without mentioning vintage correspondence, and how I am a massive sucker for the things a letter contains—handwriting, ink, stamps; and with business correspondence also, letterheads, seals, and margin notes. Each work-stay at one of my heritage hotels meant I could also accumulate contemporary examples of these hotel’s stationary, ca. 2019/2020. Looking at archival materials like business letterheads (as well as, beer labels and other promotional materials) that change over time, is another of my favorites things to spend time doing in archival study. [Examples of King Edward hotel stationary], ca. 1905, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds ( LUX/I/C/1/46 ) I don’t think I could ever tire of looking at old photos in the archives—be it, hard copies in photo albums or negatives on light boxes. We all know, using the various contraptions to look at archival materials is always a particular kind of perk specific to primary source review; but I digress. One of my favorite types of photo to come across is time-lapsed photos. In my experience, these often capture aspects of disaster response in real time. I came across this prior at the Crowsnest Museum while working on an exhibit at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre about Canada’s worst mine disaster at Hillcrest . From a nearby hill prominent Pass photographer, Thomas Gushul , captured a series of four photos that showed crowds amassing near the entrance to the mine within minutes of a mine explosion that killed 189 men in June 1914. This time, the time-lapse images I discovered at the Whyte archives were taken at intervals following the start of the blaze that consumed much of the Mount Royal Hotel in 1924. [Photo taken 45 minutes after the fire started at the Mount Royal Hotel], 1924, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Pat Brewster fonds ( V91/pa-507 ) [Brewster Transport Bus “Sunshine Suzy” outside the Mount Royal Hotel], Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Brewster Transport Company Ltd. fonds ( V92/3/14/NA66-1528 ) Some of the most unusual things I came across involved trophies and taxidermy—especially images of Banff’s most famous invisible celebrity, Herman the Merman. The Luxton Collection housed at the Whyte includes many images and promotional materials related to Norman Luxton’s many Banff businesses and side hustles. Of course, the original ‘merman’ specimen can be still be visited today just across the river from the archives at the Trading Post Curio Shop, once owned by Norman K. Luxton (who also owned the King Edward Hotel). Norman himself was an accomplished taxidermist, and for years it was alleged that Herman was actually fished out of Lake Minnewanka (aka Devil’s Lake). None of the permits in the giant stack I also discovered in the Luxton Collection at the Whyte indicated ‘lake monster’ as the object of acquisition! However, that discovery of a stack of permits in the Luxton fonds lead to further research that I conducted at the Provincial Archives of Alberta . Resources related to Norman Luxton housed at the Provincial Archives of Alberta, include: probates, court transcripts, and other legal documents related to the running of various businesses (including his King Edward Hotel). Other taxidermic objects identified in the heritage collections housed and cared for at the Whyte associated with Luxton include several books and some tools, including a box of glass eyes. The “Man Fish” (Trading Post – “The Sign of the Goat”), Banff, 1956 , Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds (LUX/I/C4-31/PA- 22) Mountain buffalo for Federal Govt. Museum – N.K.L. [Norman K. Luxton] Taxidermist [assistant at work] , 1906, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies (Luxton exhibit binders) Examples of Norman Luxton’s Taxidermy – Luxton House/Eleanor Luxton Historical Society. Photographs taken by the author. Left: Typical Mounts – Bull elk straddled by pronghorn doe and fawn (died of natural causes). Right: Non-typical Mount – White-tail deer. During this time of COVID I have been temporarily laid off from my nine to five job, so I am taking the opportunity to organize and work on developing my Lillian Agnes Jones research into a manuscript about Booze and Bars in the Bow Valley . That means there will be much more to come from me, so keep your ear to the ground and your eyes peeled for upcoming talks and publications related to this Booze and Bars in the Bow Valley research. Thank you to the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, and Archives & Special Collections Library for providing the opportunity to take a really deep dive into the heritage related to hospitality, tourism, and pub culture in Banff and the Bow Valley. [Ike Mills dog team at the Banff Springs Hotel], ca. 1920-1940, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, George Noble fonds ( V469/I/na-2311 ) Back to The Cairn

Beyond Interpretation Written by Museum Interpreters: Cassidy Hughes, Eden Luymes, Jon Rollins, and Gemma Tarling Images: Cassidy on the Stanley Glacier trail, Gemma above Peyto Lake, Eden on Cascade Mountain and Jon on Mt. Wilcox. Entering the town of Banff, you pass a sign featuring the famous photo of Bill Peyto. To the average visitor, this man is a face, a pipe, and a cowboy hat. However, delving into the history of this region, we learned that he, like the rest of Banff’s past, is so much more. Working at the Whyte Museum over the summer, offering tours and working within the Archives, Art, and Heritage collections, this region’s history became tangible to us. Through exploring the Canadian Rockies, our work at the Museum became an enriching, exciting task. Whether that meant visiting Skoki Lodge, climbing mountains and glaciers depicted in Peter and Catharine’s paintings, or gazing out over Peyto Lake—whose namesake we would discuss daily on our tours. Knowing the stories behind these places has enriched our own experiences here in Banff, adding a level of understanding and excitement to our adventures. This is something that we wanted to convey to the visitors who we interacted with at the Museum. Being interpreters has given us the chance to pass on this knowledge in the hopes that the people we talk to are also inspired to follow in the footsteps of these first pathfinders. When Catharine Whyte came to Banff she was enamored with - and as an artist, challenged by - the constant changes in lighting in the mountain landscape. Catharine found home in the inherent changes that constitute Banff, and so did we. The rapid shifts in mountain light paralleled our own experiences, every minute bringing something new. Newness is refreshing, like being given the chance to delve into historic artifacts in the Heritage collection or images in the Archives. It can also be a hard-learned lesson in a hailstorm at the summit of a mountain. Regardless of the immediate context, we have welcomed these varied and fresh experiences during our time in Banff with grateful and open minds. This spring, Bill Peyto’s image welcoming us to Banff was just a face, and the Whyte Museum was but a logo. Now Bill’s story and legacy has left us inspired and the Museum is a place where our names are in the cataloguing binders, our voices ring through the hallways, and the permanent staff are keen to chat with us about our latest adventures. It has been an honour and a privilege to work in such a supportive environment.

Introducing Dawn Saunders Dahl, Indigenous Program Manager Back to The Cairn After a Canada-wide search that attracted an impressive field of qualified candidates, we are pleased to announce that Dawn Saunders Dahl has been hired as the Museum’s Indigenous Program Manager effective immediately. Dawn is of Métis (Ojibway, Red River) and European ancestry, and brings to the Museum a wealth of experience as a practicing artist, curator, arts administrator and Indigenous Arts cultural programmer. Most recently Dawn served as the Associate Director of Indigenous Arts at the Banff Centre, as well as Curator for the Galerie Cite, La Cite Francophone, Edmonton. She has also served as the Arts and Events Coordinator for the Town of Canmore where she established new relationships and programs between the Town and the Stoney Nakoda community. Dawn has served as the Director of The Works Art and Design Festival and was the Public Art Officer (Aboriginal Art Park) with the Edmonton Arts Council. Most recently Dawn completed a community mural project in the new recreation centre located within the Ktunaxa Nation in Windermere, with art collaborator/muralist Jason Botkin. They collected thousands of photographs from the community and selected 90 portraits that were incorporated into the mural. Dawn will be responsible for leading and facilitating a deepening of the Museum’s relationship with the Stoney Nakoda community, the Stoney Education Authority and Canadian Rockies School Division in support of the Building Bridges: Towards Renewed Relationships with the Indigenous Communities of the Bow River Valley initiative that the Calgary Foundation has so generously funded. We would like to acknowledge and thank Elder Sykes Powderface from the Stoney Nakoda community for participating on the search committee for this very important role in the Bow River Valley. Please join us in welcoming Dawn to the Whyte Museum team. Back to The Cairn

A Message from our Chief Executive Officer It’s been almost two years since I came to the Whyte as your new Chief Executive Officer, June 23, 2019, to be exact. I couldn’t be more grateful to have such a warm, welcoming place to respond to all the challenges we’ve had to face. The Whyte is led and operated by a truly remarkable, imaginative, resourceful, funny, and supportive team of staff, board members, and community partners. These are true mountain people, quick to lend a hand, come up with a great solution, and tell stories that make your hair stand on end. I’ve learned so much from them and from you. I know that all major decisions are made in Nester’s parking lot. I know that a walk along the river is the best way to hold a meeting. I know when the pine martens have returned, and when the elk are feeling amorous. Every day, I feel the warm generous spirit of Catharine Whyte guiding our actions. People in the valley are generous in their support, always take your calls, and come back with good solutions. It’s a great comfort and joy to be able to draw on that knowledge and experience. Thank you all. We’ve missed being open, but have been working hard behind-the-scenes. We’re grateful for subsidy programs that have allowed us to keep our staff fully employed and responding to changing needs. We’ve learned how to give you more access to our collections, exhibitions, and programs online. Furthermore, we’re developing programs that will connect you with our beautiful landscape and with Indigenous ways of knowing. We look forward to welcoming you back in July with new exhibitions, exciting programs, and new books to buy in our shop . Thank you all for supporting the Whyte during this challenging time. I now consider myself the new – and slightly used – CEO. Cheers, Donna Livingstone, Chief Executive Officer Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies and the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation

Recent Acquisitions 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

Thank you, Sayoko! Back to The Cairn The warm smiling face of Sayoko Kagitani greeted visitors to the Whyte Museum for over fourteen years. She was a welcoming presence to visitors from around the world, to members, board members, and community colleagues. She is at ease with everyone she meets, from politicians and donors to excited groups of foreign tourists. Her unfailing friendliness, generous spirit, and passion are appreciated by all who know her. “She has truly been the face of the Whyte” says Marino DiManno, Chair of the Board of Directors, “...we’ll miss her and look forward to seeing her at community events around town. She’s a Banff treasure.” Fewer visitors, increasing demand for digital access, and a shift to a bookstore, has meant a reorganization of the visitor services area of the Whyte. Sayoko left visitor services in October, but provided several months of invaluable support to the Archives, before officially leaving the Whyte at the end of February. We send her our warmest wishes and gratitude. Thank you, Sayoko! Back to The Cairn

Performance Series Brings a Summer of Song to The Whyte Back To The Cairn By Clayton Smith, Events Manager Who would have thought The Whyte’s Heritage Gallery could transform into one of Banff’s warmest and most inviting music venues? This summer, it did just that. The Whyte’s Summer Performance Series brought five outstanding shows to the gallery, filling the space with song, storytelling, and the kind of energy that connects audiences, artists, and community in truly memorable ways. The series was as diverse as it was carefully curated. Over the course of the summer, audiences experienced everything from soulful Indigenous storytelling to Southern Alberta honky-tonk, prairie ballads, northern family-rooted reflections, and nostalgic echoes of early R&B, doo-wop, and garage folk. The result was a musical journey across Canada’s sonic landscapes, one that left both audiences and performers glowing. The Whyte was proud to welcome Logan Staats, Mariel Buckley, Shaela Miller & Carter Felker, Shane Ghostkeeper & Lauren Dillen, and Duff Thompson & Steph Green to the stage. Together, these artists drew nearly 550 attendees across five evenings, filling the artefact-lined gallery walls with audience members from all over Alberta. The series was met with tremendous enthusiasm, with each performance drawing at or near capacity crowds. From the opening night with Logan Staats through to the closing show with Duff Thompson & Steph Green, the Heritage Gallery was filled with energy and anticipation. Whether on bustling summer evenings or during quieter moments in August, audiences consistently showed up ready to listen, connect, and celebrate the music, creating a welcoming atmosphere that artists and community members alike were quick to praise. But attendance only tells part of the story. For the artists, The Whyte’s series meant something special. Time and again, they remarked on the care and hospitality they felt, from the attentive audiences to the support of the Whyte, to the generosity of our partners at The Rimrock Banff. That sense of being welcomed, valued, and connected is part of what makes Banff such a meaningful stop on their touring calendars. Audiences, too, were vocal in their praise. One survey response captured the mood perfectly: “It’s the same intimate feeling as a house concert. Great snacks, drinks, and friends! It really felt like a community connector.” More than any old venue, the Heritage Gallery became a gathering place to celebrate new music discoveries, a vibrant local community, and a shared togetherness. Canada’s music scene is deep and multifaceted. Not every artist reaches the same level of recognition as familiar acts like Blue Rodeo or The Tragically Hip, but there is certainly no shortage of remarkable talent waiting to be heard. Sometimes, all it takes is a trusted venue to make the introduction. This summer, The Whyte was proud to be that connector. Just as the museum preserves and presents the history of the Canadian Rockies, it also curates contemporary cultural experiences. Thanks to the support of The Rimrock Banff, our Summer Performance Series added a new flavour to Banff’s cultural life, one that artists, audiences, and The Whyte are eager to carry forward. Gallery 1 Want to check out the artists from our Summer Performance Series? Listen to our Live at The Whyte Spotify playlist! Visit our website to learn more and plan your next visit to The Whyte. We're open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 111 Bear Street, Banff, Alberta. Gallery 1: Photos from the 2025 Summer Performance Series at The Whyte. Photos by Katie Goldie. Back To The Cairn