Three cassette tapes contain recordings of Jeff Legaik speaking, telling Haisla stories. Tape one - Grpsaxtlaga historical story, GoGitwvn frog story Xaisla, GoGitwvn frog story Haida, Gitwvn stories copied. 1. Haida song of Gitwvnstaz, 10. Gitwvn frog story (English), Legaik Carpenter story copied, 10. Carpenter story Xaisla, 60. Carpenter lullaby Xaisla for babies who will be carpenters, 65. Carpenter story English. Tape two - Continued Haisla stories, copied Legaic Carpenter story 1-100, founding of Kitamaat, Haistal first translation English of Chief Jasee and Legaic. Tape 3 - Tsum-gwis story Haisla lngual 1-30, english translation 30-40, Abuux-dla-lumgwaxs story in Haisla language. English translation of Abuux-dla-lumgwaxs 1-35. Three cassette copies, three digital cd copies. Textual records consist of typewritten and hand-edited versions of the stories on the tapes, by Gisela Mendel.
Museum curator Gisela Mendel recorded Jeff Legaik (Haisla Chief) telling Haisla stories. She then transcribed the tapes, then created 'Kitamaat Stories'. The tapes were copied onto new cassettes. In 2015 the recordings were digitized onto cds.
Scope and Content
Three cassette tapes contain recordings of Jeff Legaik speaking, telling Haisla stories. Tape one - Grpsaxtlaga historical story, GoGitwvn frog story Xaisla, GoGitwvn frog story Haida, Gitwvn stories copied. 1. Haida song of Gitwvnstaz, 10. Gitwvn frog story (English), Legaik Carpenter story copied, 10. Carpenter story Xaisla, 60. Carpenter lullaby Xaisla for babies who will be carpenters, 65. Carpenter story English. Tape two - Continued Haisla stories, copied Legaic Carpenter story 1-100, founding of Kitamaat, Haistal first translation English of Chief Jasee and Legaic. Tape 3 - Tsum-gwis story Haisla lngual 1-30, english translation 30-40, Abuux-dla-lumgwaxs story in Haisla language. English translation of Abuux-dla-lumgwaxs 1-35. Three cassette copies, three digital cd copies. Textual records consist of typewritten and hand-edited versions of the stories on the tapes, by Gisela Mendel.
Folder containing blueprints for Kitimat homes possibily belonging to the Baxter family. First blueprint is a small sheet with a two-bedroom smeltersite home plan (1952). Second is the interior of a single floor townsite home (Mar 2 1956). Third is the exterior of a single floor townsite home (Mar 2 1956).
Malcolm Baxter died in 2020. His father Basil, was very instrumental in the organization of Kitimat in the early years. Basil was married to Cathy Baxter and they had two sons - Malcolm and Michael.
Custodial History
Part of items collected by Malcolm Baxter, former editer of NSP. Brought into the museum by Judith Cullington, Malcolm's sister-in-law.
Scope and Content
Folder containing blueprints for Kitimat homes possibily belonging to the Baxter family. First blueprint is a small sheet with a two-bedroom smeltersite home plan (1952). Second is the interior of a single floor townsite home (Mar 2 1956). Third is the exterior of a single floor townsite home (Mar 2 1956).
Notes
Townsite home plans from Central Mortgage and Housing Corp. Kitimat Branch 961-965
Photographs showing a 1 metre diameter tree which was notched in the past but has grown over, a cache pit made into the base of a tree, and an iron ring hanging on a rope near the cache pit.
2 photograph prints : color ; 12.5 x 9cm
1 photograph print : color ; 9 x 12.5cm
Custodial History
Photographs taken by James Tirrul-Jones in his role as museum curator.
Scope and Content
Photographs showing a 1 metre diameter tree which was notched in the past but has grown over, a cache pit made into the base of a tree, and an iron ring hanging on a rope near the cache pit.
Photographs of a pioneer site in the area of the Upper Kitimat River. Photographs include a pitted cedar tree, an old cabin site, test pits, old boots found at cabin site, an old dugout, and notched/squared off logs.
14 photograph prints : b&w ; 9 x 12.5cm
4 photograph prints : b&w ; 12.5 x 9cm
Custodial History
Photographs taken by James Tirrul-Jones in his role as museum curator.
Scope and Content
Photographs of a pioneer site in the area of the Upper Kitimat River. Photographs include a pitted cedar tree, an old cabin site, test pits, old boots found at cabin site, an old dugout, and notched/squared off logs.
This English-Haisla dictionary was assembled throughout the 1970s and early 1980s by Kitimat Centennial Museum Curator Gisela Mendel and linguist Hein 'Henry' Vink from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, with the help of numerous Haisla speakers, including Jeffrey Legaik, Amelia Grant, Kay Grant, Louise Barbetti, Melissa Woods, Irene Starr, and others.
Custodial History
Retained by the Kitimat Museum & Archives; formally accessioned in February 2024.
Scope and Content
Flash cards containing Haisla and English vocabulary.
Notes
Words in green were gathered by Hein Vink and words in black were gathered by Gisela Mendel.
John Ware was a past employee of the Kitimat Town Planning Department (1957-1959). He was hired by Hollister Kent, Planning Director for Kitimat. During his two years here, Dr. ware designed the first Kitimat street signs, the Haisla Boulevard overpass, and the Hirsch Creek Park shelter centennial project (1858-1958). He was layed off when Alcan lost major Aluminum buyers and the town expansion halted, resulting in a cut back of Kirtimat employees. He then moved to the USA.
Custodial History
Donated by John Ware.
Scope and Content
Photographs of the Haisla Boulevard pedestrian walkway bridge. Photos include bridge before centre support was installed, and after.
Notes
Further info on the walkway bridge - the pedestrian overpass was designed by John Ware to carry people, heavy wet snow loads and walkway snow plow, with a large saftey factor. The central span was designed as the maximum length of concrete double 'Tee' beam that could be carried on an open flatbed railroad car through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The pre-stressed central span was supported on each end by poured reinforced concrete cantilevers built clear of the multi-lane highway. Initial structural calculations were done out by the very capable Kitimat Town Engineer Graydon. His calculations were checked by Kitimat's consulting engineering firm in Vancouver. Ware's design and the engineer's calculations were then sent to a pre-stressed concrete manufacturer in Calgary. When the beam arrived it was properly installed between the two cantilevers, and metal handrails were added just before the winter snow arrived. The bridge was deseigned to self support without any needed centre support. However, when city officials saw the light looking long span walkway bridge they decided that it was too fragile and that a column must be placed at mid span to give it adequate support. This decision would result in a fatal vehicle accident, as wet snows caused a driver to lose control and crash into it.
John Ware was a past employee of the Kitimat Town Planning Department (1957-1959). He was hired by Hollister Kent, Planning Director for Kitimat. During his two years here, Dr. ware designed the first Kitimat street signs, the Haisla Boulevard overpass, and the Hirsch Creek Park shelter centennial project (1858-1958). He was layed off when Alcan lost major Aluminum buyers and the town expansion halted, resulting in a cut back of Kirtimat employees. He then moved to the USA.
Custodial History
Donated by John Ware.
Scope and Content
Photographs of the Haisla Boulevard pedestrian walkway bridge concept.
Preliminary sketch design for walkway bridge over 4 lane divided highway. Designed by Jack Ware in collaboration with:
Kitimat municipal structural engineer-Bryan Graydon
Kitimat municipal structural engineering consultants-Vancouver
Note
Center prestressed beam is supported by the cantilevered beams at each end
Prestressed beam was the longest beam that could be carried on a rail flatbed car across tocky mountains in 1958
Design of supports was simplified to round columns for ease of construction
Notes
Further info on the walkway bridge - the pedestrian overpass was designed by John Ware to carry people, heavy wet snow loads and walkway snow plow, with a large saftey factor. The central span was designed as the maximum length of concrete double 'Tee' beam that could be carried on an open flatbed railroad car through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The pre-stressed central span was supported on each end by poured reinforced concrete cantilevers built clear of the multi-lane highway. Initial structural calculations were done out by the very capable Kitimat Town Engineer Graydon. His calculations were checked by Kitimat's consulting engineering firm in Vancouver. Ware's design and the engineer's calculations were then sent to a pre-stressed concrete manufacturer in Calgary. When the beam arrived it was properly installed between the two cantilevers, and metal handrails were added just before the winter snow arrived. The bridge was deseigned to self support without any needed centre support. However, when city officials saw the light looking long span walkway bridge they decided that it was too fragile and that a column must be placed at mid span to give it adequate support. This decision would result in a fatal vehicle accident, as wet snows caused a driver to lose control and crash into it.
Newspaper Clippings Girl Guides
- It's Guide Cookie Week, April 28th, 1958
- Dedication of flag at Morning Service, Christ Church, June 10 by 2nd company Kitimat Girl Guides.
Gabriel (Gabor) Nyeste was one of the leaders of the Scouts of the First Kitimat Troop (Boy Scouts). He moved to Kitimat to work on the Alcan project and left in the early 60s. He passed away in Kamloops in July 2020.
Custodial History
Donated by Gabriel Nyeste, Aug 6 1983.
Scope and Content
Newspaper Clippings Girl Guides
- It's Guide Cookie Week, April 28th, 1958
- Dedication of flag at Morning Service, Christ Church, June 10 by 2nd company Kitimat Girl Guides.
