Norman K. Luxton (1876-1962) was an adventurous pioneer known as "Mr. Banff". He strived to improve the community of Banff and the relationship between its residents and the Indigenous community. Among many other impressive feats, he published the Crag and Canyon newspaper, built the King Edward Hotel and founded the Sign of the Goat Curio Shop. Eventually, Luxton achieved his lifelong dream of establishing the Luxton Museum of Plains Indians, now the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum. The museum was built in co-operation with Eric Harvie of the Glenbow Foundation of Calgary. It is dedicated to celebrating the traditions, values, diversity, continuity and the resilience of the Indigenous Peoples of North America and their trading partners.
Norman Luxton married Georgina Elizabeth McDougall of the pioneer missionary McDougall family of Morley, Alberta. They had one child, Eleanor Georgina, born in Banff in 1908.
Did you know? In 1907, Norman Luxton was asked by Rocky Mountains (now Banff) National Park Superintendent Howard Douglas to help him reintroduce bison in Canada's Elk Island National Park. Douglas and Luxton participated in the great buffalo round up which took several years. Wild plains bison were brought back to Banff National Park in 2017 after over a century of absence. This was supported by a campaign of The Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation which encourages the promotion of the ecological, cultural and historic values of bison in Banff National Park.
