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.
23 maps of northwestern British Columbia, from the Seven Sisters westward to Port Essington.
2018.9.1a-b – Seven Sisters / Dorreen
2018.9.2a-c – Usk / Chist Creek
2018.9.3a-c – Lakelse / Terrace
2018.9.4a-b – Alastair Lake
2018.9.5a-b – Salvus, Coast District Range 5
2018.9.6a-d – Ecstall River / Port Essington
2018.9.7a-g – Kitimat Arm, Kildala River, Mt. Aetna, Mount Elizabeth, Mount Davies, private logging roads
Maps were collected and annotated by Gisela Mendel throughout her time in northwest BC and donated to the Museum in 2018.
Scope and Content
23 maps of northwestern British Columbia, from the Seven Sisters westward to Port Essington.
2018.9.1a-b – Seven Sisters / Dorreen
2018.9.2a-c – Usk / Chist Creek
2018.9.3a-c – Lakelse / Terrace
2018.9.4a-b – Alastair Lake
2018.9.5a-b – Salvus, Coast District Range 5
2018.9.6a-d – Ecstall River / Port Essington
2018.9.7a-g – Kitimat Arm, Kildala River, Mt. Aetna, Mount Elizabeth, Mount Davies, private logging roads
One VHS Tape containing footage of Lord Alexander School Christmas Concert 1995. Black plastic vhs tape with white label on top. Multicoloured cassette case. Brand name 'Sony'.
One VHS Tape containing footage of Lord Alexander School Christmas Concert 1995. Black plastic vhs tape with white label on top. Multicoloured cassette case. Brand name 'Sony'.
One VHS Tape containing footage of Lord Alexander School Christmas Concert 1990 and Lip Synch 1991. Black plastic vhs tape with white label on top. White and multicoloured cassette case. Brand name 'Polaroid'.
One VHS Tape containing footage of Lord Alexander School Christmas Concert 1990 and Lip Synch 1991. Black plastic vhs tape with white label on top. White and multicoloured cassette case. Brand name 'Polaroid'.
One VHS Tape containing footage of Lord Alexander School attending the Nanakila Pole Raising in Kemano, White and multicoloured cassette case. Brand name 'Fuji'.
One VHS Tape containing footage of Lord Alexander School attending the Nanakila Pole Raising in Kemano, White and multicoloured cassette case. Brand name 'Fuji'.
One VHS Tape containing footage of Lord Alexander School visiting Barkerville, May 1993, Grade 5. White and multicoloured cassette case. Brand name 'TDK'.
One VHS Tape containing footage of Lord Alexander School visiting Barkerville, May 1993, Grade 5. White and multicoloured cassette case. Brand name 'TDK'.
One VHS Tape containing footage of "Seekwyakin Family Day". Produced for Alcan and K.C.P. by Storyteller Services Inc. Black VHS tape inside a black plastic case. Brand name '3M'
One VHS Tape containing footage of "Seekwyakin Family Day". Produced for Alcan and K.C.P. by Storyteller Services Inc. Black VHS tape inside a black plastic case. Brand name '3M'
Two copies of a black VHS tape, it has no label or box cover. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. There is information with how to use the tape at the front.
Two copies of a black VHS tape, it has no label or box cover. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. There is information with how to use the tape at the front.
Physical Condition
Poor
Material
plastic
metal
Condition Remarks
Sent to Lifetime Heritage Films for digitization in February 2024 and found to contain only static and garbled audio. May have been recorded using a VCR that was out of alignment.
Two copies of a black VHS tape, it has no label. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. There is information with how to use the tape at the front of the tape. it is a sound and color video tape.
Two copies of a black VHS tape, it has no label. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. There is information with how to use the tape at the front of the tape. it is a sound and color video tape.
Physical Condition
Poor
Material
plastic
metal
Condition Remarks
Sent to Lifetime Heritage Films for digitization in February 2024 and found to contain only static and garbled audio. May have been recorded using a VCR that was out of alignment.
VHS tape containing 2 hrs 42 min of footage of the 19th Annual Aluminum City Telethon (1998), hosted by Doug Smith. Acts include: Kidz Sing Choir, Jazz Cats, Spice Girls Live, Dennis Rudolph reading poetry, FAS (youth rock band), Five (girl dance group), Mike Schuss singing and playing guitar, dancers Chantel, Christine, and Steph, Guaranteed (band) and Bill Hunt singing and playing guitar.
VHS tape containing 2 hrs 42 min of footage of the 19th Annual Aluminum City Telethon (1998), hosted by Doug Smith. Acts include: Kidz Sing Choir, Jazz Cats, Spice Girls Live, Dennis Rudolph reading poetry, FAS (youth rock band), Five (girl dance group), Mike Schuss singing and playing guitar, dancers Chantel, Christine, and Steph, Guaranteed (band) and Bill Hunt singing and playing guitar.
VHS tape containing [hr min] of footage of the 19th Annual Aluminum City Telethon, hosted by Doug Smith. Acts include the Taekwondo Club, FilCan Spice Girls, car wash grads, Kitimat Concert Band, Mount Elizabeth Jazz Band, Renee Geronimo, FilCan dance group (Sacouting?), Kitimat Community Band, Kitimat Jazz Ambassadors.
VHS tape containing [hr min] of footage of the 19th Annual Aluminum City Telethon, hosted by Doug Smith. Acts include the Taekwondo Club, FilCan Spice Girls, car wash grads, Kitimat Concert Band, Mount Elizabeth Jazz Band, Renee Geronimo, FilCan dance group (Sacouting?), Kitimat Community Band, Kitimat Jazz Ambassadors.
A black VHS tape for the 1998 telethon. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. There is information with how to use the tape at the front of the tape. it is a sound and color video tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "ACT 1998 Tape 3 25/10/98"
A black VHS tape for the 1998 telethon. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. There is information with how to use the tape at the front of the tape. it is a sound and color video tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "ACT 1998 Tape 3 25/10/98"
A black VHS tape for the 1998 telethon. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. There is information with how to use the tape at the front of the tape. it is a sound and color video tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "ACT 1998 Tape 4 25/10/98"
A black VHS tape for the 1998 telethon. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. There is information with how to use the tape at the front of the tape. it is a sound and color video tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "ACT 1998 Tape 4 25/10/98"
A black VHS tape for the telethon, with box case it has no date. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. It is a sound and color video tape and more information at back of box about how to use the tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "Tape #1"
A black VHS tape for the telethon, with box case it has no date. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. It is a sound and color video tape and more information at back of box about how to use the tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "Tape #1"
A black VHS tape for the telethon, with box case it has no date. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. It is a sound and color video tape and more information at back of box about how to use the tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "Tape #3"
A black VHS tape for the telethon, with box case it has no date. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. It is a sound and color video tape and more information at back of box about how to use the tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "Tape #3"
A black VHS tape for the telethon, with box case it has no date. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. It is a sound and color video tape and more information at back of box about how to use the tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "Tape #4"
A black VHS tape for the telethon, with box case it has no date. The brand is TDK and has two clear plastic windows to view the tape inside. The back has white turnable wheels to turn the tape. It is a sound and color video tape and more information at back of box about how to use the tape. the label at the side has markings that read: "Tape #4"
