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.
The fonds consists of minutes, financial records, correspondence, constitutions, and files pertaining to the Arts and Crafts Fairs, the creation of K.O.A.T.A. and a Juried Art Show. Also includes 4 rubber stamps, and an album containing clippings, pamphlets and photos, gallary forms, Kitimat Community Arts Council logo, and a guest book.
Founded in 1970, incorporated in 1971, the role of the Kitimat Community Arts Council was to increase and broaden the opportunities for Kitimat citizens to enjoy and to participate in cultural and creative arts activities. Some of these activities include Arts and Crafts Fairs, sponsoring cultural performances and lobbying for funding for the Mount Elizabeth Theatre building. The council also sponsored K.A.O.T.A., a store selling local arts and crafts. The council disbanded in 1994.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of minutes, financial records, correspondence, constitutions, and files pertaining to the Arts and Crafts Fairs, the creation of K.O.A.T.A. and a Juried Art Show. Also includes 4 rubber stamps, and an album containing clippings, pamphlets and photos, gallary forms, Kitimat Community Arts Council logo, and a guest book.
Notes
Title based on the contents of the fonds. 2 boxes + guest book.
The fonds includes minutes, correspondence, reports and plans, arts and crafts festival publicity, constitution, financial records, and scrapbook of the Kitimat Crafts Alive Society.
Kitimat Crafts Alive Society was formed in 1980. Its purposes included the promotion of arts and crafts in Kitimat by hosting and arts and crafts festival twice a year. The Society became inactive in 1983.
Scope and Content
The fonds includes minutes, correspondence, reports and plans, arts and crafts festival publicity, constitution, financial records, and scrapbook of the Kitimat Crafts Alive Society.
The Northern BC Winter Games Committee (Kitimat) was formed in 1983 to coordinate the local arrangements of the Northern BC Winter Games held in Kitimat in February 1985. The Committee disbanded shortly after the conclusion of the Games.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of minutes, program, guest book and scrapbook of the Northern BC Winter Games Committee (Kitimat).
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 correspondence letters from Basil and Malcolm Baxter.
VHS Cassettes collected or created by the Kitimat Centennial Museum (Kitimat Museum & Archives):
Launching of Canoe 'Haisla Nation'
Kitimat Port Facts
Fluoride
Totem - The Return of G'psgolox Pole
Alcan Historical Films - 1958-1965 - Generator No. 4, Port to the World, Man with a Thousand Hands
Alcan Historical Films - 1979-1991 - Kitimat: A New Generation, Kitimat/Kemano: Aluminum Legends
Kitimat/Kemano: New Dimensions
Kitimat Centennial Museum presents: An Evening with Roger Willcox (3 copies)
Riobamba
1990 Exhibits - Elem. School Art; Out of Shade; Museum (Mixed Filming); Oak Winter Scenes
Child Art - Elementary School, Out of Shade, Tour of Museum, Quilts Part I
Quilts Part II
Golden Mountain - Produced by RBCM
Lion's Dance, W.M. Pang
Golden Dragon Acrobats, Overture Concerts, Vancouver, BC
Design & Production Group, Shane Lunny Productions
B.C. Environment - Green Team, Here's The Dirt, Garbage is Resourceful
Oolichan Rushes, March 1992, Haisla Band, Interview with Cecil Paul, Variations on a Word, Victoria, BC
VHS Cassettes collected or created by the Kitimat Centennial Museum (Kitimat Museum & Archives):
Launching of Canoe 'Haisla Nation'
Kitimat Port Facts
Fluoride
Totem - The Return of G'psgolox Pole
Alcan Historical Films - 1958-1965 - Generator No. 4, Port to the World, Man with a Thousand Hands
Alcan Historical Films - 1979-1991 - Kitimat: A New Generation, Kitimat/Kemano: Aluminum Legends
Kitimat/Kemano: New Dimensions
Kitimat Centennial Museum presents: An Evening with Roger Willcox (3 copies)
Riobamba
1990 Exhibits - Elem. School Art; Out of Shade; Museum (Mixed Filming); Oak Winter Scenes
Child Art - Elementary School, Out of Shade, Tour of Museum, Quilts Part I
Quilts Part II
Golden Mountain - Produced by RBCM
Lion's Dance, W.M. Pang
Golden Dragon Acrobats, Overture Concerts, Vancouver, BC
Design & Production Group, Shane Lunny Productions
B.C. Environment - Green Team, Here's The Dirt, Garbage is Resourceful
Oolichan Rushes, March 1992, Haisla Band, Interview with Cecil Paul, Variations on a Word, Victoria, BC
Notes
There were three tapes in set of Alcan Historical Films. One was destroyed by the VHS Machine.
It contained:
Nechako Survey
Prelude to Kitimat
Powerline to Kitimat
