File consists of building plans of the White Block renovations 1965, posters, original and reproductions of art, aluminium press plates from printing cards and letters, blank Banff School District Diploma's, preliminary plans for renovation of Peter and Catharine Whyte's home March 3, 1969.
File consists of building plans of the White Block renovations 1965, posters, original and reproductions of art, aluminium press plates from printing cards and letters, blank Banff School District Diploma's, preliminary plans for renovation of Peter and Catharine Whyte's home March 3, 1969.
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.
Fonds consists of administrative and operational records of the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation and the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. Textual records: 1. Board of Trustees; 2. Administration; 3. Archives; 4. Gallery; 5. Heritage collections; 6. Photography. Photographs: A. Foundation b…
ca.6.0 m textual records. -- ca.12,500 photographs: prints, transparencies, negatives. -- 13 sound recordings: 6 audio cassettes, 7 audio compact disc (copy of 2 audio cassettes). -- 7 video tape recording: 1 VHS, 6 DVD. -- 1 cartographic record: survey site plan: 1:250
History / Biographical
The Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation is a charitable, non-profit organization that operates the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The Wa-Che-Yo-Cha-Pa Foundation, as the foundation was initially named, was founded and endowed by artists Peter and Catharine Whyte in 1958. It supported broad causes as well as acting as an agency for collecting and preserving cultural materials of the Canadian Rockies.
In 1968, a building designed by Philippe Delesalle and known as the Archives of the Canadian Rockies opened at 111 Bear Street in Banff, providing accommodation for a regional archives, gallery and the Banff Library. After a major renovation and addition in 1993, the foundation now supports three collection and exhibition departments under the name of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies: Archives and Library, Art Gallery and Heritage Collection.
Geographic collecting limits of the museum are the mountainous areas of Canada bounded by the 49th Parallel on the south, the Peace River on the north, the Front Ranges of the Rocky Mountains on the east and the Columbia Mountains on the west.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of administrative and operational records of the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation and the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies.
Photographs: A. Foundation buildings; B. Gallery exhibition installation shots (negatives only); C. Events and guests (including Banff Day, gallery openings, special events and guests); D. Displays (inside and outside of the museum); E. Publicity and publication (includes views produced for this purpose); F. General (mainly people, places and events in Banff and area; includes photographs produced by Museum staff not included in other series). Photographs were made by staff of the Whyte Foundation, private photographers, and others.
Three sound recordings were made for research purposes during the course of Gallery operations; pertain to Ann Wheeler, David Settles and Peter Whyte art and exhibit. Other sound recording is of Grant MacEwan talk at the Whyte Museum, December 1993; recorded by Woody MacPhail. Video recording is of Banff Day 1997 by Eddie Hunter. 2 audio cassettes are a recording of the Clifford Jackson White memorial service held September 13, 2003 hosted by the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies.
Six sound and video recordings were made as part of the Fireside Chats at the Whyte program. These oral histories were conducted before a live audience at the historic Crosby home, Abegweit during the years 2012-2014. Interviews with Rob Crosby, Dorothy Carleton, Ralphine Locke, Don Mickle, Bridget Jones, Fran Drummond.
Cartographic materials include a site plan of lots 7-12, Block A, Plan 6719 B.C., November, 2000.
Finding aids and reference tools: basic description
Related Material
A CD-R copy of the Clifford Jackson memorial service with program notes and a transcript of a speech by Bill Holmes is located in the Clifford Jackson White fonds.
Note: March 16, 2023: Foundation Records were processed up to 2008 by Ted Hart in 2010-2011. The unprocessed records are stored off-site and there is no inventory. Some Art Department exhibition records prior to 2008 were inadvertently missed and remain in unprocessed. The file level descriptions prepared by Ted Hart are not in the database, however the inventory is located in the ArchivalMaster file for textual and sound, and ArchivalMaster2 for visual. Some records, including oversize have been added to the database, but it isn't consistent. O:\m_textual\m124_foundation_records_archivalmaster ; R:\v_visual\v692_foundation_records_archivalmaster. Access is restricted unless authorized by Head of Archives and Special Collections, CEO or CFO, or Head of applicable department.
Fonds consists mainly of papers, photographs and sound recording of Sam Ward; also of Sam and Cis Ward. Personal papers of Sam and Cis Ward include correspondence and cards, 1950s-1970s; and note and guest books, 1902-ca.1960s. Professional records are plans for proposed residences for Sam Ward a…
5 cm of textual records. -- 303 photographs (167 prints, 135 negatives, 1 transparency). -- 2 photograph albums (45 prints). -- 1 sound recording : audio tape reel
History / Biographical
Sam Ward, 1884-1973, was a builder and finishing carpenter at Banff, Alberta, Canada. Ward and Louisa Maud "Cis" Ward, 1884-1970, came to Banff in 1912. Sam Ward was also known for music hall recitations. He later lived at Victoria, British Columbia
Scope & Content
Fonds consists mainly of papers, photographs and sound recording of Sam Ward; also of Sam and Cis Ward. Personal papers of Sam and Cis Ward include correspondence and cards, 1950s-1970s; and note and guest books, 1902-ca.1960s. Professional records are plans for proposed residences for Sam Ward and Sydney R. Vallance and an addition to the Homestead Hotel. Photographs, ca.1912-ca.1970, pertain to Sam Ward, Cis Ward, friends, activities, hikes and mountain trips, world travels, homes; Sam Ward building projects; Banff town scenes, buildings and people. Sound recording, 1973, by Norman Tabuteau includes recitations by Sam Ward, followed by reminiscences
Fonds consist of personal and professional papers of Walter S. Painter, 1902-1956, and Painter family photographs, ca.1905-ca.1955. Professional papers, include notebooks; cost books; reports on Painter system of prefabrication housing, 1939; plans and renderings of CPR buildings, Painter Home and …
30 cm of textual records. -- 23 cartographic records : 80 x 135 cm or smaller. -- 589 photographs (287 prints, 302 negatives). -- 1 photograph album (301 prints)
History / Biographical
Walter S. Painter, 1877-1957, was an architect in Canada and the United States. Painter rose to prominence early in life as a theatre architect and joined the Canadian Pacific Railway as chief architect while still in his twenties. Projects in the Banff, Alberta area included design of the tower and wings of the Banff Springs Hotel, the first concrete addition to the Lake Louise Chalet (Chateau Lake Louise), and the Cave and Basin. other Canadian projects were major CPR stations and hotels from Montreal to the west coast. For a period, Painter was in partnership with Frank Swales. In later years, Painter was involved in American projects, standardization of school buildings in Chile, and the Painter system of pre-fabrication, with particular interests in housing and concrete construction designs. Walter Painter built his home in Banff in 1912 and retired there in 1947. He was married to Estelle (Stella) Painter, 1880-1975. They had two children, Betty Painter (Walker) and Brook Painter.
Scope & Content
Fonds consist of personal and professional papers of Walter S. Painter, 1902-1956, and Painter family photographs, ca.1905-ca.1955.
Professional papers, include notebooks; cost books; reports on Painter system of prefabrication housing, 1939; plans and renderings of CPR buildings, Painter Home and other buildings, n.d., 1906-1929; articles about Painter and his projects, n.d., 1902-1934. The papers primarily concern Painter's architectural career, theatres, CPR projects including stations and hotels from Montreal to Victoria, Banff Springs Hotel, Cave and Basin, Glacier, British Columbia projects and the Lake Louise Chalet. Personal papers, ca.1930-1956, record Painter's views on economics, philosophy, religion, housing, etc.
Family photographs, pertaining to Walter Painter, Stella Painter, Betty Painter and Brook Painter. Includes Painter home, activities, friends, trips. Also, photographs of Walter Painter projects, including construction of the Banff Springs Hotel, Lake Louise Chalet and Cave and Basin.