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Jasper-Yellowhead Historical Society The Jasper Signal WINTER 2006

Inside this issue:

Manager’s Report…..…………………….…..2 Slow Down and Smell the Coffee..2 This year’s theme New Books in the Gift Shop…..…....3 Archive T-shirts………………………………..3 Gallery Schedule……………………………...3 Hours and Fees………………………………...3 2006 Historical Society Patrons...... 4 It’s a Mystery…………….……………………….4 Lending Library………………….……………..4 Fitz History…………………………..…………...4 Historical Trade Beads…………..………5 Curly Phillips Canoe…………….………....6 JYMA Website……….………………………6 Meeting RoomRentals..…………………..7 A fundraiser for the Jasper Yellowhead Museum & Archives Family Histories Brought to Life.…7 At the Jasper Activity Centre Henry House.………...………….…………….8 January 25, 2007 from 4-9 pm The Festival of Trees Family Hour 4-6 pm For the past three years the museum Admission: has created a Christmas display in our $ 4 per person or $10 Family ShowcaseGallery and wehaveasked Food & Wine Tickets are $1each businesses and community groups and BeerTickets are $3 each individuals to decorate a tree or wreath to auction off. The Festival of Trees JYHS members get infree by showing their membership cards is a fundraiser for the museum with 10% so renew your annual membership now! of the proceeds donated to the Jasper Community Dinner Program, We also th Wearealready working on planning the14 annual Tasteofthe Town which acceptdonationsfor the Food Bank . th will takeplace on January 25 from4-9 pmat the Jasper Activity Centre. This This year the event will run from year we are encouraging participants to decorate their booths in the spirit of December 7-17th and the museumis ’s Centennial 1907-2007. Some of the pioneers of the offering free admission for the Festival early years of the park were people like Curly Phillips, Colonel Rodgers, Mona & of Trees Thursday-Sunday from10- Agnes Harragin, Fred Brewster and Suzette and Lewis Swift. We hope to use 5 pm. Please join usforhotchocolate materialsfrom“TheJasper Story” aspartof the theme.Wealwaysneed lotsof and cookies on volunteers for this event for set up, security, selling tickets, etc. If you would like to Sunday, December 17, volunteer please contact Karen (852-3013) or Meghan (852-3240). we will also feature the Once again we will encourage JYHS members to renew their memberships JES Choir. by offering FREE ADMISSION to the Taste of the Town. The bidsclose at4pm. Page 2 The Jasper Signal

And now a word fromour Manager ... The Jasper Signal . is a publication of the Jasper- It has been a busy six months for the museum. Our in house exhibit, Yellowhead Historical Society that Outfitters and Guides in the Glittering Mountains of Jasper, was a terrific tells the story of Jasper’s regional success. We gotgreat feedback fromvisitorsand localsalike. Now weknow we heritage both natural and cultural while haveto do more exhibitsfeaturing our collection. Wearehard atwork planning presenting the activities and priorities one for the 2007 Parks Centennial. of the Society. TheJasper Signal is Wewerelucky to onceagain havetheteamofKaren and Evan Reed named after Signal Mountain. working their magic during the summer months. Karen worked many hours in the Submissions may be sent to: gallery while Keith put together a new telegraph display and Evan took on Jasper-Yellowhead several projects including working on Val’s Reflections digitization project. In Museum& Archives addition to donating their time they also left the museuma scanner and laptop PO Box 42, Jasper, AB T0E 1E0 computer. We hope to see them back at the museum in two years time. Phone (780) 852-3013 There have been a few staff changes this fall. After three years, Keith & Liz Haevens are leaving usto make their homein Chilliwack.Fromkeeping us Email [email protected] wired together, to creating new displays Keith has been an amazing resource for the museum. We aregoing to miss themboth. Mission Statement LucieDoucetstarted in October and sheisalready finding her nichein our “The Jasper-Yellowhead museum family. Just ask her about projectile points! Historical Society will Dee Deeand Val have been hard atwork organizing our collectionusing promote awareness, funding obtained through the Museums Assistance Program. Meghan has been understanding and appreciation tackling BACKLOG with the help of Pat Bell. They have made amazing of our regional heritage, both progress in the dungeon of the museum. natural and cultural, to the Thanksto hoursofhard work by theJYHS Presentation Committee, we residents and visitors were able to make a presentation before the Jasper Municipal Council on th of our community.” November 7 . Wedid a powerpointpresentation ofthe JYHSand JYMA accomplishments over the past few years and thanked the Municipality for their continued support. Their yearly grant is the largest and most stable funding we JYHS Directors 2006 receive. We also asked for help with museum maintenance. Within a week Neil President Wilson, Ken Quackenbush and Don Pickle were over at the museum to do a Mike Cameron walkabout. John Ogilvy had done an excellent museum maintenance report this springand weused asa startingpoint. Thelongand the shortof itisthatwecan Board Members count on the municipality for help with museum maintenance and we really Cynthia Ball appreciate the support. Karen Byers Mike Day Fred Kofin Slow down and Smell the Coffee! Dick Ireland Ifyou areinterested in history and havean hourto Shelley MacQueen spare, join the museum staff for coffee and Herb Robinson conversation on Tuesday morning at 11 am. We Ken Walker look at old pictures and artefacts and usually learn Mike Wasuita something new about Jasper’s history fromone of Warren Waxer our guests. So, please join us at the museum. Page 3 The Jasper Signal

New Books in the Gift Shop Gallery Schedule If you are looking for Christmas gift, look no further than our museumgift The Alcove Gallery shop where members get 10% off the regular price and no one pays GST. Two new books that we recently received both have Jasper connection. This September-December Wild Spirit by Colleen Skidmore is a collection of writing by women in the Outfitters and Guides in the Glittering Rockies. Included in the collection are stories about Suzette Chalifoux Swift Mountains of Jasper and Elsie Park Gowan, who wrote the Jasper Story. Both stories feature our January-June archive pictures. Communications: How far we’ve come! Also new to our shelves is Thompson’s Highway by Alan Twigg. This A hands on exhibit of communications book isaboutthefur tradein B.C.and includeswriting aboutDavid equipment pre-internet days. Thompson, Paul Kane and George Simpson. Our collection of David Thompson books is growing steadily as the David Showcase Gallery Thompson Bicentennial 2007 nears. Some of the titles we carry are: Epic December 7-17 viewing thru Christmas Wanderer, Mapmakers Eye, Columbia Journals and The Canadians-David Festival of the Trees Thompson.

In addition to our books,wehave a wonderful selection of historical bead JAG Series jewellery, t-shirts, hats and January 5-21 rustic metal sculpture animals. Maria Pollock and Melissa Woodcock January 26– February 11 Dennis Darragh February 16—March 4 Erik Visser March 9-25 Gerry Ralph March 30– April 15 Monika Dery April 20—29 (two weekends only) Denise Parent

Jasper Yellowhead Museum and Archives Winter Hours Admission & Membership

Museum Admission Thursday to Sunday Adults $4 Students & Seniors $3 10am to 5 pm Members & Children 5 and under Free Yearly Membership Fees Archives Individual$15 Monday-Wednesday Family $25 9 am - noon & 1-4 pm Patron $100 Page 4 The Jasper Signal

2006 Patrons of It’s aMystery The Historical Society Doyouknow what this tool is?

Astoria Hotel This item inour collectionwe Bear Hill Lodge suspect is a railway tool, but so far Pat Bell no one has been able to confirm Ian Coates Family this. Please let us know what you Couture Family Gwen Craig think it is! Laureen Distefano [email protected] Bob & Olga Dowling Mildred Flanagan Edith Gourley J. Hampton Family Houston Insurance Brokers Bungalows Journault Family Kofin Financial Group Fitz History!

Gwen & Frank McComas The Fitzhugh has taken an interest John McLay Family in local history and features two James Pasko monthly columns devoted to history: Fonds Memories Column features Peak Automotive Museum Library unique and interesting archival Pine Bungalows Interested in borrowing a book? documents, photographs, and personal Herb Robinson Family stories that have been donated by local Bill Ruddy Family We have an ever residences over the years. The other expanding selection of column, yet to be named is written by Adrian Smith Family books for loan. Meghan Power and focuses on areas Resort of historic interest. Currently the Don & Edna Weekes This is a free service to column is featuring stories that are our members geared towards next year’s Parks Thank You centennial and touches on the Call Karen at 852-3013 establishment of Jasper National Park, for your for more details the evolution of the Park Warden, or drop by Jasper National Parks’ first and pick up a list. Generous Support Superintendent (Col Rogers), just to Page 5 The Jasper Signal

Historical Trade Beads

Written by Lucie Doucet so did productivity. China also trade industry were the Padre beads, becamea major producer oftheir own mostly blue and white ones. Certain Trade Beads made from bone, stone, special variety of beads. Bohemia, Indian tribes only traded in this variety shell and later glass have been found at Czechoslovakia, played a ofbeads, making ita bitofa challenge various historical locations all over the distinguished part in the production for traders traveling a wide territory to world. They show up in burial tombs, of glass beads, as the Venetians alwayshavesomeof these on hand. adorn ceremonial clothing and litter needed skilled labor to keep up with During theFur TradeEra,the abandoned forts and villages fromthe the demand. most widely used bead is theHudson’s Arctic regions of to isolated The word bead originates from Bay bead. Produced during the mid mountain tops in Chile in South theold English word “bedu” meaning 1800’s this popular bead consists America. Centuries later these prayer. The variety of Trade Beads mainly of two distinct overlapping layers discarded and forgotten pieces of is quite impressive. Some of the ofcolor. Theouterlayer isred and the history would be recycled, reused and inner layer is a translucent green, the remade into unique and truly amazing most recent version being a wearable works of art. The yellow-whitecenter and a translucent or craftsmanship and painstaking effort opaque red on the outside. The that went into creating these “gems” is Hudson’s Bay Company used a once again appreciated for their standard value based on a made beaver historic and ornamental value. pelt, one that was ready to be shipped Christopher Columbus traded with no further treatment required. glass beads with indigenous peoples in One made beaver wasworth six exchangefor provisions and precious Hudson’s Bay beads, three light blue metals and stones. The use of the Padre beads, two larger transparent beadsin this manner wasdonequiteby beads. accident at first, but would ultimately These vestiges of a prosperous become the primary method in which to various types are: Chevron, Padre, trade industry can now be purchased as do business. These prized materials Cave Agate and much later the Historical Bead Jewelry. In our forever influenced the contact between Russian Blue, the most prized and Museumgift shop we just happen to Europeans and Native Peoples in elaborate of these being the havea small selection of Historical North America. Alexander Chevron bead. This particular bead, Bead necklaces, bracelets and earings Mackenzie, Father DeSmet, David also called Rosetta, Rosary or Star created by Edmonton based Marcia Thompson,and Lewis and Clark were bead,could haveas many asseven Fossey. Her creative energy, inspired all said to have utilized trade beads layers of colored glass. The most by closely cultivated relationships with either in exchangefor animal pelts or common Chevron beads areblue, red First Nations Peoples, is easily felt given as gifts to Native Americans. and whitein any combination,and through her jewelry. She has received In thebeginning,mostof the glass were not used extensively in the fur “the symbol of quality” from the beadsbeing used for trade were trade industry. They were principally Craft Council and her work is manufactured in Venice and Murano traded for other commodities. The sold in museum shops and galleries Italy. As the brisk business of the fur mostwidely used beadsin thefur across Canada. trade and trade in general developed, Page 6 The Jasper Signal

Curly Phillips Canoe Arrives Yes, that is a boat on the lot beside the museum! Thanks to Mike Cameron and Stewart Carson, the Curly Phillips boat from R. Coste’s acreage near Hinton is now resting beside the museum. It’s in pretty rough shape but at least it is safe from hungry horses. The first thing that hits you when youlookat the boat isthat there are only one set of oar locks! We have looked through many of our archive pictures but haven’t yet found the picture that matches this boat. If you have any information about its history please contact Dee Dee Bartlett at 852-3013 or [email protected]

Thankyou to everyone who helped make this happen.

Check us out on-line JYMA’S new Website Need a meeting room? www.jaspermuseum.org

Thanks to the expertise of Erik Visser we now have a museumwebsite. You can now check outour Showcaselineup,get a taste ofour collection and archives, read one of the past articles written for the Booster or the Fitzhugh or even renew your membership.Becausewehavea new websitewenow have new e-mails: $30 per evening or [email protected] $60 for a full day [email protected] We now have an LCD and [email protected] Overhead projector available [email protected] Call 852-3013 to book [email protected] Page 7 The Jasper Signal

Family Histories Brought to Life at the Jasper Museum

This spring the Alberta Museums Association awarded the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives a grant to digitalize and set up a database of our community’s history book “Jasper Reflections”. The publication was originally put together by the Jasper Community History Book Association, which has since dissolved and turned their files over to the Archives. Just over 1000 copies were published in 1996 and the hardcover volume contained 477 pages with 431 stories from 382 families. The history commences with the first inhabitants of the valley and concludes at around the time the book went to publication, many residents and former residents compiled stories and sent photographs describing Jasper and the time they spent here. The book has been out of print for a number of years and wehavehad many requests for copies, which wewere unableto fulfill.This projectwas the first step towardsour goal of updating and making our community’sstories available to the public.A databaseofthe publication isnow availableto thepublic in our main gallery,so come check outyour family history! We are still in the planning phase of what’s next with this book, but would like you the community to start thinking about writing again for the Jasper Reflections project. We want updates on families in the book, we want families who did not submit for the first publication and we want more of your stories and memories that will help future generations find out what it was like living in Jasper’s past.

Here’s an excerpt from “Jasper Reflections” written by Shirley (Anderson) Wheele

My fondest memories ofgrowing up in Jasperstartwith the yearswe spent in thathouseand in that neighbourhood. Is it any wonder with neighbours like the Donnellys, Nicholls, Reids, Lewises, O'Briens, Watts, Campbells, Laverys, and a host of others in the surrounding blocks? To this day that back alley still rings with the soundsofour fun and laughter asweplayed Run Sheep Run,Prisoner'sBase,Anti Anti IOver, and ofcourse Kick theCan.When boredomsetin,away wewould go to "Bear Hill" and "CrocusHill" and fightthe most recent battlesthatweretaking placein WW.II. AMr. Moorewould make riflesfor those who didn'thavea store boughtone.No onethoughtofthe adverse effectsthis mighthaveon uskids!Fortunately itdidn'tseem to. Everyone I knew grew up to be good citizens. These summer pastimes were replaced by the first frosts and anticipation oftheicebecoming thick enough for usto skateon the"Pond." After schooland a biteto eat,away the neighbourhood went down main street, across the tracks, through the stockyards, carrying on down a footpath to our outdoor arena.The bigger boyswould lighta big bonfireto warmhandsand feet.Sometimes therewas cocoa to beshared ifyou were lucky enough to havea thermos. On with the skatesand the Shinny gamesbegan and fancy figures were attempted by every aspiring "Sonja Henie." When everyone tired of that it was time for "Crack the Whip" and that could be pretty exciting if you were on thewhip end with many rocksand branchesto dodgearound.Iam sure many a romancebegan thereor on the way homein the dark! When the snow came and spoiled the Pond for skating everyone transferred to the outdoor arena. The rink was my second home, I spent all my free time there as did most others, skating to the strains of the Strauss Waltzes, or being a spectator at hockey games. Wehad an annual Winter Carnival completewith a contest for best costume.

Dennis Seeley, John Reid, Ray Matthews, skating at the pond (1957) Page 8 The Jasper Signal

PLANS, LISTS AND THE EVER ELUSIVE HENRY HOUSE?

Recently, Jasper National Park, And for those of you interested along with theother mountain national in thefinedetails,a management plan Ken Walker parks, submitted for approval draft wasnotdonefor Henry House, Cultural Resources Interpretation management plans for thenational simply because we’re not sure where Specialist historic sites within their borders (and itis. Atleast we’re notsurewhere 852-6190 onejustoutside). Forthoseof you the Jasper Henry House is. interested in lists, they are: Interestingly enough, there is another Henry House Jasper National Park National Site – a pub in Halifax that was originally Jasper House the home of William Jasper Park Information Centre Alexander Henry, one of the Fathers of Confederation. If you are interested in learning more about the Caveand Basin history ofthefur tradeand thesmall role thatour Henry Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray House played in it, call me Station for a copy of the paper The RefugeHut Fur Trade in the Upper Athabasca Valley 1810 – Skoki Ski Lodge 1910, by Michael Payne. I can also supply you with copies of the draft management plans.

Kootenay National Park Kootenae House

Waterton Lakes National Park First Oil Well in Western Canada Renewal form The Jasper Signal

Jasper-Yellowhead Historical Society Membership Box 42 Jasper, Alberta T0E 1E0 Phone: (780) 852-3013 e-mail: [email protected]

Membership gets you FREE ADMISSION to TASTE OF THE TOWN

Name & Address: ______

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Phone: ______e-mail address: ______

Would you like updates by e-mail? ______

Membership Levels:

Individual: $15 per year Family: $25 per year Patron: $100 per year

Membership entitles you to free unlimited museum admission, 10% off all purchases in the museum gift shop, the semi-annual newsletter, use of the member’s library and invitations to special events.

Date: ______