Donald Frache

Scope and Content: View of Donald Frache and his Waterton mural at the Paramount Theatre in Lethbridge. Artist Donald A. Frache of Lethbridge painted this mural which was displayed for one week in July 1954 in the Paramount theatre. Frache was known for his western paintings but this was his first mural which feature…

History Biographical: Arthur "Pop" Harwood came to Waterton Lakes National Park circa 1914 where he was employed in a variety of jobs before becoming the postmaster, a position he held until the 1950s. He had one son, Stephen, who was an avid photographer and outdoorsman who became a mechanic with the park, married and raised one son, Marvin. See fond description for more detail.

Scope and Content: View of Donald Frache and his Waterton mural at the Paramount Theatre in Lethbridge. Artist Donald A. Frache of Lethbridge painted this mural which was displayed for one week in July 1954 in the Paramount theatre. Frache was known for his western paintings but this was his first mural which featured a likeness of John George “Kootenai” Brown, first forest ranger in charge of Waterton Lakes National Park, and his first wife Olive Lyonnaise and two guides. The four people are standing fairly close to the site of the Prince of Wales Hotel overlooking Upper Waterton Lake. Frache went on to paint a number of murals for a variety of customers in Alberta and elsewhere. He also continued to paint smaller size works. His parents owned a cabin in Waterton at 303 Evergreen Avenue.