Fonds contains documents, photographs, photocopies, and maps collected by Arvid Hardin throughout his ten years in Kitimat. Areas of focus include high school life, the Kitimat Army Cadets, and the creation of Hirsch Creek Park, the Kitimat Community Centre, and the Kitimat trail system.
Arvid Hardin (born c. 1941) lived in Kitimat from 1953 to 1963. He graduated from Mount Elizabeth Secondary School in 1959, served as an active member of the Kitimat Army Cadet Corps, and was involved with the creation of Hirsch Creek Provincial Park. Around 2008, he collaborated with E.E. 'Bill' Duyvewaardt and other former Kitimat Cadets to write a 'historical profile' of the Cadets and their activities.
Custodial History
Materials from accession 2009.15 were donated by Arvid Hardin to the Museum on June 10th, 2009.
Materials from accession 2022.18 were donated by Arvid Hardin on May 10th, 2022.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains documents, photographs, photocopies, and maps collected by Arvid Hardin throughout his ten years in Kitimat. Areas of focus include high school life, the Kitimat Army Cadets, and the creation of Hirsch Creek Park, the Kitimat Community Centre, and the Kitimat trail system.
Conservation
Many pages old and yellowing. Staples, paper clips, and other metal fasteners removed from all papers in March & May 2022.
Storage Location
Box 39
Photo storage
Related Material
Artifacts donated by Arvid Hardin include a proclamation (2009.15.6), gazette (2009.15.7), and high school certificate (2009.15.11).
Electrician Bill Frahler wired approximately 2000 houses in Kitimat camps and townsite between 1954 and 1958, working first for Johnson-Crooks then Straits Construction, both U.S.contractors.
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.
Two photographs: Matt Gooding's boat that was build in Arvida and shipped to Kitimat showing in the Kitimat harbour and "My first fishin in the Kitimat River with Doug Cohoon."
1 photograph print : b&w ; 3 x 5
1 photograph print : b&w ; 9.5 x 6.5
Scope and Content
Two photographs: Matt Gooding's boat that was build in Arvida and shipped to Kitimat showing in the Kitimat harbour and "My first fishin in the Kitimat River with Doug Cohoon."
Collection of items from the Kitimat Chinese Canadian Association, showing activities, events, and community involvement, Photos + albums, VHS videos, and letters.
The Kitimat Chinese Association was founded in 1985. Their purpose was to strengthen ties between the Chinese-Canadian community and the rest of Kitimat by sharing Chinese culture and contributing to community events. They held three annual gatherings - Chinese New Year, Christmas, and a summer picnic - and participated in other activities such as Multicultural Day, Canada Day, and Canada Cancer Society's Relay of Life. The association disbanded in December 2008 as most of the members got older and retired.
Custodial History
Donated by Huey-lin Wu
Scope and Content
Collection of items from the Kitimat Chinese Canadian Association, showing activities, events, and community involvement, Photos + albums, VHS videos, and letters.
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
Fonds consists of two files of materials collected and produced by the Kitimat Valley Naturalists:
F1) Contents of the secretary-treasurer's duotang, 1996-1998. Includes meeting minutes, correspondence, receipts, financial documents, mailing lists, 1997 annual report, photocopied map, events schedule, Federation of BC Naturalists membership info, sign-up sheet for Douglas Channel boat trip, correspondence from Creston Valley Wildlife Area, materials re: Gisela Mendel Native Plant Garden, draft write-up for Iron Oxbow Wildlife Viewing Area along the Kitimat River, and ephemera from the inside front cover of the duotang (receipt from Fed. of BC Naturalists, business cards for Aurora Charters and Reid Crowther Consulting Engineers).
F2) Materials related to Pine Creek Protective Covenant, 2003-2014. This covenant was established by Rio Tinto Alcan, the Haisla Nation, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, to protect the Pine Creek hiking trail and its watercourse near Minette Bay. Folder includes correspondence, signage text, Land Title Act forms, maps, and a Master Watercourse Crossing List from Coastal GasLink.
The Kitimat Valley Naturalists are a non-profit organization with the goal of learning about and enjoying the natural history of the Kitimat Valley. They were founded in 1996 and are still active as of 2023. Their projects include an annual Christmas bird count, construction of bat condos, monitoring amphibian numbers, and mapping eelgrass beds in the Douglas Channel.
Custodial History
Items were donated by Susan and Walter Thorne, longtime members of the Kitimat Valley Naturalists, on February 16th 2023. The fonds was arranged and described by Museum staff in April 2023.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of two files of materials collected and produced by the Kitimat Valley Naturalists:
F1) Contents of the secretary-treasurer's duotang, 1996-1998. Includes meeting minutes, correspondence, receipts, financial documents, mailing lists, 1997 annual report, photocopied map, events schedule, Federation of BC Naturalists membership info, sign-up sheet for Douglas Channel boat trip, correspondence from Creston Valley Wildlife Area, materials re: Gisela Mendel Native Plant Garden, draft write-up for Iron Oxbow Wildlife Viewing Area along the Kitimat River, and ephemera from the inside front cover of the duotang (receipt from Fed. of BC Naturalists, business cards for Aurora Charters and Reid Crowther Consulting Engineers).
F2) Materials related to Pine Creek Protective Covenant, 2003-2014. This covenant was established by Rio Tinto Alcan, the Haisla Nation, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, to protect the Pine Creek hiking trail and its watercourse near Minette Bay. Folder includes correspondence, signage text, Land Title Act forms, maps, and a Master Watercourse Crossing List from Coastal GasLink.
Notes
Three reports collected by the KVN - "An Assessment of the Kitimat Iron Oxbow Proposed Wildlife Viewing Area," "Blue Carbon - The Case for the Conservation and Enhancement of Estuarine Processes and Sediments in BC," and "Coastal Wetlands Habitat Assessment and Classification for Northwestern British Columbia" - have been added to the Museum's Reference Library.
Conservation
Removed from original duotang/folders. Staples removed.
Storage Location
Box 29
Arrangement
F1) has been left in original order, apart from ephemera which was removed from the inside cover of the duotang.
F2) has been arranged in roughly chronological order.
The pictures were taken on a two day trip by a local Northwest group, representitives from Northwest Handwritten listing by John Pousette (Secretary) of the people in attendance for the Totem Pole restoration society expedition. Photos taken to inventory totem poles.
Custodial History
Max Patzelt
Scope and Content
Collection of 58 totem pole photographs from the Hazelton region.
1. Photograph of driving the last spike in the Kitimat/Terrace Railway, 8 Jul 1955. (formerly 982.46.20a, Tirrul-Jones Collection)
2. Photograph of Sikorsky Helicopter crossing a mile-deep gorge with cargo.
3. Two photographs of the Kenney Dam.
4. Photograph of green space beside town housing, Partridge Street.
5. Photograph of Tony, Josephine and Vincent Heslenfeld's Panabode home on Pintail Street.
6. Photograph of Kemano showing aerial tramway and railroad slash.
7. Photograph of Kemano Powerhouse construction.
3 photograph prints : colour ; 25cm x 20.5cm
3 photograph prints : b&w ; 25cm x 20.5cm
1 photograph print : b&w ; 25.5cm x 17.5cm
1 photograph print : b&w ; 17.5cm x 12.5cm
History / Biographical
Purchased from the National Geographic Society Magazine for exhibition use.
Scope and Content
1. Photograph of driving the last spike in the Kitimat/Terrace Railway, 8 Jul 1955. (formerly 982.46.20a, Tirrul-Jones Collection)
2. Photograph of Sikorsky Helicopter crossing a mile-deep gorge with cargo.
3. Two photographs of the Kenney Dam.
4. Photograph of green space beside town housing, Partridge Street.
5. Photograph of Tony, Josephine and Vincent Heslenfeld's Panabode home on Pintail Street.
6. Photograph of Kemano showing aerial tramway and railroad slash.
7. Photograph of Kemano Powerhouse construction.
These eleven black and white glossy photographs were donated to the Museum with compliments of Malax Photographs LTD for use in our main floor exhibit "Kitimat: City of Tomorrow"
These eleven black and white glossy photographs were donated to the Museum with compliments of Malax Photographs LTD for use in our main floor exhibit "Kitimat: City of Tomorrow"
Physical Condition
good
Material
paper
Condition Remarks
Photographs are professionally done. All done in B/W
