James McNay was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on January 31, 1907. Between 1951 and 1953, he worked in the payroll department for Alcan. He had to leave his wife Effie and his two young daughters, Margaret and Diane, aged 6 and 5 in 1951, at home in Surrey, B.C., during his 3-4 month stints in Kitimat. To fill some of his free time and show his family where he was and what Kitimat was like, he spent many hours walking in the area with a 35mm Kodak camera. He photographed the scenic beauty of the area and parts of the construction of both the smelters and the town. He died in Surrey on August 7, 1983.
Custodial History
Donated by Margaret McNay. Images were taken by her father and sent to their family in Surrey in the 1950s.
Scope and Content
Slide showing logged area. Lots of tree stumps, and a pile of logs on the left. Standing forest in behind. Near smeltersite? Service Centre?
Black covered book titled "Kitimat Townsite Report". No. A-33 Mr. J.E. Dudley. Contains info about early Kitimat and planning. Inside front cover are some loose pages with town plans.
Bud Powell is a longtime resident of Kitimat and former smeltersite resident. He worked for Alcan.
Custodial History
Donated by Bud Powell.
Scope and Content
Black covered book titled "Kitimat Townsite Report". No. A-33 Mr. J.E. Dudley. Contains info about early Kitimat and planning. Inside front cover are some loose pages with town plans.
Photograph of the No.2 house at the Kitimat townsite camp. There is a man standing in the doorway. It was the home of Art and June Coultan. Around the house are pipes and barrels. There is forest behind.
Photograph of the No.2 house at the Kitimat townsite camp. There is a man standing in the doorway. It was the home of Art and June Coultan. Around the house are pipes and barrels. There is forest behind.
Photograph of a painting of the townsite camp as it was in 1952. The painting shows the camp in the distance in winter. There are trees and tree stumps in the foreground. On the right is a cougar.
The painter was Art Appleton, one of the dishwashers at the camp. He was believed to be about 45 years old and a bachelor. He was blind in one eye and painted with his good eye. He later committed suicide.
Scope and Content
Photograph of a painting of the townsite camp as it was in 1952. The painting shows the camp in the distance in winter. There are trees and tree stumps in the foreground. On the right is a cougar.
Malcolm Baxter died in 2020. His father Basil, was very instrumental in the organization of Kitimat in the early years. Basil was married to Cathy Baxter and they had two sons - Malcolm and Michael.
Custodial History
Part of items collected by Malcolm Baxter, former editer of NSP. Brought into the museum by Judith Cullington, Malcolm's sister-in-law.
Scope and Content
Photograph of entrance to townsite camp. Dirt road with forest in background. Winter.
Malcolm Baxter died in 2020. His father Basil, was very instrumental in the organization of Kitimat in the early years. Basil was married to Cathy Baxter and they had two sons - Malcolm and Michael.
Custodial History
Part of items collected by Malcolm Baxter, former editer of NSP. Brought into the museum by Judith Cullington, Malcolm's sister-in-law.
Scope and Content
Photograph of a unit that got damaged. This is taken some time ago. Shows the sandhill and the log frames for the bridge in the foreground.
Jamieson came to Kitimat from Vancouver to work on the Alcan project in 1952. With his first pay cheque he bought a small "Pony Kodak" camera at the local store (Hudson Bay?), and started taking coloured slides of the Kitimat from 1952-1953. Left Kitimat at the end of August 1953 to move to Montreal.
Scope and Content
Slide of Kitimat townsite from sandhill. Mount Elizabeth visible in background.
