Norman Luxton
Encyclopedia
Norman K. Luxton was a pioneer in the Canadian Rockies
known as "Mr. Banff" . With John Voss
, he attempted to sail around the world in a dug-out canoe. On his return to Canada
, he worked on improving the community of Banff and the relationship between its residents and the aboriginal community.
Agency at Rat Portage (now, Kenora, Ontario) in 1892. In 1893, Norman decided to head to the Cariboo Gold Fields to make his fortune. It is hard to know if he did make it to the gold fields, but he did make it to Calgary and worked for the Calgary Herald
for the next eight years before moving to Vancouver in 1901. In 1904, Norman Luxton married Georgina (Georgie) Elizabeth McDougall (1870-1965) of the pioneer missionary McDougall family of Morley
, Alberta. Norman and Georgie Luxton had one child, Eleanor Georgina, born in Banff in 1908. Norman F. Luxton died on October 22, 1962 at the age of 89, in the Holy Cross Hospital in Calgary
.
In 1901, Norman moved west to Vancouver where he briefly worked for a weekly called Town Topics. While in Vancouver, Norman met Captain John Voss
, an eccentric sea captain. The two planned a most adventurous voyage. They would purchase a 100-year old Nootka dugout canoe
and sail it around the world, leaving from Victoria, British Columbia and heading west to London. The dugout canoe was named the Tilikum
, meaning friend in Chinook
Jargon. Luxton journeyed 10,000 miles (about 16000 km) on the Pacific Ocean with Voss, and endured five months of travel, before the Tilikum struck a reef and Luxton was thrown from the boat. His whole body was badly cut by coral
, and he had to abandon the trip in Fiji
, and was immediately taken to a hospital in Australia. Following this, Luxton came to Banff to recuperate. He kept notes of the voyage; his Tilikum Journal, edited by his daughter Eleanor was published in 1971. Captain John Voss finished his journey around the world and published his sailing memoir as The Venturesome Voyages of Captain Voss in 1913. The Tilikum boat changed hands a number of times but is now on display at the Maritime Museum of British Columbia
in Victoria, British Columbia.
after his return from his sailing trip across the Pacific. He published the Crag and Canyon newspaper
, built the King Edward Hotel and the Lux Theatre in Banff, and founded the Sign of the Goat Curio Shop, which led to the development of the Luxton Museum of Plains Indians, now the Buffalo Nations Museum. He was one of the organizers of Banff Indian Days and the Banff Winter Carnival. Norman was also made an honorary chief of the Stoney tribe and given the name Chief White Shield.
In 1953, Luxton established a museum to house his native artifacts. The Luxton Museum of the Plains Indian which is known as the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum was built in co-operation with Eric Harvie
of the Glenbow Foundation
of Calgary. On the death of his only daughter Eleanor Luxton in 1995, ownership of the home, built circa 1905 in Banff, passed to the Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation.
The objective of the Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation is to foster public awareness of the history of Banff
and its environs during the century that the Luxton were influential in the community with emphasis on the careers of Norman K. Luxton, Georgina McDougall Luxton, and Eleanor G. Luxton. The historic Luxton home build circa 1905 in Banff have been preserved, restored and are open to the public through Whyte Museum
guided tours. The interior of the home has been preserved and represents the lives of the three family members and the evolution of a Banff lifestyle over a period of nine decades. Of special interest are the collections of Stoney artifacts, evening gowns dating back to the turn of the century, household collectibles, and taxidermy specimens.
The importance of gardening to the family is evident in the extensive collection of garden-related artifacts preserved in the home. These include tools, catalogues, and seed packets dating back to 1913. The garden is open to public and it is supposed to be one of the first flower gardens in Banff, still blooming every year.
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
known as "Mr. Banff" . With John Voss
John Voss
John Claus Voss was a Canadian sailor best known for sailing around the world in a modified dug-out canoe he named Tilikum . He started in 1901 with his friend Norman Luxton and ending alone in 1904...
, he attempted to sail around the world in a dug-out canoe. On his return to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, he worked on improving the community of Banff and the relationship between its residents and the aboriginal community.
Personal life
Norman Luxton was the son of Winnipeg Free Press co-founder, William Luxton. After working with his father at the Free Press in Manitoba and for the IndianFirst Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
Agency at Rat Portage (now, Kenora, Ontario) in 1892. In 1893, Norman decided to head to the Cariboo Gold Fields to make his fortune. It is hard to know if he did make it to the gold fields, but he did make it to Calgary and worked for the Calgary Herald
Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
for the next eight years before moving to Vancouver in 1901. In 1904, Norman Luxton married Georgina (Georgie) Elizabeth McDougall (1870-1965) of the pioneer missionary McDougall family of Morley
Morley
- Places :United Kingdom* Morley, County Durham, England* Morley, Derbyshire, England* Morley, West Yorkshire, England* Morley Saint Botolph, Norfolk, England* Morley Saint Peter, Norfolk, EnglandUnited States* Morley, Iowa* Morley, Michigan...
, Alberta. Norman and Georgie Luxton had one child, Eleanor Georgina, born in Banff in 1908. Norman F. Luxton died on October 22, 1962 at the age of 89, in the Holy Cross Hospital in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
.
Pacific crossing
John Voss
John Claus Voss was a Canadian sailor best known for sailing around the world in a modified dug-out canoe he named Tilikum . He started in 1901 with his friend Norman Luxton and ending alone in 1904...
, an eccentric sea captain. The two planned a most adventurous voyage. They would purchase a 100-year old Nootka dugout canoe
Dugout (boat)
A dugout or dugout canoe is a boat made from a hollowed tree trunk. Other names for this type of boat are logboat and monoxylon. Monoxylon is Greek -- mono- + ξύλον xylon -- and is mostly used in classic Greek texts. In Germany they are called einbaum )...
and sail it around the world, leaving from Victoria, British Columbia and heading west to London. The dugout canoe was named the Tilikum
Tilikum (boat)
The Tilikum was a dugout canoe that was used in an effort to circumnavigate the globe starting in 1901. The boat was a "Nootkan" canoe which was already old when it was obtained by captain John Voss in April 1901. The boat was built in the early 19th century as a dugout canoe made from a large...
, meaning friend in Chinook
Chinookan languages
Chinookan is a small family of languages spoken in Oregon and Washington along the Columbia River by Chinook peoples.-Family division:Chinookan languages consists of three languages with multiple varieties. There is some dispute over classification, and there are two ISO 639-3 codes assigned: and...
Jargon. Luxton journeyed 10,000 miles (about 16000 km) on the Pacific Ocean with Voss, and endured five months of travel, before the Tilikum struck a reef and Luxton was thrown from the boat. His whole body was badly cut by coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
, and he had to abandon the trip in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, and was immediately taken to a hospital in Australia. Following this, Luxton came to Banff to recuperate. He kept notes of the voyage; his Tilikum Journal, edited by his daughter Eleanor was published in 1971. Captain John Voss finished his journey around the world and published his sailing memoir as The Venturesome Voyages of Captain Voss in 1913. The Tilikum boat changed hands a number of times but is now on display at the Maritime Museum of British Columbia
Maritime Museum of British Columbia
The Maritime Museum of BC reflects the Pacific maritime history and culture of Canada's west coast, with an exhibits and public program mandate for research, education, and partnership.-History:...
in Victoria, British Columbia.
Life in Banff
Luxton was a prominent person in Banff, AlbertaBanff, Alberta
Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise....
after his return from his sailing trip across the Pacific. He published the Crag and Canyon newspaper
Media in Banff, Alberta
-Radio:CFPE-FM and CFPF-FM are Banff's only local radio stations. The rest of the stations are rebroadcasters from Calgary, one out of Canmore, and another out of Edmonton. All serve the population of Banff....
, built the King Edward Hotel and the Lux Theatre in Banff, and founded the Sign of the Goat Curio Shop, which led to the development of the Luxton Museum of Plains Indians, now the Buffalo Nations Museum. He was one of the organizers of Banff Indian Days and the Banff Winter Carnival. Norman was also made an honorary chief of the Stoney tribe and given the name Chief White Shield.
In 1953, Luxton established a museum to house his native artifacts. The Luxton Museum of the Plains Indian which is known as the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum was built in co-operation with Eric Harvie
Eric Harvie
Eric Lafferty Harvie, was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Glenbow Museum, one of Western Canada's largest museum....
of the Glenbow Foundation
Glenbow Museum
The Glenbow Museum in Calgary is one of Western Canada's largest museums, with over 93,000 square feet of exhibition space in more than 20 galleries, showcasing a selection of the Glenbow's collection of over a million objects....
of Calgary. On the death of his only daughter Eleanor Luxton in 1995, ownership of the home, built circa 1905 in Banff, passed to the Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation.
The objective of the Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation is to foster public awareness of the history of Banff
Banff, Alberta
Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise....
and its environs during the century that the Luxton were influential in the community with emphasis on the careers of Norman K. Luxton, Georgina McDougall Luxton, and Eleanor G. Luxton. The historic Luxton home build circa 1905 in Banff have been preserved, restored and are open to the public through Whyte Museum
Whyte Museum
The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies is located in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and makes available for research and education materials related to the cultural heritage of the Rocky Mountains of Canada and other mountains around the world...
guided tours. The interior of the home has been preserved and represents the lives of the three family members and the evolution of a Banff lifestyle over a period of nine decades. Of special interest are the collections of Stoney artifacts, evening gowns dating back to the turn of the century, household collectibles, and taxidermy specimens.
The importance of gardening to the family is evident in the extensive collection of garden-related artifacts preserved in the home. These include tools, catalogues, and seed packets dating back to 1913. The garden is open to public and it is supposed to be one of the first flower gardens in Banff, still blooming every year.