File consists of an original travel journal/diary annotated by Aileen Harmon pertaining to a 1933 ski trip to Skoki Lodge. File also includes two complete, typed copies of text from original 1933 account [one accompanied by typed letter to "Kathryn", likely Catharine Robb Whyte], and one incomplete…
File consists of an original travel journal/diary annotated by Aileen Harmon pertaining to a 1933 ski trip to Skoki Lodge. File also includes two complete, typed copies of text from original 1933 account [one accompanied by typed letter to "Kathryn", likely Catharine Robb Whyte], and one incomplete typed copy.
Fonds consists of textual records and photographs by and about Aileen Harmon, as well as collected items. Textual records include: letter from Harmon to the Director of Alberta's provincial parks re addition of Yamnuska area to Bow Valley Provincial Park, 1973; brief, from Harvie Heights and Bow Va…
26.5 cm of textual records. -- 33 photographs (26 prints : b&w and col. ; 20.5 x 30 cm or smaller -- 6 negatives : b&w nitrate negatives ; 12.5 x 10 cm -- 1 transparency : col. slide ; 35 mm)
History / Biographical
Aileen Harmon (1912 - 2015), daughter of Byron Harmon, worked as a government naturalist at Banff, Alberta, Canada and was involved in local natural history groups and activities. Aileen was a founding member, alongside Bruce Gordon, of the Bow Valley Naturalists, and was also on the Board of The Canadian Wildlife Federation and The Society of Alberta Naturalists. Aileen moved to Mill Bay on Vancouver Island, B.C. in 1981 following the end of a lengthy career with Parks Canada. During her retirement years, Aileen travelled extensively, reaching all seven continents. She also authored an autobiographical book, titled "Tales of My Mountain Life", in 2004. Aileen passed away on January 9, 2015 at the age of 102.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of textual records and photographs by and about Aileen Harmon, as well as collected items. Textual records include: letter from Harmon to the Director of Alberta's provincial parks re addition of Yamnuska area to Bow Valley Provincial Park, 1973; brief, from Harvie Heights and Bow Valley subdivision residents to public hearings on land use and resource development in the eastern slopes, 1973; letter re James Hector, 1979; notes on career, 2003; notes on Catharine Whyte for CBC recording, 2004; Christmas cards and collected articles, ca.1960. Photographs, made by and collected by Aileen Harmon, pertain to Aileen Harmon and friends, skiing, Skoki area, Mount Yamnuska, Banff Indian Days. Includes photographs by Byron Harmon.
Added content from accession 2016.8596 : ca. 25 cm of textual records including personal correspondence, guest book, original writing and notes by Aileen Harmon, personal travel journals from a 1931 packing trip and 1933 ski trip to Skoki, drafts of autobiographical book "Tales of My Mountain Life", articles pertaining to or written by Aileen Harmon, Christmas cards, and letters of condolence to Carole Harmon following Aileen's passing. Also 26 print photographs, 6 negative photographs from a 1937 hiking trip, and one transparency.
Fonds consists of one series :
Series I - Personal records
Fonds consists of seven series: I. Personal and professional series, 1937-1993 (diaries, correspondence, filing systems and papers pertaining to awards, memberships, biography and other); II. Business series, 1948-1982 (pertaining to guiding, outfitting, trail riding, ranching, Andy Russell and S…
6 m of textual records and printed material. -- ca.6100 photographs : prints, negatives, transparencies. -- 1 photograph album (49 prints). -- 29 motion pictures. -- 5 sound recordings
History / Biographical
Andy Russell, 1915-2005, was a trapper, guide and outfitter, writer, photographer, cinematographer, lecturer and environmental advocate in the Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada.
Russell was born in Lethbridge, Alberta and spent his childhood on a ranch in the foothills near Pincher Creek. He became a skilled horseman, hunter, fisherman and trapper, and, in 1936, was employed by Bert Riggall, a pioneer guide and outfitter of wilderness pack trips in the southern Rockies since 1907. He became Riggall's partner in 1939 and took over the business when Riggall retired in 1946. Andy Russell and Kathleen (Kay) Riggall married in 1938 and raised five children at their ranch bordering Waterton Lakes National Park, where family businesses included guiding, saddlehorses and ranching. Children are: Richard "Dick" H. (b.1938); Andrew Charles "Charlie" (b.1941); Harold John "John" (b.1944); Hugh Gordon Riggall "Gordon" (b.1947); Lorenda Anne "Anne" (b.1952).
Russell continued as a renowned guide and outfitter with a wealthy repeat clientele until he was forced out of guiding by 1960 with the advance of the oil industry concerns upon wilderness areas in southern Alberta and British Columbia. Russell began to write nature articles in 1945 and after 1960 concentrated upon writing, photography, film making, lecturing and ranching. He wrote for numerous magazines and newspapers, produced radio broadcasts, and, using colour motion picture photography, developed programs on wildlife and wilderness habitat research for live public performances. Russell's films launched his career as an author of popular wildlife and mountain culture books, which included Grizzly Country. In later years, he was an active writer, consultant and advocate of wilderness and environmental management and received numerous awards and honours, including Member of the Order of Canada.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of seven series: I. Personal and professional series, 1937-1993 (diaries, correspondence, filing systems and papers pertaining to awards, memberships, biography and other); II. Business series, 1948-1982 (pertaining to guiding, outfitting, trail riding, ranching, Andy Russell and Sons, royalties and lecturing); III. Writing, broadcasting and public appearances series, 1908-1990 (papers and photographs pertaining to writing, book projects, columns, broadcasts, reviews, advertising, promotion and other); IV. Photography and cinematography series, 1909-1990 (details below); V. Wildlife study and conservation activities series, 1945-[198-]; VI. Other activities series, 1931-[199-] (politics, interviews, information files); VII. Russell family series, [1867]-1983.
Photography and cinematography series consists of: Riggall/Russell guiding activity photographs, 1909-1962, ca.280 items; Andy Russell and Sons Production Ltd / Andy Russell professional photographs and films, ca.1940- ca.1990, ca.4200 photographs (mainly transparencies), 28 motion pictures, accompanied by some textual and printed items; personal and family photographs, 1916-1989, ca.1550 items; collected photographs, ca.1940-197-, ca.75 items. Professional photography and cinematography primarily arose from field work by Andy, Dick and Charlie Russell and pertains mainly to flora, fauna and landscape of the Canadian Rockies in continental divide region, British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska.
Motion pictures, ca.1950-1974, include original film "Grizzly Country" by Dick, Charlie and Andy Russell, produced by Evan J. Anton, ca.1969, copy print of same; also unedited wildlife and landscape footage of Waterton area, Yukon and British Columbia.
Sound recordings are interviews with Andy Russell, [ca.1970]-1988.
File consists of personal correspondence between Aileen Harmon and numerous friends and family members. Includes a letter from John Macdonald pertaining to Aileen Harmon's Canadian Geographic article, a wedding programme for the marriage of Carole Harmon and Gary Sill, numerous Christmas letters, a…
File consists of personal correspondence between Aileen Harmon and numerous friends and family members. Includes a letter from John Macdonald pertaining to Aileen Harmon's Canadian Geographic article, a wedding programme for the marriage of Carole Harmon and Gary Sill, numerous Christmas letters, an envelope labelled "For the travellin' man Happy New Year" containing three Ethiopian dollar bills and one 10-shilling South African bank note, and a card celebrating Aileen Harmon's 100th birthday.
Currency has been stored in mylar inside folder with original envelope. Consider separate storage (i.e. individual folder) if off-gassing becomes an issue
File consists of 5 magazines dated between 2002 - 2015, some scanned pages from a 1978 newspaper, and an article with attached correspondence, each with content pertaining to Aileen Harmon. Includes 2 [duplicate] Canadian Wilderness magazines and an Alpine Club of Canada magazine with posthumous ar…
Items produced by Canadian Wilderness, Alpine Club of Canada, Univrsity of Alberta, Parks and Wilderness Quarterly, The Spectator and Fred Roots
Date Range
1978
2002
2011 - 2015
Physical Description
1.5 cm of textual records
Scope & Content
File consists of 5 magazines dated between 2002 - 2015, some scanned pages from a 1978 newspaper, and an article with attached correspondence, each with content pertaining to Aileen Harmon. Includes 2 [duplicate] Canadian Wilderness magazines and an Alpine Club of Canada magazine with posthumous articles on Aileen Harmon, a University of Alberta alumni magazine, a Parks and Wilderness Quarterly magazine with an article written by Aileen, scanned pages from The Spectator of an article quoting Aileen with a photograph of her included, and an article by Fred Roots published in Island Bushwacker magazine about Aileen, accompanied by a letter to Aileen from Fred Roots.
Notes
Contains two copies of the same magazine [Canadian Wilderness Spring/Summer 2015 issue].
File consists of assorted textual documents either written, copied or scanned by Aileen Harmon. Documents include correspondence, written accounts of life events by Aileen Harmon, scanned and written notes, poem "Awakening" by Theodore Stephanides, list of Aileen's life travels including dates, lis…
File consists of assorted textual documents either written, copied or scanned by Aileen Harmon. Documents include correspondence, written accounts of life events by Aileen Harmon, scanned and written notes, poem "Awakening" by Theodore Stephanides, list of Aileen's life travels including dates, lists of Latin plant names, a 1926 Toronto Star article, notes on Cree word translations, Harmon family genealogy notes, and text documents for a Canadian Geographic article titled "Hiking in the Canadian Rockies".
Notes
File originally contained 6 b&w negative photographs dated 1937 which have since been removed. Negatives are now processed under reference codes V262 / I / NA - 1 to 6 and stored accordingly
File consists of 3 postcards, two of which are addressed to Aileen Harmon. M287/1 pertains to an account of a 1916 trip to Mexico, addressed to Mrs. J.G.[?] Jones; the name of the sender could not be accurately deciphered but may read "Macpearson"[?].
M287/I/2 is a postcard-style invitation to an o…
3 postcards : b&w and col. ; 17 x 12.5 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of 3 postcards, two of which are addressed to Aileen Harmon. M287/1 pertains to an account of a 1916 trip to Mexico, addressed to Mrs. J.G.[?] Jones; the name of the sender could not be accurately deciphered but may read "Macpearson"[?].
M287/I/2 is a postcard-style invitation to an opening event for the exhibit "In Mountain Light" in honour of Byron Harmon's photography at the Whyte Museum in 1978, addressed to Aileen Harmon.
M287/I/3 is a postcard from Firenze, Italy sent by members of the Moody family, Tom, Stephanie, Charlie and Gwen, to Aileen Harmon on June 17, 2003 which recounts their European vacation.