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 clearing of land at possibly the townsite (Nechako neighbourhood?) Machinery and smoke visible.
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 cleared out area, possibly for townsite. Image is a double exposure, and shows trees from another image.
Slide showing cleared smeltersite area, construction, and camp near the Kitimat River estuary. In the distance smoke is visible, likely from townsite clearing burning.
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 cleared smeltersite area, construction, and camp near the Kitimat River estuary. In the distance smoke is visible, likely from townsite clearing burning.
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.
Photo depicts workers clearing the transmission line right-of-way. The smelter site preparation and smoke from the townsite clearing are in the distance.
Photo depicts workers clearing the transmission line right-of-way. The smelter site preparation and smoke from the townsite clearing are in the distance.
Notes
Title based on content of photograph. Alcan Collection Accession no. 73.3.10.1
Folder containing blueprints for Kitimat homes possibily belonging to the Baxter family. First blueprint is a small sheet with a two-bedroom smeltersite home plan (1952). Second is the interior of a single floor townsite home (Mar 2 1956). Third is the exterior of a single floor townsite home (Mar 2 1956).
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
Folder containing blueprints for Kitimat homes possibily belonging to the Baxter family. First blueprint is a small sheet with a two-bedroom smeltersite home plan (1952). Second is the interior of a single floor townsite home (Mar 2 1956). Third is the exterior of a single floor townsite home (Mar 2 1956).
Notes
Townsite home plans from Central Mortgage and Housing Corp. Kitimat Branch 961-965
Photograph showing the kitimat river during winter. A D8 CAT bulldozer can be seen crossing the river with a man in a rowboat alongside. The photo is looking east toward townsite road clearing.
Photograph showing the kitimat river during winter. A D8 CAT bulldozer can be seen crossing the river with a man in a rowboat alongside. The photo is looking east toward townsite road clearing.
Photograph of the Kinnear Family Leaving Kitimat. There are four members, and a younger boy is holding a small dog. They are standing in front of the Kitimat CN Rail station. To their left is a car, and on the right further back is another man. There is snow on the side of the pathway the family is standing on.
From the years 1953-1958, Mike Kinnear took photos during his school years, until graduation, while working for Fred Ryan Ltd. after school and holidays. Photos for him was a hobby, and he took many photos of the smelter and townsite as it grew around him. Mike also took a number of photos for the Kitimat Northern Sentinel, during the Ken Brumley and Pixie Meldrum years as editors. Mike and his family left Kitimat in 1958, but he spent the best part of 40 years in the photographic field, mainly in the retail/wholesale part of the photo industry.
Custodial History
Donated by Margaret and Mike Kinnear.
Scope and Content
Photograph of the Kinnear Family Leaving Kitimat. There are four members, and a younger boy is holding a small dog. They are standing in front of the Kitimat CN Rail station. To their left is a car, and on the right further back is another man. There is snow on the side of the pathway the family is standing on.
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.
Edwin Charles Bateman (Ted) was a Commando in WWII, and later enjoyed his hobbies of cycle racing, ballroom dancing, and photography. He lived in Toronto, LA, and finally Vancouver in the early 50s. After arriving in vancouver he was offered a job as an assistant surveyor in Kitimat. He was subsequently offered a job as a lineman with what became BC Tel.
Custodial History
Judith Saunders
Scope and Content
Photograph of aerial view of townsite clearing and Haisla bridge.
