Old Photographs Featuring the Work of Mary Vaux (1880 – 1910)

Mary Vaux was born in 1860 into a wealthy family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raised in a household that valued education, nature, and service, Mary developed an early interest in the natural world. After the death of her mother when she was nineteen, Mary assumed the role of caretaker for her younger brothers and supported the family’s shared fascination with the sciences, particularly geology and botany. The Vaux siblings began making regular expeditions to the Canadian Rockies in the 1880s, where Mary’s life would take a new direction.

Mary Vaux
1887 – Edge of ice.

It was in the remote wilderness of what is now Banff and Jasper National Parks that Mary Vaux came into her own as a pioneering amateur glaciologist and naturalist. At a time when few women were recognized in scientific circles, Mary devoted herself to the careful study and documentation of glaciers. Over the course of more than thirty summers, she returned to the Selkirk and Rocky Mountains to photograph and measure the changes in glacial formations. Her detailed photographic work, a sampling of which can be viewed in this gallery, stands as one of the earliest systematic visual records of glacial retreat in the Canadian Rockies. She also collected and catalogued alpine flora, and her botanical illustrations earned recognition from prominent scientists of the era.

Mary Vaux
1887 – First picture of Illecillewaet Glacier.

Mary’s fieldwork not only contributed to the emerging scientific understanding of climate and geology but also reflected a deep appreciation for the natural world. Her persistence and precision as a self-taught scientist broke gender barriers and helped shape public appreciation for the fragile beauty of Canada’s mountain landscapes. In 1914, she married Charles Doolittle Walcott, a distinguished paleontologist and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Though her marriage introduced her to elite scientific circles in Washington, D.C., she remained committed to her own pursuits and continued to return to the Rockies, even after her husband’s death.

Mary Vaux
1894-1912 – Natural Bridge.

Mary Vaux Walcott’s legacy lives on through her botanical paintings, glacier photographs, and the inspiration she offered as a woman of science in a male-dominated field. Her work not only advanced early research on climate and mountain ecology but also helped preserve the memory of a disappearing landscape.

Mary Vaux
1894-1912 – Prairie Crocus.
Mary Vaux
1895-1929 – Mountain Sheep.
Mary Vaux
1900 – Mary M. Vaux and Swiss guide on unidentified mountain.
Mary Vaux
1900 – Mary M. Vaux with Swiss guide crossing snow bridge.
Mary Vaux
1900 – Mountains, waterfall.
Mary Vaux
1900 – Forest scene.
1901 – Seracs, Illecillewaet Glacier.
1902 – Lake Louise.
1902 – Mt. Hector from Bow Pass.
1903 – Moraine Lake.
1909 – Yoho Valley.
1910 – Near Hector Lake, Bow Valley.
1910-1911 – Burgess Pass.
1910-1911 – Trail to Loop (Mt. Grizzly).
1911 – Sherbrooke Lake.
1911 – From Alpine Club Camp.

The photos above were collected from Archives Canada. If you’re interested, additional information can be found for each photograph on their website. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from across Alberta and Western Canada. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.

About Tyler Dixon 241 Articles
Tyler is originally from Saskatchewan, and yes he cheers for the Roughriders, but don’t hold that against him as Calgary has been his home for the past eight years. He is a teacher working at a wilderness- based treatment program for youth working to overcome addiction. Tyler is also a volunteer with the GOT Parks initiative, which aims at reconnecting Canada’s youth with our national, provincial, and territorial parks. During his time away from work, Tyler enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and snowboarding, team sports, travelling, photography, spending time with good friends, and being at home with his wife and German Shepherd, Rome.