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).
Beta Sigma Phi is a non-acedemic sorority. Beta, Sigma, and Phi come from the first letters of the Greek words for life, learning, and friendship. Social and mostly community based, the Kitimat group compiled many scrapbooks showcasing events and other activities among their members from 1971-1990.
Custodial History
Donated by Ruth Brady.
Scope and Content
Seven Scrapbooks from the Beta Sigma Phi showing their activities and events.
Scrapbook 1 - Beta Sigma Phi yearbook 1971-1972. Black cover.
Scrapbook 2 - 1978-1982. White cover.
Scrapbook 3 - 1971-1977. White cover with Beta Sigma Phi coat of arms with text "Vita Scientia Amicitia" drawn in gold, black, and green.
Scrapbook 4 - 1989-1990. Light blue cover with painting printed in centre.
Scrapbook 5 - Green cover with rose image on second page with text "Beta Nu 1975~76" bellow.
Scrapbook 6 - 1987-1988. Beige cover with small, square image of a sunset and trees.
Scrapbook 7 - 1982-1984. Cream cover with gold border.
Loose items - Photo of seven ladies. Founder's Day 1977 handmade card with painted rainbow. 1987-1988 Build Bridges of Friendship gold stickers.
Boxes contain file folders. Each file folder holds photographs taped together to produce a panoramic view on the subject described in the folder. Some of these photographs are attached to paper, some are attached to other folders, whole or part. Some contain documents. Some have descriptive documents stapled to the folder. Some have photographs stapled to the outside of the folder.
Two boxes of file folders containing text and photographs.
9 envelopes containing 335+ photographs
1 envelope containing negatives and contact sheets
Extent
.5
History / Biographical
Files compiled by Diane Hewlett, District of Kitimat Economic Development Officer 1999-2009 to promote Kitimat as a movie and television location and to attract business or industry.
Custodial History
Compiled by Diane Hewlett, given to the Museum by Beth Vines, Records Manager for the District of Kitimat.
Scope and Content
Boxes contain file folders. Each file folder holds photographs taped together to produce a panoramic view on the subject described in the folder. Some of these photographs are attached to paper, some are attached to other folders, whole or part. Some contain documents. Some have descriptive documents stapled to the folder. Some have photographs stapled to the outside of the folder.
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.
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.
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.
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 Prince Rupert Daily News is a community oriented newspaper that has been in continuous print for nearly one hundred years. With a proud tradition as the paper of record for Prince Rupert, BC since 1911, the Daily News is still going strong today. The newspaper provides their community and others with the latest information on local news, sports, and cultural activities around the area and important issues concerning Prince Rupert and the North Coast.
Custodial History
Stored at the Prince Rupert Daily News until the collection was transfered, as part of a larger collection, to the Prince Rupert City & Regional Archives. The part of the collection pertaining to Kitimat/Kemano was transfered to the Kitimat Museum & Archives in January of 2010.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of photographs of the Alcan Smelter casting in Kitimat, power operations and residential areas in Kemano.
