Fonds consist of eight separate series: A. Moving Images; B. Photographs; C. Banff - Lake Louise - Chamber of Commerce Plaques; D. Printed Materials; E. Newspaper Clippings; F. Sunshine Village Lodge & Skoki Ski Lodge; G. Written Materials; H. Phone List. Fonds consists of records pertaining primar…
7 cm textual records. -- 24 photographs: prints. -- 2 motion pictures: 16mm film, video
History / Biographical
Clifford Jackson White (II), 1929-2003, was born in Banff, Alberta, the son of Clifford and Mildred (Jackson) White and the grandson of Dave White. Clifford J. White attended public and high school in Banff and in 1951, married Beverly Pogue of Calgary. Together they have four children: Clifford (III), Tara, Bradford, and Tristan. Cliff White was thirteen years old when he guided for his father at Mount Temple, and he operated the bulldozer for Sunshine Village from 1946 to 1949. From 1949 to 1953, Cliff White was assistant to the general manager of Snowmobile Tours at the Icefields, and 1953-1963, he owned a service station in Banff. In 1960, White purchased Sunshine Village ski resort, sold it in 1966 and remained the manager there until 1977. White succeeded his aunt, Catharine Whyte as President of the Board of Trustees, Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation, 1979-1993. White was a member of the Kiwanis Club at Banff, and was the director of the Banff Chamber of Commerce. He was a Cub pack leader from 1953 to 1956.
Scope & Content
Fonds consist of eight separate series: A. Moving Images; B. Photographs; C. Banff - Lake Louise - Chamber of Commerce Plaques; D. Printed Materials; E. Newspaper Clippings; F. Sunshine Village Lodge & Skoki Ski Lodge; G. Written Materials; H. Phone List. Fonds consists of records pertaining primarily to Sunshine ski area. Textual records include a speech: "The Human History of Skiing at lake Louise," Feb. 8, 1992. Discusses origins of skiing in Banff, 1920s, the establishment of Skoki and Mt. Temple Chalet, and the first chair lifts. The remainder of the speech deals with White's recollections of a typical "ski week" in 1943 when he worked as a licensed ski guide at Mount Temple Chalet. Also includes a list of significant dates and events in Lake Louise ski history, 1894-1991. Textual records also include personal and legal records, Sunshine ski area pamphlets, 1960 - ?, correspondence, certificates, clippings, and pamphlets. Photographs consist of 20 prints re Clifford J. White, Beverly White and their children; Clifford White Sr. and ski development history. Motion pictures include a film "Top of the World," ca. 1970, 16mm, sd., col., ca. 500 ft., ca. 14 minutes. "A Jim Rice Production." Sunshine Village promotional film: skiing, lodge, lifts, helishots, etc. interspersed with 1930s footage of Skoki area skiing (some of which exists in this fonds). Film was property of Sunshine Village. Clifford J. White supplied some historical film footage by or collected by his father, Clifford White, for this film.
Fonds consists of papers, photographs and sound recordings of Peter and Catharine Whyte and the papers and photographs of their respective families. Consists of three sous-fonds: V683, S37 and M36. M36 and S37 consists of three series. Series I: Peter and Catharine Whyte, Series II: Robb and Morse …
25 m of textual records. -- ca.46,000 photographs : prints, albums, postcards, cased photographs, transparencies, negatives. -- 178 sound recordings : audio tape reels, audio tape cassettes. -- 6 motion pictures (and film strips)
History / Biographical
Peter and Catharine Whyte were artists, photographers, outdoor enthusiasts, travelers, philanthropists and cultural workers at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Peter Whyte, 1905-1966, was born at Banff in 1905 to pioneer merchant Dave White and Annie (Curren) White. He was an accomplished skier and ski jumper and one of the region's first native-born painters with an intimate knowledge of the mountains and was an active photographer from ca.1920 until the 1950s. 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, where he met Catharine Robb. Catharine Robb Whyte, 1906-1979, was born in 1906 at Concord, Massachusetts and grew up amongst the wealth and creativity of the Robb and Morse families. She studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925-1929.
Following their marriage in 1930, the Whytes pursued a life of painting, photography, hiking, skiing and travelling. Their log home and studio in Banff became a focal point for their artist friends, Stoney Indians and local pioneers. Catharine shared Pete's involvement in skiing and hiking organizations and together they managed Skoki Lodge from 1932-1934. In following years, the Whytes travelled extensively. During the Second World War, Peter served in the reserve army, with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a photographer and, briefly, as an official war artist. Catharine continued to paint and maintain their home and, when possible, accompanied Pete to his military postings. In civilian life, Pete resumed his art career, explored new photographic techniques and sculpted.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the Whytes formulated plans for a foundation to preserve the art and history of the Canadian Rockies. Plans for a building to house an archives, public library and gallery were in preparation when Pete died in 1966. The Peter Whyte Foundation was named in his honour. Catharine immersed herself in the development of what is now the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, in the cultural community, painting, outdoor activity, travel and work with the Stoney First Nations. She became a more active photographer, recording her travels and outdoor pursuits. She served in an official capacity with numerous cultural and charitable organizations, was a patron to individuals studying art and music, and supported numerous causes relating to the Stoney First Nations. Catharine also supported causes related to multiculturalism, regional culture and recreation, and cancer research. Despite her modesty and often anonymous patronage of causes, Catharine was recognized with numerous awards and honours, including the Order of Canada in 1978. She died in Banff in 1979.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of papers, photographs and sound recordings of Peter and Catharine Whyte and the papers and photographs of their respective families. Consists of three sous-fonds: V683, S37 and M36. M36 and S37 consists of three series. Series I: Peter and Catharine Whyte, Series II: Robb and Morse families, Series III: White and Curren families. Within Series I, there are four Sub-series: Series: A. Catharine Robb Whyte papers; B. Peter Whyte papers; C. Peter and Catharine Whyte papers accessioned after 2017; D. Peter and Catharine Whyte sound recordings.