Fonds consists of the photographic records and sample materials of Byron Harmon Photos, the photographic business of Byron Harmon and his successors; as well as the personal photographs of Byron Harmon. I. Scenic / commercial, 1907-1975, ca.7600 items. Primary component of series is film and glass…
Byron Hill Harmon, 1876-1942, was a professional photographer and businessman at Banff, Alberta, Canada. He was born near Tacoma, Washington, USA and operated a portrait studio there for a time. In 1903, while travelling around the United States and Canada as an itinerant photographer, he decided to settle in Banff and by 1907 had produced enough mountain views to begin selling a line of postcards. Between 1906 and 1913, Harmon was official photographer for the Alpine Club of Canada and made trips in numerous mountain areas, such as the Bugaboos (1910) and Mount Robson (1911, 1913). Harmon personally financed trips into other areas, such as Tonquin Valley (1918) and Lake of the Hanging Glaciers (1920, 1922), producing both still photographs and motion pictures for commercial sale. After his last major expedition in 1924 across Saskatchewan Glacier, through to Maligne Lake and back to Banff by packtrain, Harmon devoted most of his time to photographing scenes along the railway, skiing in the Assiniboine and Skoki regions, and the annual rides and hikes of the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies and the Sky Line Trail Hikers of the Canadian Rockies. At the same time he managed several businesses, including a drug store, fountain lunch, theatre and book store. In his later years, Harmon spent much time travelling and photographing in other parts of the world. The business, Byron Harmon Photos, was managed successively by his son, Don Harmon, then his grand-daughter, Carole Harmon.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of the photographic records and sample materials of Byron Harmon Photos, the photographic business of Byron Harmon and his successors; as well as the personal photographs of Byron Harmon.
I. Scenic / commercial, 1907-1975, ca.7600 items. Primary component of series is film and glass negatives, 1907-1942, ca.6500 items. Also includes: postcard negatives and positives and production negatives to ca.1955; original prints; a wide range of sample products, such as postcards, enlargements and framing prints, calendars and viewbooks, mainly by Harmon business, some by other photographers; and lantern slides, ca.1913-192-, pertaining to Columbia Icefield Expedition, mountaineering, mountain landscapes, Indians, wildlife, Canadian Pacific Railway and Asian travel. Scenic / commercial series pertains to annual camps and expeditions of the Alpine Club of Canada in the Canadian Rockies and Selkirks, 1907-1913; private movie-making expeditions in the Canadian Rockies and Selkirks; mountain scenic views, primarily for postcard purposes; Banff events and development; skiing; birds and animals. Includes some material by Don Harmon and Lloyd Harmon, sons of Byron Harmon.
II. Personal, 189- to 194-, ca.370 items. Includes: family photographs and views received from others; motion picture out-takes pertaining to world travels, 1930s; and 35 mm. transparencies, ca.1940, pertaining mainly to world travels, also mountain and prairie scenics.
Notes
For more information on the Byron Harmon photographs, see "Great Days in the Rockies: The Photographs of Byron Harmon, 1906-1934" (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1978) or "Byron Harmon, Mountain Photographer" by Carole Harmon and Bart Robinson (Banff: Altitude Publishing, 1992)
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.
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Content Details
[Ben and Janet Kaquitts standing on left in regalia, Mark Poucette standing to the right in regalia, Stoney Nakoda]*
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Series contains 6383 b&w negatives. Series pertains to various Alpine Club of Canada annual camps and expeditions including the Paradise Valley camp, Yoho and Bow Valley expedition, Lake O’Hara camp, Consolation Valley camp, and the Smithsonian-ACC Mount Robson expedition; expeditions to Lake of th…
Series contains 6383 b&w negatives. Series pertains to various Alpine Club of Canada annual camps and expeditions including the Paradise Valley camp, Yoho and Bow Valley expedition, Lake O’Hara camp, Consolation Valley camp, and the Smithsonian-ACC Mount Robson expedition; expeditions to Lake of the Hanging Glacier area, Bow Movie trip, Ptarmigan Pass movie trip, Mount Assiniboine, Skoki, and the Columbia Icefield Expedition with Lewis Freeman; other areas featured include Glacier and Rogers Pass, the Town of Banff, Lake Louise area, Jasper, Field, areas along the Icefields Parkway, various location in Yoho, Banff, Jasper, Glacier, and Kootenay National parks. Subjects include climbing, mountaineering, skiing, ski jumping, the Banff Winter Carnival, Banff Indian Days, scenic views of mountains, glaciers, rivers, wildlife, and plants, Canadian Pacific Railway infrastructure, the Big Bend Highway construction, and Indigenous or First Nations Peoples.
Negatives have been retired to cold storage and any future reproductions will be made using the copy negatives found in series V263 / V : Copy Negatives.
File consists of 23 b&w prints. File pertains to Harmon's 1924 Columbia Icefield Trip. Subjects include Crowfoot Glacier; a packtrain crossing Columbia Icefield; men on horses at terminus of the Athabasca Glacier; movie camera set up on the Columbia Icefield; Mount Columbia; Fortress Mountain; Peyt…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1 to 23
Date Range
[ca.1924]
Physical Description
Photographs: 23 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 23 b&w prints. File pertains to Harmon's 1924 Columbia Icefield Trip. Subjects include Crowfoot Glacier; a packtrain crossing Columbia Icefield; men on horses at terminus of the Athabasca Glacier; movie camera set up on the Columbia Icefield; Mount Columbia; Fortress Mountain; Peyto Glacier; Mount Chephren; Waterfowl Lake; Lewis Freeman at Bow Lake with tipi; Athabasca Glacier; Saskatchewan Glacier; interior views of Harmon's store showing photographs for sale; window display of the Harmony Drugstore; Packhorses on Poboktan Pass; packtrain in snow on return trip from the Columbia Icefield; packtrain on Athabasca Glacier; fording the North Saskatchewan River; Mount Quincy and Chaba River.
File consists of 18 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Bow Lake and Crowfoot Glacier; Lake O'Hara; Sinclair Canyon; Mount Columbia.
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1014 to 1031
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 18 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 18 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Bow Lake and Crowfoot Glacier; Lake O'Hara; Sinclair Canyon; Mount Columbia.
File consists of 31 b&w and hand-coloured prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Mount Lefroy, and Victoria Glacier; Bow Lake; Lake Louise in winter; Chateau Lake Louise pool; Vermillion Lakes and Mount Rundle; Peyto Lake; Mount Assiniboine; Mali…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1032 to 1062
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 31 prints, b&w, colour
Scope & Content
File consists of 31 b&w and hand-coloured prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Mount Lefroy, and Victoria Glacier; Bow Lake; Lake Louise in winter; Chateau Lake Louise pool; Vermillion Lakes and Mount Rundle; Peyto Lake; Mount Assiniboine; Maligne Lake; Three Sisters; Banff Springs Golf Course and Fairholme; Castle Mountain; Cathedral Peak; Angel Glacier.
File consists of 40 b&w and hand-coloured prints, some captioned. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Valley of the Ten Peaks and Moraine Lake; Bow River and Mount Rundle; Mount Lefroy; Maligne Lake; Cascade Gardens, Banff Avenue, and Cascade Mountain; Lake Louise…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1063 to 1103
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 40 prints, b&w, colour
Scope & Content
File consists of 40 b&w and hand-coloured prints, some captioned. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Valley of the Ten Peaks and Moraine Lake; Bow River and Mount Rundle; Mount Lefroy; Maligne Lake; Cascade Gardens, Banff Avenue, and Cascade Mountain; Lake Louise, Victoria Glacier, and Mount Lefroy; Bow Falls; Banff Springs Golf Course and Fariholme Range; Lake Louise and iceland poppies; Prince of Wales house at the E.P. Ranch; Tipi on Bow Lake; Banff Springs Hotel, Bow Valley, and Fairholme Range; Mount Assiniboine; Castle Mountain; Three Sisters; Cathedral Peak; Mount Burgess, Emerald Lake, and Emerald Lake Lodge.
File consists of 20 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include pack horses on pass; Lewis Freeman holding pigeon on Columbia Icefield trip; Lewis Freeman with radio on Columbia Icefields trip; packers stringing radio wire on tipi on Columbia Icefield trip; Co…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1104 to 1123
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 20 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 20 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include pack horses on pass; Lewis Freeman holding pigeon on Columbia Icefield trip; Lewis Freeman with radio on Columbia Icefields trip; packers stringing radio wire on tipi on Columbia Icefield trip; Columbia Icefield pack horses and trip members.
File consists of 23 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include various views from the Columbia Icefield Trip, Lewis Freeman, and other members of the trip; Climbing Mount McGill; Climbers on the Illecillewaet Glacier; Mount Sir Donald.
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1124 to 1146
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 23 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 23 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include various views from the Columbia Icefield Trip, Lewis Freeman, and other members of the trip; Climbing Mount McGill; Climbers on the Illecillewaet Glacier; Mount Sir Donald.
File consists of 18 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include various views of pack trains on the Columbia Icefield trip; Lake of the Hanging Glacier; a bear seated at a table; Conrad Kain and two climbers; Lewis Freeman with pigeon; various views from Colum…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1147 to 1164
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 18 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 18 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include various views of pack trains on the Columbia Icefield trip; Lake of the Hanging Glacier; a bear seated at a table; Conrad Kain and two climbers; Lewis Freeman with pigeon; various views from Columbia Icefield trip.
File consists of 37 b&w prints, some captioned. The photographs pertain to Harmons building after a fire; a bison carved in snow or ice; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; two moose on the bank of a river; Field, B.C. and Mount Stephen; camp tent and movie camera; car on road parke below the Three Sist…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 116 to 152
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1940, ca.1960]
Physical Description
Photographs: 37 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 37 b&w prints, some captioned. The photographs pertain to Harmons building after a fire; a bison carved in snow or ice; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; two moose on the bank of a river; Field, B.C. and Mount Stephen; camp tent and movie camera; car on road parke below the Three Sisters; skiers, covered sled, horse-drawn sleigh, and snow sculpture next to the Mont Royal Hotel; ice pinnacles and group of people on frozen bow river; Cascade Hotel; ski jumper on Norquay ski jump; deer; Peter Whyte and others skiers near Assiniboine; big horn sheep; Chateau Lake Louise; ptarmigan; Kicking Horse Canyon and Canadian Pacific Railway train; aftermath of avalanche on train tracks; Banff Post Office; Harmony Lane Building after Don Harmon's renovations; horse carriage on road below the Banff Springs Hotel.
File consists of 20 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Chateau Lake Louise pool and Lake Louise; Lake Louise in winter; Mount Lefroy, Victoria Glacier, and Lake Louise.
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1165 to 1184
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 20 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 20 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Chateau Lake Louise pool and Lake Louise; Lake Louise in winter; Mount Lefroy, Victoria Glacier, and Lake Louise.
File consists of 20 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Mount Lefroy, and Victoria Glacier.
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1185 to 1204
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 20 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 20 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Mount Lefroy, and Victoria Glacier.
File consists of 21 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Mount Lefroy, and Victoria Glacier.
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1205 to 1225
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 21 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 21 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Mount Lefroy, and Victoria Glacier.
File consists of 16 b&w and hand-coloured prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Mount Lefroy, and Victoria Glacier; Bow Lake; Lake Louise in Winter.
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1226 to 1241a
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 16 prints, b&w, colour
Scope & Content
File consists of 16 b&w and hand-coloured prints. The file pertains to various reprints and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Mount Lefroy, and Victoria Glacier; Bow Lake; Lake Louise in Winter.
File consists of 22 b&w and hand-coloured prints. The file pertains to various reprints, contact prints, and duplicates. Subjects include Vermillion Lakes and Mount Rundle; Lake Louise, Victoria Glacier, and Mount Lefroy; Lake Louise in winter; Johnston Canyon; Bow Glacier; Three Sisters; Ike Mills…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1241b to 1262
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 22 prints, b&w, colour
Scope & Content
File consists of 22 b&w and hand-coloured prints. The file pertains to various reprints, contact prints, and duplicates. Subjects include Vermillion Lakes and Mount Rundle; Lake Louise, Victoria Glacier, and Mount Lefroy; Lake Louise in winter; Johnston Canyon; Bow Glacier; Three Sisters; Ike Mills and sled dog; a skier.
File consists of 16 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints, contact prints, and duplicates. Subjects include skiers near Skoki and Mount Assiniboine; Aileen Harmon skiing near Mount Assiniboine; Mount Assiniboine in winter; Lake of the Hanging Glacier; Vermillion Lakes and Mount Rundle; …
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1263 to 1278
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 16 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 16 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints, contact prints, and duplicates. Subjects include skiers near Skoki and Mount Assiniboine; Aileen Harmon skiing near Mount Assiniboine; Mount Assiniboine in winter; Lake of the Hanging Glacier; Vermillion Lakes and Mount Rundle; Cascade Gardens, Banff Avenue, and Cascade Mountain.
File consists of 20 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints, contact prints, and duplicates. Subjects include Cascade Gardens, Banff Avenue, and Cascade Mountain; Cascade Gardens and Mount Rundle; Tipi at Bow Lake; Athabasca Falls; Castle Mountain; Banff Springs Hotel and Fairholme Range;…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1279 to 1298
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 20 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 20 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints, contact prints, and duplicates. Subjects include Cascade Gardens, Banff Avenue, and Cascade Mountain; Cascade Gardens and Mount Rundle; Tipi at Bow Lake; Athabasca Falls; Castle Mountain; Banff Springs Hotel and Fairholme Range; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Valley of the Ten Peaks and Moraine Lake.
File consists of 23 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints, contact prints, and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Victoria Glacier, and Mount Lefroy; Bow Glacier; Athabasca Glacier; Mount Robson; tipi on Maligne Lake; Lake Agnes; Canadian Pacific Railway train; Canadian Pacific R…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Accession Number
3070, 2895
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1299 to 1321
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 23 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 23 b&w prints. The file pertains to various reprints, contact prints, and duplicates. Subjects include Lake Louise, Victoria Glacier, and Mount Lefroy; Bow Glacier; Athabasca Glacier; Mount Robson; tipi on Maligne Lake; Lake Agnes; Canadian Pacific Railway train; Canadian Pacific Railway bridge; Banff Springs Hotel.
File consists of 5 b&w prints, mounted. The file pertains to mounted prints that correspond to composite negatives and positives. Subjects include the Banff Springs Hotel; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Three Sisters; Cascade Gardens, Banff Avenue, and Cascade Mountain; Bow Falls; Bow River and Mo…
V263 / II / A : Original Prints, Reprints, Enlargements, and Framed Prints
Reference Code
V263 / II / A / PA - 1322 to 1326
Date Range
[ca.1910 to ca.1970]
Physical Description
Photographs: 5 prints, b&w
Scope & Content
File consists of 5 b&w prints, mounted. The file pertains to mounted prints that correspond to composite negatives and positives. Subjects include the Banff Springs Hotel; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Three Sisters; Cascade Gardens, Banff Avenue, and Cascade Mountain; Bow Falls; Bow River and Mount Rundle; a boat on Lake Minnewanka; Cave and Basin swimming pool or government baths; Banff Springs Golf Course and the Fairholme Range; Great Divide Monument; Mount Stephen; Castle Mountain; Village of Banff and Goat Mountain; Albert Canyon; Chateau Lake Louise; Tipi on Bow Lake; Lake Louise in Winter; Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks; Lake Agnes and the Beehive; Mount Temple; Iceland poppies at Lake Louise; Mount Quadra; Hell's Gate; Mount Sir Donald; Canadian Pacific Railway and Stoney Creek Bridge; Spiral Tunnels; Kicking Horse Canyon; Crowfoot Glacier; Peyto Glacier; Athabasca Glacier; Bow Glacier and Bow Lake; Athabasca Falls; Peyto Lake; Mount Chephren.