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…
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 Writing is in the form of notes and notebooks, unpublished and published manuscripts, newspaper articles and other materials.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
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…
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.
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
This material is presented as originally created; it may contain outdated cultural descriptions and
potentially offensive content.
Read more.
Alma Wildman (sister of Burt Wildman) , Elizabeth or Lily (sister of Jimmy Wildman) (future wife of Lazarus Wesley), Paul Poucette (Pona Thon) (Steam Rises), Stoney Nakoda
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Identification information also provided by 2 correction cards one filed with Jon Whyte in the Archives by visiting Stoney Elder Doris Labelle (ca.1985) and the other filed with Mary Andrews in 1992
Content Details
[Alma Wildman (sister of Burt Wildman) , Elizabeth or Lily (sister of Jimmy Wildman) (future wife of Lazarus Wesley), Paul Poucette (Pa-to-gen) (Pa is head, To is blue, Gen is an endearment) Stoney Nakoda]*
Identification information also provided by 2 correction cards one filed with Jon Whyte in the Archives by visiting Stoney Elder Doris Labelle (ca.1985) and the other filed with Mary Andrews in 1992
This material is presented as originally created; it may contain outdated cultural descriptions and
potentially offensive content.
Read more.
Alma Wildman (sister of Burt Wildman) , Elizabeth or Lily (sister of Jimmy Wildman) (future wife of Lazarus Wesley), Paul Poucette Sr. (Pona Thon) (Steam Rises)
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023. The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Identification information also provided by 2 correction cards one filed with Jon Whyte in the Archives by visiting Stoney Elder Doris Labelle (ca.1985) and the other filed with Mary Andrews in 1992
Content Details
Alma Wildman (sister of Burt Wildman) , Elizabeth or Lily (sister of Jimmy Wildman)(future wife of Lazarus Wesley), Paul Poucette (Pa-to-gen)(Pa is head, To is blue, Gen is an endearment)
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023. The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Identification made through cross referencing with materials from Glenbow Archives and other fondsin photographs held in the WMCR archives
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.
Second identification made through cross-referencing with other fonds and images from the Recognizing Relations project in 2014. See NA-3046 for matching beadwork.
Initial identifications by Byron Harmon, his staff or Harmon family
Second identification made through cross-referencing with other fonds and images from the Recognizing Relations project in 2014.
Content Details
Initial identifications by Byron Harmon, his staff or Harmon family
Ben Kaquitts (Knife Carrier)(Mi-hra-ge)
Second identification made through cross-referencing with other fonds and images from the Recognizing Relations project in 2014.
Original identifications made by Byron Harmon, his staff or Harmon family
Ben Kaquitts(Knife Carrier)(Mi-hra-ge)
Name identification made through cross-referencing with other fonds and images
Content Details
Original identifications made by Byron Harmon, his staff or Harmon family
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023.
The goal of this initiative was to name local Indigenous peoples in photographs held in the WMCR archives as well as encouraging access for Indigenous communities to these images.