PLAINS INDIGENOUS. PROBABLE USE AS LEATHER TOOL.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON ASKED TWO FORMER MEMBERS OF THE LETHBRIDGE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, PHIL EDMUNDSON AND PAUL RUSZNAK, ABOUT THE FIRST NATIONS ARTIFACTS THAT THE GROUP DONATED TO THE GALT MUSEUM IN 1964, 1969, AND 1973. NEITHER RECALLED HOW THE JAYCEES CAME INTO OWNERSHIP OF THE ARTIFACTS, AS THEIR ACQUISITION PREDATED BOTH EDMUNDSON AND RUSZNAK’S MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHAMBER. RESEARCH CONDUCTED INTO LETHBRIDGE’S GURNEY MUSEUM FOUND A CONNECTION BETWEEN ITS PROPRIETOR, WALTER GURNEY, AND THE JAYCEES, WHO ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE FROM THE APRIL 16, 1946 ISSUE OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD ADVOCATED ON GURNEY’S BEHALF FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE TO THE FORMER BOARD OF TRADE BUILDING WHERE THE MUSEUM WAS HOUSED. AN ARTICLE FROM THE JULY 13, 1948 ISSUE OF THE HERALD DESCRIBES SOME OF THE FIRST NATIONS ARTIFACTS ON DISPLAY IN THE MUSEUM: “TOMAHAWKS, ARROW HEADS, PEACE PIPES, BEAD AND LEATHER WORK, CLOTHING AND WOODCRAFT”. UPON THE CLOSURE OF THE MUSEUM AND SALE OF GURNEY’S COLLECTION TO BELMORE SCHULTZ OF THE ALTAMONT MUSEUM IN COUTTS, MENTION WAS MADE IN A HERALD ARTICLE FROM MAY 16, 1961 OF “HISTORICAL INDIAN RELICS THAT BELONG TO THE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAVE BEEN RETAINED IN THE CITY AND WILL BE AVAILABLE WHEN PROPER DISPLAY FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE”. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE ARTIFACTS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE JAYCEES BY GURNEY DURING THE DISSOLUTION OF HIS MUSEUM, BUT NO FURTHER CONFIRMATION WAS FOUND.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE GURNEY MUSEUM AND ITS COLLECTION, SEE RECORD P19890044001.
UPDATE 16 AUGUST 2017: ON 25 JULY 2017, MUSEUM CURATOR AIMEE BENOIT FOUND EVIDENCE TO CONNECT THE INDIGENOUS COLLECTION DONATED BY THE LETHBRIDGE JAYCEES (AKA. JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE) WITH FORMER LETHBRIDGE RESIDENTS THE LATE FRED BOTSFORD AND HIS LATE DAUGHTER DOROTHY CLARK. NOTES MADE BY AIMEE ON THE DISCOVERY AS WELL AS RELEVANT CLIPPINGS FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD CAN BE FOUND ATTACHED TO THE PERMANENT FILE OF P19641140000.
NORTHERN PLAINS. BELIEVED COLLECTED FROM SITE AT C.P.R. TRESTLE, LETHBRIDGE.
*UPDATE* IN 2018 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED AN ARTIFACT SURVEY, WHICH INCLUDED ARTIFACTS FROM THE ESTHER DOROTHY GROSE DONATION. [NOTE: INITIAL DOCUMENTATION LISTS THE DONOR AS MRS. H. GROSE. ARCHIVAL RESEARCH FOUND THE DONOR’S NAME TO BE ESTHER DOROTHY GROSE, WIFE OF HARRY JAMES GROSE. THE RECORD HAS BEEN AMENDED TO REFLECT THE DONOR’S FULL NAME.]
PUNDYK SPOKE WITH THE DONOR’S SON, LEONARD GROSE, ABOUT THE DONATION OVER THE PHONE ON DECEMBER 10, 2018. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMES FROM THAT CONVERSATION:
GROSE BELIEVES THE PROJECTILE POINTS AND OTHER ARCHAEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS LIKELY CAME FROM THE FARM IN THE ELKWATER LAKE AREA. GROSE RECALLS STORIES OF FINDING ARROWHEADS IN HIS GRANDFATHER’S FIELDS. HE EXPLAINS HIS MOTHER KEPT SEVERAL OF THE FINDINGS SHE ACCUMULATED WHILE ON THE FARM.
HIS MOTHER WAS BORN ESTHER DOROTHY SPONHOLZ IN MEDICINE HAT, ALBERTA. THE FAMILY WOULD LATER SETTLE ON A FARM THREE MILES NORTH OF ELKWATER LAKE, ALBERTA, ACCORDING TO LEONARD GROSE. SHE MET HER HUSBAND, HARRY JAMES GROSE IN CALGARY, WHERE THEY WERE BOTH ATTENDING THE CALGARY PROPHETIC BIBLE INSTITUTE. GROSE ADDED THAT HIS FATHER WAS BORN IN NORTH DAKOTA.
THE COUPLE WAS MARRIED IN 1937 AND MOVED TO MEDICINE HAT IN 1938. THE FAMILY STAYED THERE UNTIL 1952. HARRY GROSE WAS IN THE FARM IMPLEMENT BUSINESS, WHICH THEN BROUGHT THE FAMILY TO LETHBRIDGE, WHERE LEONARD WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL. THE HENDERSON’S DIRECTORY FOR LETHBRIDGE IN 1953 LISTS HARRY GROSE AS THE PARTS MANAGER FOR NORRIE & FAWETT LTD. THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD OBITUARY PUBLISHED FOR ESTHER GROSE ON JANUARY 13, 1996 STATES THAT THE FAMILY RELOCATED TO THE CITY IN 1949.
HARRY AND ESTHER STAYED IN THE CITY UNTIL HARRY’S PASSING ON MAY 12, 1990 AT THE AGE OF 78 YEARS. ESTHER THEN RELOCATED TO CALGARY, WHERE SHE PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY 10, 1996 AT THE AGE OF 78 YEARS.
REGARDING THE INITIAL DOCUMENTATION OF MANY OF THE ARTIFACTS BEING FOUND FROM THE C.P.R. TRESTLE SITE IN LETHBRIDGE, GROSE EXPLAINED THAT HIS PARENTS ENJOYED TO EXPLORE TOGETHER. HE STATED THEIR WALKS IN THE AREA WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE AFTER HE LEFT HOME, BUT HE WAS AWARE THAT HIS FATHER ESPECIALLY LIKED TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT CROPS. HIS MOTHER EXPLORED BECAUSE OF HER INTEREST IN LETHBRIDGE HISTORY.
PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE P19672916000 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INCLUDING COPIES OF THE ARCHIVAL REFERENCES USED FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD AND HENDERSON DIRECTORY.
MADE ON A LARGE FLAT STONE WITH CONCRETIONS ON ONE SURFACE. BIFACIALLY RE-TOUCHED (PERCUSSION) AROUND EDGES. BILATERALLY NOTCHED AT CENTRE. BIT ASSYMETRICALLY POINTED OR EXTREMELY CONVEX.
NORTHERN PLAINS CULTURE, BELIEVED COLLECTED FROM C.P.R. TRESTLE SITE.
*UPDATE* IN 2018 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED AN ARTIFACT SURVEY, WHICH INCLUDED ARTIFACTS FROM THE ESTHER DOROTHY GROSE DONATION. [NOTE: INITIAL DOCUMENTATION LISTS THE DONOR AS MRS. H. GROSE. ARCHIVAL RESEARCH FOUND THE DONOR’S NAME TO BE ESTHER DOROTHY GROSE, WIFE OF HARRY JAMES GROSE. THE RECORD HAS BEEN AMENDED TO REFLECT THE DONOR’S FULL NAME.]
PUNDYK SPOKE WITH THE DONOR’S SON, LEONARD GROSE, ABOUT THE DONATION OVER THE PHONE ON DECEMBER 10, 2018. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMES FROM THAT CONVERSATION:
GROSE BELIEVES THE PROJECTILE POINTS AND OTHER ARCHAEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS LIKELY CAME FROM THE FARM IN THE ELKWATER LAKE AREA. GROSE RECALLS STORIES OF FINDING ARROWHEADS IN HIS GRANDFATHER’S FIELDS. HE EXPLAINS HIS MOTHER KEPT SEVERAL OF THE FINDINGS SHE ACCUMULATED WHILE ON THE FARM.
HIS MOTHER WAS BORN ESTHER DOROTHY SPONHOLZ IN MEDICINE HAT, ALBERTA. THE FAMILY WOULD LATER SETTLE ON A FARM THREE MILES NORTH OF ELKWATER LAKE, ALBERTA, ACCORDING TO LEONARD GROSE. SHE MET HER HUSBAND, HARRY JAMES GROSE IN CALGARY, WHERE THEY WERE BOTH ATTENDING THE CALGARY PROPHETIC BIBLE INSTITUTE. GROSE ADDED THAT HIS FATHER WAS BORN IN NORTH DAKOTA.
THE COUPLE WAS MARRIED IN 1937 AND MOVED TO MEDICINE HAT IN 1938. THE FAMILY STAYED THERE UNTIL 1952. HARRY GROSE WAS IN THE FARM IMPLEMENT BUSINESS, WHICH THEN BROUGHT THE FAMILY TO LETHBRIDGE, WHERE LEONARD WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL. THE HENDERSON’S DIRECTORY FOR LETHBRIDGE IN 1953 LISTS HARRY GROSE AS THE PARTS MANAGER FOR NORRIE & FAWETT LTD. THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD OBITUARY PUBLISHED FOR ESTHER GROSE ON JANUARY 13, 1996 STATES THAT THE FAMILY RELOCATED TO THE CITY IN 1949.
HARRY AND ESTHER STAYED IN THE CITY UNTIL HARRY’S PASSING ON MAY 12, 1990 AT THE AGE OF 78 YEARS. ESTHER THEN RELOCATED TO CALGARY, WHERE SHE PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY 10, 1996 AT THE AGE OF 78 YEARS.
REGARDING THE INITIAL DOCUMENTATION OF MANY OF THE ARTIFACTS BEING FOUND FROM THE C.P.R. TRESTLE SITE IN LETHBRIDGE, GROSE EXPLAINED THAT HIS PARENTS ENJOYED TO EXPLORE TOGETHER. HE STATED THEIR WALKS IN THE AREA WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE AFTER HE LEFT HOME, BUT HE WAS AWARE THAT HIS FATHER ESPECIALLY LIKED TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT CROPS. HIS MOTHER EXPLORED BECAUSE OF HER INTEREST IN LETHBRIDGE HISTORY.
PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE P19672916000 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INCLUDING COPIES OF THE ARCHIVAL REFERENCES USED FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD AND HENDERSON DIRECTORY.
.1 28 CM WTH. (TOP) 87.7 CM (BASE) X 127 CM LTH. TRIANGULAR BACK REST CONSTRUCTED OF WILLOW STICKS LASHED WITH SINEW. BACKREST IS EDGED WITH SEWN COTTON STRIPS AND GREEN FLANNEL TAPE DOWN SIDE. HEAD PIECE IS CONSTRUCTED OF BLACK FLANNEL EDGED WITH RED FLANNEL, INSET WITH RED FLANNEL GEOMETRIC DESIGNS ARE OUTLINED IN BROWN AND WHITE BEADS. PICTOGRAPH STORY OUTLINING A BATTLE IS PAINTED IN BLACK ON THE BACK REST SURFACE.
.2 25.4 CM WTH. (TOP) 83.8 CM (BASE) X 130.8 CM LTH. TRIANGULAR BACK REST CONSTRUCTED OF WILLOW STICKS LASHED WITH SINEW. BACKREST IS EDGED WITH SEWN COTTON STRIPS AND GREEN FLANNEL TAPE DOWN SIDES. HEAD PIECE IS MADE OF RED FLANNEL EDGED WITH BLACK COTTON AND WHITE BEADS GEOMETRIC DESIGN BROWN EDGED WITH BLUE & BLUE EDGED WITH BROWN PICTOGRAPH STORY OUTLINING A BATTLE AND RAID IS PAINTED IN BLACK PAINT ON THE BACKREST SURFACE. CONSERVATION REPORT ON FILE.
NORTHERN PLAINS INDIGENOUS, PROBABLY OF BLACKFOOT ORIGIN. USED FOR STORAGE.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON ASKED TWO FORMER MEMBERS OF THE LETHBRIDGE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, PHIL EDMUNDSON AND PAUL RUSZNAK, ABOUT THE FIRST NATIONS ARTIFACTS THAT THE GROUP DONATED TO THE GALT MUSEUM IN 1964, 1969, AND 1973. NEITHER RECALLED HOW THE JAYCEES CAME INTO OWNERSHIP OF THE ARTIFACTS, AS THEIR ACQUISITION PREDATED BOTH EDMUNDSON AND RUSZNAK’S MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHAMBER. RESEARCH CONDUCTED INTO LETHBRIDGE’S GURNEY MUSEUM FOUND A CONNECTION BETWEEN ITS PROPRIETOR, WALTER GURNEY, AND THE JAYCEES, WHO ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE FROM THE APRIL 16, 1946 ISSUE OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD ADVOCATED ON GURNEY’S BEHALF FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE TO THE FORMER BOARD OF TRADE BUILDING WHERE THE MUSEUM WAS HOUSED. AN ARTICLE FROM THE JULY 13, 1948 ISSUE OF THE HERALD DESCRIBES SOME OF THE FIRST NATIONS ARTIFACTS ON DISPLAY IN THE MUSEUM: “TOMAHAWKS, ARROW HEADS, PEACE PIPES, BEAD AND LEATHER WORK, CLOTHING AND WOODCRAFT”. UPON THE CLOSURE OF THE MUSEUM AND SALE OF GURNEY’S COLLECTION TO BELMORE SCHULTZ OF THE ALTAMONT MUSEUM IN COUTTS, MENTION WAS MADE IN A HERALD ARTICLE FROM MAY 16, 1961 OF “HISTORICAL INDIAN RELICS THAT BELONG TO THE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAVE BEEN RETAINED IN THE CITY AND WILL BE AVAILABLE WHEN PROPER DISPLAY FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE”. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE ARTIFACTS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE JAYCEES BY GURNEY DURING THE DISSOLUTION OF HIS MUSEUM, BUT NO FURTHER CONFIRMATION WAS FOUND.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE GURNEY MUSEUM AND ITS COLLECTION, SEE RECORD P19890044001.
UPDATE 16 AUGUST 2017: ON 25 JULY 2017, MUSEUM CURATOR AIMEE BENOIT FOUND EVIDENCE TO CONNECT THE INDIGENOUS COLLECTION DONATED BY THE LETHBRIDGE JAYCEES (AKA. JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE) WITH FORMER LETHBRIDGE RESIDENTS THE LATE FRED BOTSFORD AND HIS LATE DAUGHTER DOROTHY CLARK. NOTES MADE BY AIMEE ON THE DISCOVERY AS WELL AS RELEVANT CLIPPINGS FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD CAN BE FOUND ATTACHED TO THE PERMANENT FILE OF P19641140000.
NORTHERN PLAINS ATTRIBUTED TO BLACKFOOT. PARFLECHES ARE MADE FROM RAWHIDE, WHICH IS SOAKED IN WATER TO REMOVE HAIR. USED FOR STORAGE.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON ASKED TWO FORMER MEMBERS OF THE LETHBRIDGE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, PHIL EDMUNDSON AND PAUL RUSZNAK, ABOUT THE FIRST NATIONS ARTIFACTS THAT THE GROUP DONATED TO THE GALT MUSEUM IN 1964, 1969, AND 1973. NEITHER RECALLED HOW THE JAYCEES CAME INTO OWNERSHIP OF THE ARTIFACTS, AS THEIR ACQUISITION PREDATED BOTH EDMUNDSON AND RUSZNAK’S MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHAMBER. RESEARCH CONDUCTED INTO LETHBRIDGE’S GURNEY MUSEUM FOUND A CONNECTION BETWEEN ITS PROPRIETOR, WALTER GURNEY, AND THE JAYCEES, WHO ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE FROM THE APRIL 16, 1946 ISSUE OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD ADVOCATED ON GURNEY’S BEHALF FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE TO THE FORMER BOARD OF TRADE BUILDING WHERE THE MUSEUM WAS HOUSED. AN ARTICLE FROM THE JULY 13, 1948 ISSUE OF THE HERALD DESCRIBES SOME OF THE FIRST NATIONS ARTIFACTS ON DISPLAY IN THE MUSEUM: “TOMAHAWKS, ARROW HEADS, PEACE PIPES, BEAD AND LEATHER WORK, CLOTHING AND WOODCRAFT”. UPON THE CLOSURE OF THE MUSEUM AND SALE OF GURNEY’S COLLECTION TO BELMORE SCHULTZ OF THE ALTAMONT MUSEUM IN COUTTS, MENTION WAS MADE IN A HERALD ARTICLE FROM MAY 16, 1961 OF “HISTORICAL INDIAN RELICS THAT BELONG TO THE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAVE BEEN RETAINED IN THE CITY AND WILL BE AVAILABLE WHEN PROPER DISPLAY FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE”. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE ARTIFACTS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE JAYCEES BY GURNEY DURING THE DISSOLUTION OF HIS MUSEUM, BUT NO FURTHER CONFIRMATION WAS FOUND.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE GURNEY MUSEUM AND ITS COLLECTION, SEE RECORD P19890044001.
UPDATE 16 AUGUST 2017: ON 25 JULY 2017, MUSEUM CURATOR AIMEE BENOIT FOUND EVIDENCE TO CONNECT THE INDIGENOUS COLLECTION DONATED BY THE LETHBRIDGE JAYCEES (AKA. JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE) WITH FORMER LETHBRIDGE RESIDENTS THE LATE FRED BOTSFORD AND HIS LATE DAUGHTER DOROTHY CLARK. NOTES MADE BY AIMEE ON THE DISCOVERY AS WELL AS RELEVANT CLIPPINGS FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD CAN BE FOUND ATTACHED TO THE PERMANENT FILE OF P19641140000.
PINK, PURPLE, WHITE DYED PORCUPINE QUILL WORK (QUILLS FLATTENED & WRAPPED AROUND BUCKSKIN FRINGE. GLASS BEADS: RED, YELLOW, BLUE, GREEN, BROWN & WHITE ALL GEOMETRIC DESIGNS. SOME BEADS & QUILLWORK IS MISSING. SEE CONSERVATION REPORT.
NORTHERN PLAINS INDIGENOUS CULTURE. USED TO STORE PIPES.
22 OCTOBER 2021 UPDATE: THE LABEL TEXT QUOTED BELOW WAS DEVELOPED WITH KAINAI ELDERS FOR A SUB-THEME WITHIN THE EXHIBIT ‘MADE IN’, TITLED ‘NIITSITAPISSKSAHKOYI’ AND INSTALLED WITHIN THE GALT IN 2021. ELDERS WHO PROVIDED MUSEUM CURATOR AIMEE BENOIT WITH DIRECTION ON SUBTHEME’S CONTENT INCLUDED: AAGOHH GISS STSISTIIGIIAAKII (MANY OFFERINGS WOMAN, GRETA MANY BEARS), GUUYII STAA BAAMUUGHKAA (WALKING ON TOP, RAYMOND MANY BEARS), NIINAA PIIKSII (CHIEF BIRD, MIKE BRUISED HEAD), MO’TOKAANII’PO (WALKING WITH A SCALP, HARRISON RED CROW) AND MIINIIPOKA (SACRED BERRY CHILD, PETER WEASEL MOCCASIN). THE GALT APPRECIATED THE GENEROSITY OF THE ELDERS WHO SHARED THEIR KNOWLEDGE FOR THIS EXHIBIT PROJECT.
“SOYAAHKOINNIMAAN (PIPE BAG): THIS PIPE BAG IS DECORATED USING BOTH BEADS AND PORCUPINE QUILLS.
‘WHEN MY DAD WAS STILL ALIVE, HE MADE TWO FORKED STICKS AND HE HAD A BLANKET. AND IF WE EVER SAW A PORCUPINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, WE STOPPED. AND THEN MY BROTHER OR MY NEPHEW WOULD PUT ONE STICK ON THE PORCUPINE’S HEAD AND ONE ON THE BACK. MY DAD WOULD THROW THE BLANKET OVER THE PORCUPINE AND THEN ALL THE QUILLS WOULD GO INTO THE BLANKET. THE HAIR WAS ALSO USED TO MAKE ROACHES. THE ANIMAL WAS SET FREE AGAIN AFTER THAT.’ – AAGOHH GISS STSISTIIGIIAAKII
‘THE MOUNTAIN DESIGN, THE DIAMOND DESIGN, THESE ARE TYPICAL BLACKFOOT ORIGIN, BUT THIS PIECE MAY HAVE BEEN A GIFT FROM DIFFERENT TRIBES. QUILLWORK WAS USED AMONG ALL TRIBES; ALL TRIBES DID USE THIS TECHNIQUE, BUT THE PATTERN LOOKS MORE CHEYENNE. THIS WAS PIECED FROM SOMETHING ELSE; YOU CAN TELL THERE WAS A POCKET. EVERYTHING WAS PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS RECYCLED.’ – MO’TOKAANII’PO”