HISTORY

6000 years ago: Bison Roam

100 years ago: The Crag Cabin

9 years ago: The Vision

One morning during The Courtyard's construction, Jerry Wickson, a backhoe operator, felt his shovel catch something. He looked and saw what appeared to be a horn.

Mr. Wickson and Derek Ellis of CGM Resources dug carefully around the object. They pulled it from the earth and flipped it over. They were excited to find a big, heavy pair of bison horns with a lower jawbone.

Three days later, the men unearthed a second, even more spectacular skull - with horns and face plate intact.

Banff National Park archaeologist Gwyn Langemann says the dimensions of the skulls suggest the animals were most likely "modern" bison: ancestors of the animals that now roam the meadow just outside the Banff townsite.

To commemorate the discovery, Ed Halloway and Bill Maclean, two elders of the Stoney Nation, lead a ceremony that included a buffalo blessing. They recalled the historical importance of the bison. Once an important source of food, clothing and shelter, they are still a source of awe - a reminder of the vast herds that long ago roamed the North America plains.

The skulls of these impressive animals will return to Bison Courtyard - they are currently away being studied and dated - this summer. Be sure to watch for their homecoming.