Image a group of people standing on the front porch of "R.M.P. No. 20 Gateway Lodge" - woman second from left identified as Mrs. Annie Staple, the gatekeeper.
Image a group of people standing on the front porch of "R.M.P. No. 20 Gateway Lodge" - woman second from left identified as Mrs. Annie Staple, the gatekeeper.
Fonds consists of personal and business papers regarding automobile traffic, visitation and tourism in Banff National Park, east gate; clippings and ephemera regarding history and personalities of the Bow Valley; prints and copy negatives pertaining mainly to Exshaw, Rocky Mountains Park entrance, …
4 cm textual records: originals and photocopies. -- ca.45 photographs: prints, postcards, copy negatives
History / Biographical
Annie Staple, 1883-1973, was born in Shrawley, Worcestershire, England. While working as a caregiver in a hospital in Derbyshire, she met Tom Staple. Annie and Tom were married in 1907 and immigrated to Canada. Tom became a warden for Rocky Mountains Park in 1913. Tom's assigned area was Kananaskis and a house (Gateway Lodge) was built for Tom and Annie between Kananaskis and Exshaw in 1916. In addition to area patrols, Tom's warden duties included issuing permits to visitors entering the park by automobile. The permit process included sealing guns, collecting park fees and distributing metal plates (the precursor to the park pass system). During Tom's absences, Annie issued the permits to automobile visitors. In 1916 Annie became the gatekeeper of the east-gate, which at that time was a table set up at the side of the road. Tom Staple died in 1919 while Annie was pregnant with their fourth child. Annie continued to work as the keeper of the east gate until 1948, when she retired.
In 1930 the park boundary was moved west of Canmore and while the entrance was under construction, Parks authorities relocated Annie to the west entrance of Yoho Park. Annie worked the winter of 1930-1931 at the Upper Hot Springs in Banff and returned to her position as keeper of the east gate in the spring of 1931. Construction of the new gate and a residence for Annie and her family lasted six years and during this period, the park boundary was moved again.
Following her retirement in 1948, Annie Staple moved to Seebe to live with her daughter's family and in 1953, she moved to Calgary to live with her sister, Nellie Whitburn. Following Nellie's death, Annie returned to live with her daughter's family in Canmore.
Annie and Tom Staple had four children, Joyce (1909-2001), Tom (1912-1941), Geoffrey (1913-1973), and Albert b.1920.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of personal and business papers regarding automobile traffic, visitation and tourism in Banff National Park, east gate; clippings and ephemera regarding history and personalities of the Bow Valley; prints and copy negatives pertaining mainly to Exshaw, Rocky Mountains Park entrance, Spray River warden cabin, Lake Minnewanka and Banff; postcards views of Banff and Rocky Mountains by Byron Harmon and Wm. J. Gibbons.
Stoney Nakoda Elders provided naming and other culturally relevant information during interviews held for Recognizing Relations, an archives initiative active from 2014-2023. . No identification was possible.
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.
Image of a log building with front porch - identified as the Warden House at the East Park Gate, built by Bill Harrison - two children playing in foreground
Image of a log building with front porch - identified as the Warden House at the East Park Gate, built by Bill Harrison - two children playing in foreground
Image of the Canmore Valley along the Bow River - two bridges, railway lines, and structure identified as the mine manager's house - caption reads "No. 14. Canmore Valley Looking East"
Image of the Canmore Valley along the Bow River - two bridges, railway lines, and structure identified as the mine manager's house - caption reads "No. 14. Canmore Valley Looking East"