Rutherford Cottage

525 Buffalo Street

Attracted by a generous stand of trees and glimpses of the Bow River, Alexander Cameron Rutherford leased a small lot from the National Park in 1908, and commissioned J. Luckett to build a summer cottage.

Mr. Rutherford, the first Premier of Alberta, revered trees, so much so he refused to cut down a living tree. Each Christmas his family would instead decorate a large cactus that otherwise lived in an unused corner of their year-round Edmonton home. Both Alexander and his wife, Mattie (nee Birkett) were avid horticulturists.

The Rutherford’s “home south” became a haven for them. Banff, a refreshing distance from the provincial capital, also became a destination for Alexander and Mattie’s many friends. Mattie was an excellent cook and hostess, known for her warm hospitality. The family was generous with the Cottage, often lending it to University of Alberta faculty, outspoken authors and courageous change-makers.

One of the key architectural features of the home is its generous veranda. It is easy to imagine the early twentieth century conversations that took place here, ideas that were born and debated along the banks of the Bow River.

The Rutherfords introduced their many University of Alberta guests to Banff’s possibilities as a unique place to learn. Attending plays staged by Margaret Greenham’s Mountain School students clearly inspired those guests; drama was the first course offered when the University of Alberta’s Extension School started the Banff Centre in 1933.

Although the Cottage changed hands and served many purposes, it remained remarkably unchanged between Alexander’s death in 1941 and Bowstrings acquisition of it in 2018. Now, in 2024, it is ready for a new chapter, and new guests. The story of its restoration is as practical as it is inspirational.

We invite you to follow our plans to animate the Cottage, provide artists and thinkers and Banff visitors with place to meet and muse on the natural and cultural history of Banff.

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