The Jasper Chronicles Pt 3: Time Capsule | Athabasca Swirl

The Athabasca Swirl: A 1972 Reunion

​I’d like to begin with a preface: I did not need any more furniture in my home.
However, fate had other plans. I happened to be supporting a local shop just as their truck returned from the Jasper Park Lodge, brimming with a mismatched collection of history the JPL was moving to discard during their current massive renovation. As these two stools were unloaded, I laid claim to them instantly. It was love at first sight.
When we were told they wouldn't be priced until later that afternoon, I did what any rational collector would do: I sent Rick down to secure them. In the meantime, my oldest daughter also laid eyes on them and decided she needed them for her own home. Being a mother, I was prepared to graciously (if sadly) step aside... only to find out shortly after she brought them home that they didn't quite suit her aesthetic. I have never been so happy to 'buy back' my own discovery!
When I first got them, they were dressed in that classic, somewhat weary 1990s Fairmont hotel fabric. It was in rough shape, and I fully intended to strip them down to the bone. But as I began to remove that waxy-backed upholstery, the most amazing thing happened: the sweet scent of wood smoke filled the room, and an incredible swirl-patterned fabric emerged in absolutely pristine condition.
There was no way I was covering this up.
My research led me to a wonderful discovery: these backless stools were commissioned by the CNR in 1972—the very same year I was born. While I was just beginning my own story, these stools were beginning theirs in the guest rooms of the Athabasca wing. Finding them now, fifty-odd years later, feels less like a purchase and more like a reunion. We’ve both weathered a few decades, seen a few changes, and now we’ve both found our way to this beautiful home in the mountains.
The Historical Context 1972 was the final year of a massive 15-year modernization program at JPL (1956–1972). The goal was to move away from 'Old World' rustic and into 'Canadian Modern.'
The Fabric This swirl pattern was a custom commission designed to reflect the glacial rock flour that creates the turquoise eddies in the Athabasca River.
The Secret Protection Layer That red, waxy-backed fabric of the 90s acted as a sort of accidental 'shrink-wrap.' It didn’t just save the tapestry from fifty years of coffee and gin spills; it preserved the structural integrity of the fibers by keeping the moisture levels stable. When it was finally removed, it released what I can only call 'Lodge Perfume'—the scent of thousands of nights by the fire, trapped under a layer of tacky red vinyl. While that red fabric was undoubtedly a 'style crime' of the 1990s, I actually owe those decorators a debt of gratitude. Without that barrier, this original 1972 tapestry would likely be faded, stained, or have lost its incredible wood-smoke soul to the open air.
In My Home Today, they provide a stunning pop of gold, blue-green, and cream against the backdrop of the mountains from our bedroom wing.

Likely Location in the Lodge 
While these were likely originally commissioned for the guest rooms of the Athabasca Wing in 1972, their pristine condition and that unmistakable scent of sweet wood smoke suggest a more storied journey. At a property like the JPL, high-quality heritage pieces often 'migrated' into the Signature Luxury Cabins during subsequent room refreshes. It was likely there, tucked away in a quiet corner near a grand stone hearth, that they spent decades absorbing the 'Lodge Perfume' before being sealed away under that layer of red vinyl—just waiting for the day they’d finally head home with me.

Check out my other Jasper Park Lodge Finds here:

Explore the Jasper Chronicles