Black book containing "History of our Cabin up Clague Mt.," photocopies of the cabin's logbook from September 1960 to January 1969, several photocopied pictures from 1970, a typewritten logbook of local and regional excursions taken by the Mendel family from 1963 to 1968, and several newspaper articles.
This material relates to a cabin on Clague Mountain, originally begun by Robert 'Bob' Hesse in the late 1950s and completed by Gisela's husband Hans in 1960. It remained in the Mendel family for 15 years before being demolished in 1975.
Custodial History
Donated to the Museum by Mendel's daughter, Fredrika Lyne, on November 14th 2023.
Scope and Content
Black book containing "History of our Cabin up Clague Mt.," photocopies of the cabin's logbook from September 1960 to January 1969, several photocopied pictures from 1970, a typewritten logbook of local and regional excursions taken by the Mendel family from 1963 to 1968, and several newspaper articles.
This fonds consists of materials created or collected by Gisela Mendel throughout her time in British Columbia, particularly during her tenure as the Museum's first curator (1969-1981). It is divided into three series:
Series 1: Photographs - approx. 330 photographs, negatives, and slides taken by Gisela Mendel, showing the local area, flora and fauna, Museum displays, Kitamaat Village and its residents, traditional Haisla cultural activities, etc.
Series 2: Kitimat Flora Collection - 12 boxes of pressed and dried flora from the local area, with associated information.
Series 3: Logbooks and scrapbooks - logbooks from Clague and Squirrel Mountains (1957-1969), accounts of Mendel family outings (1963-1968), scrapbook/photo album from Stikine road trip (1999), textual material and photos on regional hiking rails from binder on assembled by Gisela.
Series 4: Maps - 23 regional maps collected and annotated by Gisela.
ca. 10.5 cm textual material (logbooks, scrapbooks)
23 maps
History / Biographical
Gisela Heimbach Mendel was the first curator of the Kitimat Museum and Archives (then known as the Kitimat Centennial Museum). She was born in Germany in 1922 and worked as a pharmacist in East Prussia when the Russians invaded. She fled the Russians and immigrated to Canada in 1952 with her husband, Hans, and their children. Unhappy with the geography of Southern Ontario - in her words, she was a "mountain woman" - she chose Kitimat as her home.
In her earliest years in Kitimat (beginning 1956), Gisela collected botanical specimens for the Royal BC Museum in Victoria. She served as the first curator of the Kitimat Centennial Museum from the building's opening in 1969 until her retirement in 1981, when she and Hans moved to Smithers. Gisela was responsible for not only showcasing local art and history, but building a strong and varied permanent collection of artifacts and archival items upon which future curators could build.
As she was working in a relatively young community, town history was not considered a priority so much as regional history, natural history and Haisla First Nations cultural traditions, which Gisela documented with great intensity. One of her projects was creating an ethno-botanical dictionary with the help of Haisla elders, identifying the Haisla names and traditional uses for various plants. In 1972, the Northern Sentinel reported that each weekend Gisela made the rounds of her secret botanical hunting grounds to replace the display of floral specimens in her exhibits. She was a tremendous record-keeper and journalist, had a great life of the outdoors, and developed many close friendships in Kitimat and Kitamaat Village. Her thirst for information was incredible, and the Museum and the community benefitted immensely from her passion for gathering and recording knowledge. In the 1990s she received the Award of Merit from the BC Museums Association in recognition of her work. She passed away in 2008.
Custodial History
Materials in this fonds were created by Gisela Mendel during her time as Museum Curator, or donated by her, her family members, or other community members following her retirement.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of materials created or collected by Gisela Mendel throughout her time in British Columbia, particularly during her tenure as the Museum's first curator (1969-1981). It is divided into three series:
Series 1: Photographs - approx. 330 photographs, negatives, and slides taken by Gisela Mendel, showing the local area, flora and fauna, Museum displays, Kitamaat Village and its residents, traditional Haisla cultural activities, etc.
Series 2: Kitimat Flora Collection - 12 boxes of pressed and dried flora from the local area, with associated information.
Series 3: Logbooks and scrapbooks - logbooks from Clague and Squirrel Mountains (1957-1969), accounts of Mendel family outings (1963-1968), scrapbook/photo album from Stikine road trip (1999), textual material and photos on regional hiking rails from binder on assembled by Gisela.
Series 4: Maps - 23 regional maps collected and annotated by Gisela.
Fair; many documents have yellow glue stains on back (presumably from having been pasted into a scrapbook), many have slightly ragged edges.
History / Biographical
Dennis Tupman taught at Mount Elizabeth Secondary School from 1957 to 1971 and was well-regarded for developing the school's band program - the first in the community. He also led the United Church Choir, the Little Symphony, and the Community Choir; worked as a school counsellor; and volunteered with the Community Help Organization and the Family Forum Society. Under his leadership, the MESS Band travelled to Montreal to play at Expo 67, and won a Northwest provincial competition to play at Queen Elizabeth's visit to Vancouver in 1971.
Custodial History
Items were donated to the Museum on January 25th 2024 by Tupman's daughter, Raechel.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains 8 programmes for concerts and other events, collected by Tupman during his career in Kitimat.
Photocopied documents relating to John McLachlan's employment with Alcan.
1) Letter of employment, G. W. Whitehead (Alcan) to John McLachlan, offering position as Draughtsman in Kitimat. April 10th 1953
2) Letter of acceptance, John McLachlan to G.W. Whitehead. April 11th 1953
3) Alcan Personnel Department introduction form, to Mr. G. T. Malby, Resident Engineer, May 13th 1953
4) Invitation to join Retirement Income and Life Insurance Plan, Ian Maclean to John McLachlan, June 23rd 1954.
5) Account of duties as Senior Draughtsman, John McLachlan to W. H. Sparks, September 11th 1956.
John McLachlan arrived in Kitimat in 1953 as a 23-year-old immigrant and went on to work at Alcan's Property Engineering Department for almost 40 years. He started out as a land surveyor and cartographer in the town's early years and ended his career as a Senior Legal Draftsmen.
Custodial History
Donated by Jean Lunny, January 12th 2018
Scope and Content
Photocopied documents relating to John McLachlan's employment with Alcan.
1) Letter of employment, G. W. Whitehead (Alcan) to John McLachlan, offering position as Draughtsman in Kitimat. April 10th 1953
2) Letter of acceptance, John McLachlan to G.W. Whitehead. April 11th 1953
3) Alcan Personnel Department introduction form, to Mr. G. T. Malby, Resident Engineer, May 13th 1953
4) Invitation to join Retirement Income and Life Insurance Plan, Ian Maclean to John McLachlan, June 23rd 1954.
5) Account of duties as Senior Draughtsman, John McLachlan to W. H. Sparks, September 11th 1956.
The Kitimat Business and Professional Women's Club was founded in 1957. Its purpose was to provide a network for local businesswomen. The club sponsored international dinners, a graduation tea, & two scholarships. The club disbanded in 1977.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of scrapbooks and a financial ledger.
Notes
Title based on the content of the fonds. For conservation reasons, researchers are requested to use photocopies of the original Club records.
Formed in 1957, the Kitimat Fine Arts Association promoted cultural events in Kitimat, including art shows, symphony performances and workshops on art. The Association became inactive in 1960.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of the minutes of meetings of the Kitimat Fine Arts Association.
Jamieson came to Kitimat from Vancouver to work on the Alcan project in 1952. With his first pay cheque he bought a small "Pony Kodak" camera at the local store (Hudson Bay?), and started taking coloured slides of the Kitimat from 1952-1953. Left Kitimat at the end of August 1953 to move to Montreal.
Scope and Content
Collection of 167 slides of the Kitimat project taken from summer 1952 - summer 1953.
Fonds consists of over 200 photograph slides and photograph negatives from 1952 & 1953. Images are of Caisson dock construction, wharf and smeltersite construction.
Approximately 200 photograph slides and photographs
History / Biographical
Fred DeLory was an engineer on the Aluminum Company of Canada Ltd. smeltersite construction project f rom 1952 to 1953. He worked in an office that was located uphill from where the first pot lines were located. He went on to become a professor of civil engineering at the University of Toronto.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of over 200 photograph slides and photograph negatives from 1952 & 1953. Images are of Caisson dock construction, wharf and smeltersite construction.
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
Pictures, clippings, letters of early Girl Guide and Boy Scout Movement in Kitimat, B.C. 1955-1961.
Collection of photographs regarding early Kitimat and Kitimat Constructors. Photo content includes Kitimat Constructors equipment work ares, shops, bunkhouses, and camp, Anderson Creek Mess Hall - smelterite, Inside Delta King, Sports girls and boys basketball, and Hudson's Bay Trading.
Collection of photographs regarding early Kitimat and Kitimat Constructors. Photo content includes Kitimat Constructors equipment work ares, shops, bunkhouses, and camp, Anderson Creek Mess Hall - smelterite, Inside Delta King, Sports girls and boys basketball, and Hudson's Bay Trading.
2 photograph print : b&w ; 19 x 24cm
1 photograph print : b&w ; 24 x 17cm
1 photograph print : b&w ; 12.5 x 9cm
Custodial History
Photographs taken by Gisela Mendel in her role as museum curator.
Scope and Content
Four photographs showing a decaying totem pole at Kitselas Canyon (the fortress) and a view of the canyon looking North.
Notes
71.83 & 71.83.1 to 3 : Series number assigned as is due to these photographs being found at a later time after the collection was already entered into the database.
8 photograph prints : b&w ; 7 x 10.5cm
12 photograph prints : b&w ; 8 x 8cm
7 photograph prints : b&w ; 12.5 x 9cm
1 photograph print : b&w ; 7.5 x 6.5cm
Custodial History
Photographs taken by Gisela Mendel in her role as museum curator.
Scope and Content
Photographs of David Cordellas house ; Beaver Pond ; Schack close to Minette bay ; Various Fossils ; Copper River Fossil Beds.
Notes
76.15.1 to 14 , 76.15.15.2 to 5 , 76.15.16.14 to 16 , 76.15.17 to 27 (Missing 76.15.21 to 23 and 25)
: Series number assigned as is due to these photographs being found at a later time after the collection was already entered into the database.