Group photo of a Kitimat swim club, likely at the Sam Lindsay Memorial Pool but possibly at the YMCA (later Riverlodge). Four rows of kids standing in the pool in their swimwear. Photo is encased in a yellowish-tan paper portrait folder with "Kitimat Photo, Max Patzelt" written on the frame.
A children's winter swim club was formed in October 1971 at the Sam Lindsay Memorial Pool, which had opened in summer of that year. By July 1972, this club had diverged into the Kitimat YMCA Swim Club and the Kitimat Marlins swim team.
Custodial History
Donated by Lindsay White on March 25th 2024.
Scope and Content
Group photo of a Kitimat swim club, likely at the Sam Lindsay Memorial Pool but possibly at the YMCA (later Riverlodge). Four rows of kids standing in the pool in their swimwear. Photo is encased in a yellowish-tan paper portrait folder with "Kitimat Photo, Max Patzelt" written on the frame.
Notes
Back row L-R: Richard Goddard, unknown boy, Robyn or Robin (last name unknown), Cynthia Louttit, Linda Reay, Linda MacGowan, Peter Gaube, Lindsay White, Peter Griffiths (coach).
3rd row L-R: Mike Goddard, Tom Whyte, Bobby MacGowan, Lee Marleau, Steve Goddard, 2 unknown boys.
2nd row L-R: Angelica Mueller, Donna Lynn Marleau, unknown girl, Jeanette Reay, unknown girl, Carin Joan, Janet MacGowan, Holly Ferguson, Nora Loutit.
Front row L-R: unknown boy, Eugene Gyorfi, 2 unknown boys, Diane Goddard, unknown girl, Konst (first name known), Dean Goddard, Patti Goddard, Misty Lacasse.
Aerial photograph of a large crowd holding a Canada flag in a soccer field. Taken for Kitimat's 50th anniversary. Two logos in bottom left and right corners of photo: Kitimat Celebrating 50 Years 1953 to 2003, and Monarch Cablesystems Ltd. (a defunct television and internet provider in B.C. and Alberta).
Found inside Clague Mountain logbook donated by Gisela Mendel's daughter on November 14th 2023.
Scope and Content
Aerial photograph of a large crowd holding a Canada flag in a soccer field. Taken for Kitimat's 50th anniversary. Two logos in bottom left and right corners of photo: Kitimat Celebrating 50 Years 1953 to 2003, and Monarch Cablesystems Ltd. (a defunct television and internet provider in B.C. and Alberta).
In 1987, Max Patzelt donated his photograph and negative collection - over 10,000 images - to the Museum. This talented and prolific photographer and businessman operated Kitimat Photo Supply and Max's Photo Studio for over 25 years.
Max took portraits of Kitimat citizens - babies, wedding parties, school classes, sports teams, local government - and recorded events for the Northern Sentinel and Alcan's ingot. School District No. 80 published many of Max's photos in promotional materials to attract teachers to Kitimat. Max photographed for Alcan and processed prints for the ingot.
Max became a resident of Kitimat in 1956 when he hired on at Alcan as a stud puller. He arrived in Kitimat with a camera around his neck. After a year in the lines, he had had enough. He resigned from Alcan, packed his bags and headed for the CN station to head to Vancouver.
Fred Ryan had recently established his photo studio, Kitimat Photo, retail photo processing and the town's only industrial photographers located in the Smeltersite recreation hall. Fred had heard of Max's photographic knowledge and rushed to the train station to offer Max a job running the new processing machine.
Max joined Kitimat Photo and was quickly "up to his ears in negatives" (ingot, May 22, 1987). They couldn't keep photographic equipment in stock - everyone who came for work in Kitimat purchased a camera. Max recalled that during the July 1 parade in 1957, he processed approximately 3,000 rolls of black and white film. It took days to process them all. With a new town and smelter, and surrounded by innovation, photography was just booming in Kitimat. Alcan wanted to document its construction events for both town and smelter, and workers wanted to document their time here.
Max and partner, Hazel Hatton, opened Kitimat Photo Supply Ltd. in City Centre in 1960. Max and Hazel operated the business until 1967 when Max moved the portrait studio, Max's Photo Studio Ltd., to Service Centre, and operated until 1987. Hazel kept the retail business Kitimat Photo in City Centre and operated until 1985.
Scope and Content
Three green binders containing the Max Patzelt Photo Collection Directory.
Photograph of a group standing in front of the Giant Spruce Park entrance. From left to right the people are Joanne Monaghan, James Tirrul-Jones, John Lesage, E. Germuth, and Ron Baumeister. Bottom right corner of photo has a gold Max Patzelt embossment.
Photograph of a group standing in front of the Giant Spruce Park entrance. From left to right the people are Joanne Monaghan, James Tirrul-Jones, John Lesage, E. Germuth, and Ron Baumeister. Bottom right corner of photo has a gold Max Patzelt embossment.
