Fonds consists of two sous-fonds: M521 and V75.
M521 consists of four series, 154 cm, ca.1870-2002. Series I: Dorothy Wardle Personal Papers, 69.5 cm, ca.1870-2002 (includes Dorothy's written work and research and notes related to Banff). Series II: Wardle Family, 32.5 cm, 1872-1998 (including cor…
154 cm of textual records. -- 1304 photographs (1190 prints, 95 negatives, 19 transparencies). -- 6 photograph albums.
History / Biographical
The Wardle family was comprised of husband and wife, James Morey Wardle (June 26,1888 - May 18,1971) and Maud Leette (Roney) Wardle (May 24,1889 - December 1,1969), and their one child, Dorothy Hope Wardle (May 23,1919 - July 20,2003).
James Wardle, born in Chiliwack, British Columbia, was a civil engineer and public servant. He 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. He is primarily known as a highway design engineer, particularly for building the Banff-Windermere, Banff-Lake Louise, and Banff-Jasper highways. He was a councillor for the Municipality of Rockcliffe Park in Ontario and he was the President of the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies in Banff from 1925-1929. Mount Wardle in Vermillion was named after him in 1921. James married Leette on November 4, 1913, with whom he had one child, Dorothy.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Dorothy (also known as Dot and Dorie) grew up in Banff, Alberta and Ottawa, Ontario, due to her father's position with the federal government. She was educated at the Mountain School in Banff and at the Elmwood School in Ottawa. All three family members were graduates of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. James graduated in 1912 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Leette graduated with a Bachelor's degree, and in 1942, Dorothy also earned a Bachelor's degree. Dorothy was prominent in student life and active in athletics. In 1941, Dorothy became the first woman elected as President of the Alma Mater Society and during her academic career, Dorothy was a member of the Levana Intercollegiate Debative, University Centenary Committee, and Queen’s War Aid Commission.
Dorothy spent her career as a freelance writer however, upon graduation she served as the first Secretary-In-Charge of Records at Carleton College (now Carleton University) from 1942-1944 in Ottawa and in the mid-1950s worked as a secretary for the Glenbow Foundation in Calgary. Dorothy pursued a lifelong interest in traveling, art, and antiques. Although she was fiercely proud and protective of Banff and the Park, and remained a volunteer and patron of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Dorothy eventually settled in Sidney, British Columbia and shared an apartment with Sheila Iris Ritchie, with whom Dorothy travelled extensively. After her death in 2003, Dorothy, "Dorie," was laid to rest alongside her parents in the Old Banff Cemetery.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of two sous-fonds: M521 and V75.
M521 consists of four series, 154 cm, ca.1870-2002. Series I: Dorothy Wardle Personal Papers, 69.5 cm, ca.1870-2002 (includes Dorothy's written work and research and notes related to Banff). Series II: Wardle Family, 32.5 cm, 1872-1998 (including correspondence with Carl Rungius and Mrs. Helen Brett, and Christmas and other greeting cards from Peter and Catharine Whyte). Series III: Queen's University, 7.5 cm, 1911-1980 (including graduation certificates for each family member and records pertaining to Dorothy's participation on the Alma Mater Society). Series IV: Travel, 44.5 cm, ca.1950-1988 (includes hand-written notebooks meticulously detailing their travels).
V75 consists of two series, 79.5 cm, ca. 1912-2001. Series I: Wardle Family, ca. 1912-1971, 6 albums, 31 cm of photograph prints and negatives (including family trips, trail rides in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and family gatherings). Series II: Dorothy Wardle, 1972-2001, 34 cm of photograph prints, negatives, and transparencies (including Dorothy's travels in Alberta and British Columbia, overseas, and various outings with friends).
Image of a group of people and Ike Mills' dog sled team outside Skoki Lodge in the winter - Peter Whyte at far right, Ike Mills beside him, Catharine Whyte at far left petting a dog
Image of a group of people and Ike Mills' dog sled team outside Skoki Lodge in the winter - Peter Whyte at far right, Ike Mills beside him, Catharine Whyte at far left petting a dog
Image of Ike Mills wearing a fringed leather jacket and snow shoes holding the paw of one of his sled dogs in a snowy area - "Ike Mills & Flash" written on the back in pencil by Catharine Whyte
Image of Ike Mills wearing a fringed leather jacket and snow shoes holding the paw of one of his sled dogs in a snowy area - "Ike Mills & Flash" written on the back in pencil by Catharine Whyte
Fonds includes: I. Ike Mills Livery Stable records, 1942-1951, 19.5 cm, consisting of time/cash journals and income tax files. II. Personal records, 1936-1952, 10 cm, consisting of financial records, 1937-1952; cougar hunting trip diaries, 1936, 1938 and 1 photograph.
Isaac (Ike) Mills, 1891-1964, was a guide, dog musher, hunter, horseman and businessman at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Born in Yorkshire, Mills came to Banff in 1910 where he guided during the summers and pioneered the use of sled dogs for winter transportation. Following service in the First World War, he transported mail by dogsled and in the 1920s, worked in the motion picture industry on dog films. His sled Huskies raced in the late 1920s and were used in the Skoki area in the 1930s. Mills hunted cougars for bounty outside Banff National Park with trained dogs during the 1930s. In 1939 Mills was ordered to remove his hunting and sled dogs from the national park. Mills also operated a livery stable and riding school on Bear Street in Banff from 1930 until his death.
Scope & Content
Fonds includes: I. Ike Mills Livery Stable records, 1942-1951, 19.5 cm, consisting of time/cash journals and income tax files. II. Personal records, 1936-1952, 10 cm, consisting of financial records, 1937-1952; cougar hunting trip diaries, 1936, 1938 and 1 photograph.
Image of a man [possibly Ike Mills] in a checkered shirt leaning over outside a building with icicles hanging off the roof surrounded by dogs, chopped wood, and sleds - possibly at Skoki Lodge
Image of a man [possibly Ike Mills] in a checkered shirt leaning over outside a building with icicles hanging off the roof surrounded by dogs, chopped wood, and sleds - possibly at Skoki Lodge