Donor visits National Bison Range to don historic coat

When Courtney Gimbel came across a buffalo fur coat hanging on the wall of a general store in the Peace River Valley of Alberta, Canada, in 1955, he was intrigued enough to offer $60 for the piece. It wasn’t for another 60 years, when Gimbel was cleaning out his closet, that the coat’s true value set in.

“I was going to give it to my nephew,” Gimbel said. “But then it struck me that this belongs in a museum.”

That destination wound up being the visitor center at the National Bison Range, which began displaying the item in 2016. Last week, Gimbel traveled from his current residence in Creston, British Columbia, to view his prized possession at its new home, and don the antique garment one more time.

“I want to personally thank you for this great contribution,” Jeff King, project manager at the National Bison Range Complex, told Gimbel during a ceremony Friday morning recognizing the donation. “I’ve never seen one like it.”

Manufactured by the Prince Albert Fur Company, the dense, boot-length robe is estimated to be over 100 years old.

Gimbel’s cousin Harold Kindopp, who accompanied him on the trip, said that the coats were commonly worn by early members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to protect them from the harsh conditions encountered in the northern territories.

Gimbel’s said his particular model was originally owned by the town doctor, who traded it to the general store to pay for a grocery bill. Under Gimbel’s possession the fur was primarily stored in a closet, contributing to its pristine condition.

“We’ve had museums asking us ‘Where did you get this?’’ said Laura King, a refuge program specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Once he decided to donate the coat, Gimbel said he immediately thought of the bison range, which he had visited several times in the past.

“We couldn’t turn it down. It’s an amazing gift,” King said. “This will be part of the range forever.”

For Gimbel, it’s a fitting destination for the historical treasure. Kindopp said the opportunity to see the coat displayed front and center at the range provided his 89-year-old cousin with motivation in recent works.

“He’s been marking the days off the calendar,” Kindopp said. “He needed something to spur him.”

This excitement was evident as Gimbel was helped from his wheelchair to wear the coat once again, for old time’s sake.

“I’m so glad you got to have it,” he said, beaming at the bison range staff. “It’s in good hands.”