CANISTER, FOOD-STORAGE

Description: COPPER CANNISTER WITH LID - 2 PIECES. POT, COPPER. IRON HANDLE LOOPED ONTO TWO ROUND COPPER PIECES (ONE ON EACH SIDE) WITH RECTANGULAR BASE THAT IS RIVETED ONTO BODY OF POT. RESIDUE COVERS MOST OF INSIDE OF POT. POT SCRATCHED THROUGHOUT. INTERMITTENT BROWN TO BLACK DISCOLORATIONS. SMALL DENT IN BOTTOM EDGE OF POT. ALSO INCLUDES LID, COPPER, ROUND. TWO CONNECTED CIRCLES RIVETED ONTO TOP OF LID HOLD CIRUCULAR COPPER HANDLE IN PLACE. MARKED "3P" ON TOP. INSIDE OF LID HAS PAPER NOTE TAPED ON MARKED "FOUND BY... ALBERTA." SCRATCHED THROUGHOUT. INTERMITTENT BLACK TO BROWN DISCOLORATION. SMALL DENT IN TOP EDGE.

History: ACCORDING TO THE NOTE TAPED ON THE INSIDE OF THE LID THE CANISTER WAS "FOUND BY BETTY ZSOVAN IN 1950S IN LITTLE CAMERON LAKE AREA. TRIPPED ON IT WHEEN COMING OUT ON A FISHING TRIP. FOR CERTAIN AN 'ORES MOUNTAIN' MINER'S LUNCH PAIL. A UNIQUE SOUVENIR OF WATERTON LAKE'S NATIONAL PARK." THE CANISTER APPEARS TO BE SIMILAR TO THE COPPER TRADE KETTLES TRADED BY THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY IN THE EARLY 1800S. ACCORDING TO "THE FOUR LIVES OF A MICMAC COPPER POT" BY CALVIN MARTIN, COPPER TRADE KETTLES WERE AN IMPORTANT TRADE ITEM. NATIVES DESIRED THEM, AS THEY WERE MORE CONVENIENT AND DURABLE THAN THEIR TRADITIONAL METHODS OF COOKING. BETTY ZSOVAN WAS BORN IN LETHBRIDGE ON MAY 25, 1922. WHEN SHE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN SHE WORKED IN WATERTON NATIONAL PARK WITH HER SISTER VILMA. SHE WAS MARRIED TO STEVE SZOVAN. HER HOBBIES INCLUDED FISHING, CAMPING ANDGARDENING. SHE PASSED AWAY ON OCTOBER 14, 2009. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION.