Heritage

What you know now as Brewster Mountain Lodge grew from a place of exploration and ambition. While the beauty and immensity of the Canadian Rocky Mountains has always attracted visitors from around the world, the town and the region have a humble, rugged past within which the Brewster family planted their roots over 100 years ago.

A Journey to Banff

Before the Irish famine in the 1840’s, William Brewster managed the Irvine Estate in Irvine, Fernanagh, Erie. James Irvine, a friend & a doctor, had immigrated to Canada & encouraged his friend William to come to Canada. Sarah Jane Irvine followed her brother soon after to Kingston, ON. Here it was that Sarah Jane, an heiress to land holdings in Ireland, married the manager William Brewster, and while farming in Ontario raised eight children. John, the 5th born in 1852, married Isabella Thompson, farming until following the railroad west to Winnipeg where he worked in mill shops before coming to Banff. Isabella Brewster with her four sons, William, James, Fred & Jack arrived in Banff, AB via CP Rail from Winnipeg, MB on March 17, 1888 to join her husband John who had decided Banff would become their permanent home. George, Pearl, & F.O. Pat were born in Banff. John, on the advice of his brothers who had visited the mountains earlier, told him of the opportunities in the West, thus he started a dairy to service the Banff Springs hotel & the community. This was the start of a great adventure for the Brewster Family in Banff National Park.

Forging a Relationship with the Land

The dairy herd could not remain in Banff through the winter, so John established his homestead at the base of Yamnuska Mountain. Today, the land still remains in the family. John’s young sons, W. A. (Bill) & James (Jim) didn’t like delivering milk. A family friend, Joshua Twin Wildman, taught the boys how to survive in the wilds. So, at ages 12 & 10, the boys began to taking guests on Pack Trips into the mountains. They would begin outfitting operations, livery service, tally-ho horse drawn carriages to bring guest from the railway station to the Banff Springs Hotel. This marked the birth of Brewster Transport.

The division came with motorized vehicles in the 1930’s. Jim developed the Transport Company, Bill managed transportation for 30 years & quit. Bill remained in outfitting, but also built Brewster Industries in Banff in 1947 to house a Ford dealership. His building remains part of Brewster’s Mountain Lodge, which opened in 1996.

Claude, 3rd generation Canadian, with his mother, Missy, developed the original homestead into the Kananaskis Guest Ranch in 1923. With his wife Ruth, Claude continued guest ranching raising two sons, Bud & Jack, at the Ranch. Claude is probably the least known because he was quiet, unassuming, but a giant in his humanitarianism. At his own expense, he would care for his staff through food chits, waived rents & gave his own shirt; Claude was also an active politician in the Liberal Party, a personal friend of Louis St. Laurent, Prime Minster of Canada in the 1950’s. He was active in the Chamber of Commerce & many local organizations. Because Claude had grown up with the Stoney Nakoda peoples at Seebe, AB, he was able to promote the Trans Canada Highway through the Stoney Nakoda reserve. He was prominent in bringing Sulphur Mountain Gondola, (now Banff Gondola), into the Park, through his political connections. He worked for years to promote Indian Days, a native festive affair celebrating their rich culture. …now the Stoney Nakota Camp ran by elder…

To know the Brewster family is to know hard work, dedication and at times sacrifice. Bryan Niehaus and Alison Brewster, met in the summer of 1986 at one of Bud’s hike camps and the two hit it off. Not before long Alison saw how impressive Bryans mechanical skills were, all self-taught from growing up on a farm in central Alberta, and realized he wasn’t afraid of hard work. Bud took a liking to Bryan as well from his tenacious spirit and ability to accomplish anything he set his mind to. Bryan became a member of the family and, of course, the family business when the two got married in the spring of 1991.

Alison and Bryan helped Bud’s dream of building a back country lodge come to life and dedicated 25 years from negotiating with Parks Canada, building every cabin and operating the lodge seasonally, to selling the lodge to the Alpine Club of Canada in 2019. Alison and Bryan were stewards of the land and have left an amazing legacy for other to enjoy.

Brewster Mountain Lodge was another one of Bud’s dreams, built in 1990, Alison took over operations in 2008 at the height of the economic downturn. She worked tirelessly and never gave up honoring a commitment to her family. Alison with her husband Bryan now own and operate Brewster Mountain Lodge with their two daughters Morgan and Joleen.

The Next Generation of Brewsters

Bud, 4th generation Brewster in Banff, began to take the task of his family’s enterprises. The family owned several lodges including Lake O’Hara. Bud met his wife Annett at Lake O’Hara when she came from a small town in central Alberta to cook at the lodge. The two married in 1959, by which time Bud had taken over the operation of Brewster’s Mountain Pack Trains, outfitting the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies, Skyline Hikers, backcountry camping groups during the summer months as well as the trail riding concession the had with CP Hotels in Banff and Lake Louise. By 1962, he purchased the company from his father.

Bud’s grandfather, W.A. (Bill), fondly referred to as “The Boss”, owned property on Caribou Street, when The Boss died in 1970, Bud pursued ownership since no other family member appeared interested. Buying out the shareholders, Bud acquired the property in 1974 with the idea of developing a hotel. That did not happen, so Bud, the builder, developed his grandfather’s property into retail, office & apartment space. Always with the future in mind, he acquired adjacent property, believing that one day; he would be able to build a hotel. When Banff became a town in 1990 and, with rezoning, he got his wish. With the help and planning of his daughter Janet, and a fabulous architect, the new Brewster’s Mountain Lodge came to fruition.

Moving Forward

Bud and Annette have three daughters, Janet, Corinne, and Alison, who have given them five grandchildren, now the sixth generation of Canadians.

“It is an absolute honour to run this business with my family in the town that the Brewster’s have called home for over a century. I am proud and excited that my husband, daughters, and I can uphold my family’s legacy and invite people from around the world to experience the place that we’re fortunate enough to call home.”

– Alison Brewster

About the Brewster Family

Brewster Mountain Lodge is owned and operated by Alison Brewster, Bryan Niehaus, and their daughters Morgan and Joleen. The family, made up of fifth and sixth generation Banff National Park residents, is still in awe of the incredible terrain that they get to live and work within. For over a century, the Brewster family has built their lives and livelihood around sharing the enchantment of Banff National Park with others, and Brewster Mountain Lodge is founded upon that spirit.

The property is warm and inviting in part because of it’s gorgeous, handcrafted pine wood furnishings and Rocky Mountain-inspired aesthetic, but also thanks to the incredible staff. The hotel has a small team of just under 30 people who work together to make the guests feel at home and energized about their stay in Banff National Park. The staff members, like the guests, have travelled from around the world to witness Banff for themselves. As many travellers have found in the past, Banff isn’t an easy place to leave behind. Brewster’s passionate team are dynamic and knowledgeable about the area as many of them spend their days off hiking, skiing, camping, and exploring the mountains.

Sixth Generation

If you’ve visited the hotel recently, you’ve likely encountered Morgan or Joleen Niehaus, the youngest generation to join the family business. The sisters were born and raised in Banff by parents Alison Brewster and Bryan Niehaus. They each carry the family name, Brewster, as their middle names. Morgan and Joleen grew up alongside the family business, understanding the importance of hard work from a very young age and being included in conversations and business decisions for as long as they can remember.

They grew up understanding the immense privilege of calling the mountains home while also seeing the importance of upholding their family legacy. Morgan and Joleen both currently work in the family business. The sisters are energized to implement the knowledge they’ve accumulated throughout their lives as well as their learnings from beyond Banff.

Fifth Generation

Fourth Generation

To truly understand the story behind Brewster Mountain Lodge, it’s important to understand the story of Alison’s parents: Bud and Annette. Like most Brewsters, Bud was born and raised in Banff National Park and the family business was as much part of him as the family name.

In 1957, Annette got a summer job at Lake O’Hara Lodge in Yoho National Park. She travelled by bus along what is now Highway 1A. In her first letter home, she described the thrill of approaching the mountains for the first time.

“On the way, I was kind of afraid of the mountains, but when we got to the foothills, I just couldn’t wait to get into them. They kept getting bigger and bigger as we got closer. Then when I saw that first mountain, I just felt like I belonged,” she wrote, unaware of what the future held for her.

In one of her letters, she wrote briefly about a young man with a lot of responsibilities, Bud Brewster, whose family operated lodges at Lake O’Hara, Lake Wapta, Yoho Valley and Twin Falls through Brewster and Ford Mountain Lodges. At that point, however, Bud was the second boss and “about twenty-five, nice, with lots and lots of worries so that his hair is turning grey already,” wrote Annette.

Bud Brewster was a Brewster in every way, including his rebellious and stubborn streaks, and while he naturally followed his family into the tourism business, he did it in his own way. He was forward-thinking and astute and knew what tourists wanted, and even in the 1950s, he knew they sought authentic mountain experiences.

He was an accomplished individual with considerable business insight, savvy and drive. Bud was loved and respected (he still is). He was also tenacious and capable and showed great vision, just like his great-grandfather, John; his grandfather, Bill and his father, Claude.

“Our involvement began slowly,” Annette once said. “I was living in Calgary and working in the credit department at Eaton’s. I loved my job; I was independent and making my own way. Bud would call occasionally, and soon I was persuaded to come back to Banff. Though Bud was older, we seemed to share so much in common. I admired his ambition, and I think he liked my common sense.

Bud and Annette married on September 19, 1959.

Retirement wasn’t part of Annette and Bud’s vocabulary, and they remained advisors, mentors and advocates for the family business even after they stepped away from it. They continued to live in Banff in the house that Annette designed, and Bud built on Buffalo Street, and they spent their summers at their cabin at the Kananaskis Guest Ranch. Most of all, they loved spending time with their grandchildren Lacey, Bailee, Morgan, Jolene and River.

In 2010, the Alberta Business Family Institute at the University of Alberta honoured the Brewster family, recognizing their entrepreneurial spirit and the work that had gone into creating and operating these businesses.

Bud died on Feb. 10, 2012, at the age of 83. Annette now lives in the MorningStar House at Origin in the Spring Creek neighbourhood of Canmore, and she enjoys crafts, singing and adventurous outings. She lives close to her family, and her face lights up when they come for a visit.

Further Back

Of course, the Brewster family history in Banff dates much further back. In fact, the journey began as early as the 1940s.

The Hotel

People travel from around the world to witness the breathtaking scenery of Banff National Park. Located right in the heart of it all, you’ll find Brewster Mountain Lodge, a welcoming boutique hotel on the corner of Caribou and Bear Street in downtown Banff. The Brewster Family proudly honours over a century of western Canadian tradition by providing their guests with comfortable accommodations surrounded by the splendor of the Canadian Rockies.

Owners Alison Brewster, Bryan Niehaus, and their daughters Morgan and Joleen are fifth and sixth generation Banff National Park residents. The family is committed to making visitors feel at home, providing the Banff experience through a local’s lens and are delighted to share their home with you.

Walk into the lobby of the hotel, with its Rundle rock fireplace, iron forged arrow chandelier, walls adorned with Navajo rugs and be greeted by staff members that are friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about making your stay unforgettable.

The 68 rooms and 9 suites offer a welcoming retreat after a day of engaging mountain adventure. No two rooms are the same, providing a unique and authentic stay, for our guests to experience. Inside your room you will find handcrafted pine log furnishings, historic photos from the Brewster Family archives, and beautiful Pendleton blankets.

The property features heated underground parking, complementary WiFi, a dry cedar sauna and fitness area, as well as a small conference room, mezzanine, and outdoor courtyard great for small gatherings. Additionally, the hotel has a restaurant and several local retail shops, many accessible from within the lobby.

Brewster Mountain Lodge is Banff’s only hotel property on Banff’s new Bear Street, a pedestrian-friendly street in the heart of downtown. Our guests get the benefit of convenience being in the center of an incredible food, craft beer, and art gallery scene, so they’re able to focus on the experience.

Brewster Mountain Lodge is located on the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta. In spirit of respect, reciprocity and truth, we honour and acknowledge the land in Banff National Park that we reside on. Comprised of the Stoney Nakoda Nations of Wesley, Chiniki, and Bearspaw; three Nations of the Blackfoot Confederacy: the Pikani, Kainai, and Siksika; and the Tsuu T’ina of the Dene people. Treaty 7 territory is also shared with the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. Before the signing of Treaty 7, and prior to the establishment of provincial boundaries, this region was also used by the Ktunaxa and the Maskwacis people. We acknowledge the past, present, and future generations of these Nations who help us steward this land, as well as honour and celebrate this place.

We adore the land we stand on and we are proudly committed to our current sustainability practices while actively welcoming new avenues for sustainability and environmentally conscious operations. We actively participate in practices such as recycling and upcycling to reduce our facility’s waste. We also make an effort to take our commitments a step further by reducing our overall single-use plastic by providing environmentally-friendly soap in every room and refinishing our custom log furniture instead of replacing, for example. While there is always room to grow in the realm of sustainability, we recognize our privilege to exist in this awe-inspiring place and we are committed to reducing our environmental impact.

Brewster Mountain Lodge is rooted in over 100 years of history. If you’d like to learn more about the family and hotel’s heritage, click below.