Search Results - Research Collections - Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

Dan McCowan and Mary McCowan fonds

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/descriptions273

Part Of: Dan and Mary McCowan fonds

Scope & Content: Fonds consists of two series : I. Dan McCowan series; II. Mary E.(Fee) McCowan series. I. Dan McCowan series, ca.1905-1967?, ca.30 cm of textual records, ca.3400 photographs, 4 graphic records. Includes five sub-series: A. Correspondence; B. Writing; C. Photography; D. Professional activities; E…

Date Range: [ca.1885-1967?]

Reference Code: M55 / V408

Description Level: 1 / Fonds

GMD: Photograph; Negative; Photograph print; Transparency; Textual record; Diary; Private record; Published record

Part Of: Dan and Mary McCowan fonds

Description Level: 1 / Fonds

Fonds Number: M 55; V 408

Sous-Fonds: M 55; V 408

Accession Number: 323, 694, 3263, 6756, 6892

Reference Code: M55 / V408

GMD: Photograph; Negative; Photograph print; Transparency; Textual record; Diary; Private record; Published record

Date Range: [ca.1885-1967?]

Physical Description: ca.50 cm of textual records. -- ca.3400 photographs (ca.1000 negatives, ca.1540 lantern slides, ca.770 transparencies 35mm, 117 prints). -- 4 graphic records

History / Biographical: Dan McCowan, 1882-1956, was a naturalist, lecturer and writer at Banff, Alberta, Canada. McCowan came to Banff from Scotland in 1907. There he met Mary Ethel Fee, 1888-1973, a teacher, and they married in 1921. Mary McCowan shared an interest in Dan's work, hand-coloured his lantern slides and accompanied him on his tours. Dan McCowan was an active photographer and naturalist and lectured at hospitals during and following the First World War. He was later recommended to Sir Edward Beatty, CPR President and hired by the CPR to promote the scenic beauties and natural history of the mountains, which he did for 26 years. For a period his lantern slide presentations included motion pictures. During the 1940s, he used natural colour Kodachrome slide photography. While in England in 1936, McCowan was made a Fellow of the Royal Zoological Society. From ca.1907 onwards, he wrote for magazines and newspapers. The first of six books was published in 1936; the last in 1955. Beginning ca.1937, McCowan wrote and broadcast radio talks on natural history on CBC. These were heard widely in Canada and the United States. In 1939, McCowan accompanied the King and Queen on a portion of their railway tour through the mountains, providing information on natural history and residents. During the Second World War, he toured extensively on behalf of the YMCA. The McCowans retired to Cloverdale (now Surrey), B.C., ca.1951.

Scope & Content: Fonds consists of two series : I. Dan McCowan series; II. Mary E.(Fee) McCowan series.; I. Dan McCowan series, ca.1905-1967?, ca.30 cm of textual records, ca.3400 photographs, 4 graphic records. Includes five sub-series: A. Correspondence; B. Writing; C. Photography; D. Professional activities; E. Ephemera.; Correspondence includes incoming letters re writing, business and broadcasting. Writing is in the form of notes and notebooks, unpublished and published manuscripts, newspaper articles and other materials.; Photography includes negatives, lantern slides, 35mm transparencies and prints. Material pertains to flora, fauna, people, places and scenery, also family, activities and events. Photographs of Banff personalities and visitors are available in negative and lantern slide form, 254 items.; Lantern slides were designed for lectures such as: "On skyline trails in the Canadian Rockies"; "On nature trails at Banff and Lake Louise"; "A naturalist in the Canadian Rockies" (200 slides); "Snow peaks and flower meadows in the Canadian Rockies" (200 slides); "Over the hills and far away: a pictorial review of the Canadian Rockies"; "Victory Day, May 8th 1945, Dan McCowan presents: Bye-gone days in Banff" (exact titles were based on title slides).; II. Mary E. (Fee) McCowan series consists of diaries, 1926-1957, photocopied from 12 volumes (19 cm); and letters from Dan McCowan, 1943. Diaries discuss joint travels, activities, lecture tours for CPR (Canada, U.S., U.K.), Banff, trail rides, skyline hikes, and Royal Visit, 1939

Notes: Both Dan and Mary McCowan have written identifications on the slide mounts

Name Access: McCowan, Dan; McCowan, Mary

Subject Access: Environment; Exploration, discovery and travel; Family and personal life; Natural resources; Sports, recreation and leisure

Access Restrictions: Some restrictions on access to originals; Copyright, privacy, commercial use and other restrictions may apply

Language: Language is English

Finding Aid: Finding aids and reference tools: arrangement outline; series and file description; in-house electronic finding aid; online finding aid; item list and modern reference prints for photographs of Banff personalities and visitors

Related Material: Related by provenance to McCowan family photographs (V407)

Creator: McCowan, Dan; McCowan, Mary

Category: Environment; Exploration, discovery and travel; Family and personal life; Natural resources; Sports, recreation and leisure

Title Source: Title based on contents of fonds

Processing Status: Processed

This material is presented as originally created; it may contain outdated cultural descriptions and potentially offensive content. Read more.

McCowan family fonds

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/descriptions511

Part Of: McCowan family fonds

Scope & Content: Fonds pertains to the McCowan family, mainly the McCowan brothers and John and Jen (McCowan) Wilson. Content includes Banff personalities and places; activities, including curling, hockey, curling and fishing; events, including floods and fires in the town; Banff personalities and places. Also p…

Date Range: 1908-1981, predominant 1908-[ca.1950]

Reference Code: M135 / V407

Description Level: 1 / Fonds

GMD: Photograph; Album; Negative; Photograph print; Transparency; Textual record; Private record; Scrapbook

Part Of: McCowan family fonds

Description Level: 1 / Fonds

Fonds Number: M 135; V 407

Series: V407; M135

Sous-Fonds: M 135; V 407

Sub-Series: V407 / I / A : Albums; V407 / I / B : Prints; V407 / I / C : Negatives; V407 / I / D : Transparencies; M135 / II / A : Textual

Accession Number: 409; 779 1141; 7730

Reference Code: M135 / V407

GMD: Photograph; Album; Negative; Photograph print; Transparency; Textual record; Private record; Scrapbook

Responsibility: Fonds includes photographs by Bill McCowan and Dan McCowan. Negatives are mainly by Dan McCowan. Wilson-McCowan photograph album was assembled by Bill Waterworth

Date Range: 1908-1981, predominant 1908-[ca.1950]

Physical Description: 80 photographs (40 negatives, 38 prints, 2 transparencies). -- 2 photograph albums (ca.800 prints). -- 1 textual record (1 v.)

History / Biographical: Bill McCowan, 1897-1975, was a government employee at Banff, Alberta, Canada. McCowan came to Banff from Scotland with his family in 1911. His brother, Dan McCowan, was a renowned naturalist and writer. Other siblings were Marie, Jim, Duncan, Rae, Jock and Jennie. Jennie McCowan (1894-1984) married John Clark Wilson (1888-1932), son of Tom and Minnie Wilson. Their daughter, Bernice, married Bill Waterworth.

Scope & Content: Fonds pertains to the McCowan family, mainly the McCowan brothers and John and Jen (McCowan) Wilson. Content includes Banff personalities and places; activities, including curling, hockey, curling and fishing; events, including floods and fires in the town; Banff personalities and places. Also pertains to World War I events and 82nd Battalion; royal visits; Calgary, Alberta places and events; scenic views, Banff and area, Rocky Mountains; Margaret Ashley, Henry and Mrs. Fonda. Textual item is Jock McCowan scrapbook, 1913-1981.

Name Access: McCowan, Bill; McCowan, Dan; McCowan, Duncan; McCowan, Jock; Wilson, Jennie (McCowan); Wilson, John

Subject Access: Family and personal life; Royal tours; World War I

Access Restrictions: Copyright, privacy, commercial use and other restrictions may apply

Language: Language is English

Related Material: Related by provenance to the Dan and Mary McCowan fonds (M55/V408) and through accn. 7730 to Jack (Dave White Jr.) White fonds (V684)

Creator: McCowan, Bill; McCowan, Dan

Category: Family and personal life

Title Source: Title based on contents of fonds

Processing Status: Processed

This material is presented as originally created; it may contain outdated cultural descriptions and potentially offensive content. Read more.

1 Hour

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Artist: Peter Whyte (1905 – 1966, Canadian)

Date: 1925

Medium: graphite; ink on paper

Catalogue Number: WyP.03.954 h

Description: Perspective drawing box, cone, jack (six sided star shape)

1 image

Artist: Peter Whyte (1905 – 1966, Canadian)

Title: 1 Hour

Date: 1925

Medium: graphite; ink on paper

Dimensions: 23.0 x 29.5 cm

Description: Perspective drawing box, cone, jack (six sided star shape)

Subject: box; cone; jack

Credit: Gift of Catharine Robb Whyte, O. C., Banff, 1975

Catalogue Number: WyP.03.954 h

Images

This material is presented as originally created; it may contain outdated cultural descriptions and potentially offensive content. Read more.

3 unidentified children on horse

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/descriptions29510

Part Of: Byron Harmon fonds

Scope & Content: [Stoney First Nation]

Date Range: [ca.1915-1925]

Reference Code: V263 / NA - 3297

Description Level: 6 / Item

GMD: Photograph; Negative

1 image

Part Of: Byron Harmon fonds

Description Level: 6 / Item

Fonds Number: V263

Series: I. Scenic / commercial series

Sous-Fonds: V263

Sub-Series: A.1.a. Negatives, Main series : 13 x 18 cm and smaller

Accession Number: n/a

Reference Code: V263 / NA - 3297

GMD: Photograph; Negative

Parallel Title: Indian children, three on horse

Other Title Info: Parallel title is original title

Date Range: [ca.1915-1925]

Physical Description: 1 photograph : negative, 13 x 18 cm or smaller

Scope & Content: [Stoney First Nation]

Name Access: Harmon, Byron

Subject Access: Banff Indian Days; First Nations; Indigenous Peoples; Stoney Nakoda; Recognizing Relations Collection; Stoney

Geographic Access: Alberta

Language: English

Creator: Harmon, Byron (Banff, Alberta)

Title Source: This image was part of the Recognizing Relations project, an archives initiative undertaken from 2014-2023 to name Indigenous people in photographs held by the Whyte Museum Archives. Identifications were not possible.