The Surf Inlet Gold Mine was located on Princess Royal Island above Surf Inlet. Limited production began in 1902 and then ceased in 1905. The mine reopened production in 1917, after major development occurred. It was then operated by the Tonapah Belmont Development Company of Philadelphia. The mine closed in 1926. Three mines were opened in 1934 by Surf Inlet Consolidated Gold Mines, including the Surf Inlet Mine, the Pugsley Mine and the Belmont Mine. These closed permanently in 1943.
Custodial History
Donated by Bulkley Valley Museum/Dirk Mendel
Scope and Content
Folder containing stack of correspondance with Mutual Life Assurance Co. of Canada from the Surf Inlet Consolodated Gold Mines Ltd from 1941.
Photographs of smeltersite panoramas. First panoramas ever taken of the area.
Notes
Smeltersite - lens 21 3/8 off board.. 24 for pictire at F11 + 8sec for sky rt hand pictire cutoff grad. 9 sec from end.
Maincamp - 8x10. Dense 23 7/8" of board. 38 sec F11 + 10 sec extra for sky.
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.
Photographs of early Kitimat and Alcan smelter. Souvenir photobook with five photos.
Townsite with Mount Elizabeth in background. Smoke is visible beyond townsite in the forest. May 15, 1956.
Townsite with sandhill visible in background. May 15, 1956.
Main Road - Motel - Townsite. View of road leading from service centre into town. Kildala area cleared but not much is built. Kitimat River bridge visible at bottom. Aug 1955.
Kitimat Valley. View of Alcan site, hospital beach, and pier. Looking north.
Smeltersite. View of Alcan smelter and smeltersite.
Donated by Carol Larson. Originally belonged to her mother, Lydia Strecheniuk.
Scope and Content
Photographs of early Kitimat and Alcan smelter. Souvenir photobook with five photos.
Townsite with Mount Elizabeth in background. Smoke is visible beyond townsite in the forest. May 15, 1956.
Townsite with sandhill visible in background. May 15, 1956.
Main Road - Motel - Townsite. View of road leading from service centre into town. Kildala area cleared but not much is built. Kitimat River bridge visible at bottom. Aug 1955.
Kitimat Valley. View of Alcan site, hospital beach, and pier. Looking north.
Smeltersite. View of Alcan smelter and smeltersite.
2 scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings pertaining to Kitimat. First album has house and flower garden on cover and says Kitimat, 1956. Second has hibiscus on cover and is undated.
2 scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings pertaining to Kitimat. First album has house and flower garden on cover and says Kitimat, 1956. Second has hibiscus on cover and is undated.
Photographs of 2nd Kitimat Guide Co.
a- Thinking day Feb 22, 56. District Commissioner Leslie Creed. Assistant Leader Josephine Rewers, 2nd Kitimat Guide co. Sitting on gym floor.
b- 2nd Kitimat Girl Guide co. 1st birthday party Feb 57. Assistant Leader Joe Rewers. District Commissioner Les Creed, Velma Kernigham. Cutting a cake.
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
Photographs of 2nd Kitimat Guide Co.
a- Thinking day Feb 22, 56. District Commissioner Leslie Creed. Assistant Leader Josephine Rewers, 2nd Kitimat Guide co. Sitting on gym floor.
b- 2nd Kitimat Girl Guide co. 1st birthday party Feb 57. Assistant Leader Joe Rewers. District Commissioner Les Creed, Velma Kernigham. Cutting a cake.
Subdivision plan of part of district lots 6038, 6039 and part of block 29, plan 3435 range 5, Coast District. District Municipality of Kitimat. Plan 4228. November 5, 1961.
Plan of subdivision of parts of D.L. 6046 & west half of D.L. 6045, and parcel. "X" (former block 78 and adjoining road plan 3549) range 5, Coast District. District Municipality of Kitimat. Plan 4639. August 27, 1963.
Plan of portions of block 29 map 3435 district lots 6038, 6039, 6042 & 6043 range 5, Coast District. District Municipality of Kitimat. Plan 3743. November 4, 1957.
Donated by Rick Wozney. Aluminum Company of Canada, Limited (Registered Owner).
Scope and Content
District of Kitimat lot and block plans.
Subdivision plan of part of district lots 6038, 6039 and part of block 29, plan 3435 range 5, Coast District. District Municipality of Kitimat. Plan 4228. November 5, 1961.
Plan of subdivision of parts of D.L. 6046 & west half of D.L. 6045, and parcel. "X" (former block 78 and adjoining road plan 3549) range 5, Coast District. District Municipality of Kitimat. Plan 4639. August 27, 1963.
Plan of portions of block 29 map 3435 district lots 6038, 6039, 6042 & 6043 range 5, Coast District. District Municipality of Kitimat. Plan 3743. November 4, 1957.
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 preliminary colour perspective sketch designs for park shelters using aluminum components. Kitimat 1958.
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.
