Frank was born in Calgary, February 4, 1922. Frank’s parents had lived on ranches south of Calgary. Dolly was born in Medicine Hat, Feb. 25, 1930. Dolly’s mother was born in Wales and her father was from North Dakota. Before moving to Canmore in 1957, Franklin also spent a couple of summers working as a warden in the Bryant Creek and Lake Louise District.
We were married in the manse of the Canmore United Church, Oct. 8, 1957, and moved here and went into business with Mr. and Mrs. Harris Sr. the same year. These Harrises had property here since 1949, in Townsite, 1095F. The business was known as the Three Sisters BA Service and Cabins and later was Three Sisters Gulf Service and Store. It consisted of 8.69 acres of land on which we had a small general store, gas pumps, cabins, fuel oil, propane, chain saws, magazines, etc. It was the only newsstand in town at the time and the only store that stayed open late, till ten, at that time. It was located on land along the IA highway previously owned by Oliver Reinikka and across from the old Canmore Ranch previously owned by Ed Ogan. Heinz Ford now occupies part of the land.
Floyd and Lil Smith, guide and outfitters, had their corrals at the end of the property. They used to run pack trips into Marvel Lake where they had a camp. Lil Smith was born here in the early 1900’s, then went to the Crowsnest. At one time she ran the tea room at Lake Agnes. Floyd Dexter Smith was born in the Mahogany Mountains, Owyee Breaks at the south end of Idaho. His family came to Alberta in a covered wagon to the Crowsnest Pass. They owned the Buckhorn Ranch in Southern Alberta, guided people in the summer and worked as miners in the winter, both Floyd and his dad. Floyd worked for Brewsters and probably sold his horses to them when he retired.
We were in business at this location for almost twenty-five years during which time we had a son, Harvey, born in 1959, and a daughter, Susan, born in 1960. We also have three grandchildren: Daniel Parsons, Katie Harris and Lee Harris.
My Uncle Ley Harris was a Dominion and Alberta land surveyor in western Canada. He was instrumental in establishing the boundary between Alberta and Saskatchewan and Alberta and the N.W.T. In the northeast part of Banff National Park is a mountain named in honor of him, Mount Harris. He had a summer home here near the old Canmore Golf Course and subdivided that and various properties around town. Uncle Ley named some of the peaks such as Tangle Peak in B.C. and the Dormer near the government ranch in Alberta. He also worked on the Banff Jasper Highway and the Big Bend Highway, built prior to the Trans Canada Highway. Big Bend was the means of getting from Golden to Revelstoke at that time.
After we retired in 1981, we moved into the Downtown area in 1983 where we have resided ever since. It is a beautiful spot in front of which runs a nice creek which attracts its share of wildlife, especially ducks which we and other folks along the creek feed every winter as they seem to prefer to stay here rather than fly south. We also have a pair of Canada geese that have come back for the last three to four years. They stay a few days to feed, then head out. We have had bear, elk, marten, mink, mergansers, kingfishers, etc. It is truly a beautiful spot and we will continue to enjoy it as long as we can, God willing.
Frank and Dolly Harris in front of their service station and store on Highway 1A
Floyd Smith and friends
In Canmore Seniors at the Summit, ed. Canmore Seniors Association, 2000, p. 119-120.
