Kevin Martin arrived in Kitimat in February of 1956. He was hired from Vancouver, came on train to Kitimat, He lived on the Delta King for a while. Then he moved to huts at new townsite - north side of Haisla Boulevard. Four men to a hut - many people from everywhere (it Portugeuse, etc). He left 1 1/2 years later. (see gift agreement form for more information).
Custodial History
Kevin Martin
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of 5 photographs of early Kitimat and Smeltersite.
Photograph of a baseball game at smeltersite. Batter is in the front with catcher behind him. Crowd watching from bleachers on the right, and further down is a line of parked cars. Smeltersite bunkhouses in the back, with forest behind.
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 a baseball game at smeltersite. Batter is in the front with catcher behind him. Crowd watching from bleachers on the right, and further down is a line of parked cars. Smeltersite bunkhouses in the back, with forest behind.
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.
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 a small, single floor home at the smeltersite. Smelter and mountain can be seen at the far back on the right. Image has a pink tint.
Photograph of the Douglas Channel and the Delta King. Channel is on the left, and Delta King is on the shore on the right. There are three cars parked on the shore in front of the Delta King. A concrete structure of some sort is on the right of the image. In the background are snowy mountains, and the transmission line clearing is visible.
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 Douglas Channel and the Delta King. Channel is on the left, and Delta King is on the shore on the right. There are three cars parked on the shore in front of the Delta King. A concrete structure of some sort is on the right of the image. In the background are snowy mountains, and the transmission line clearing is visible.
Photograph of view of Douglas Channel. Smeltersite buildings, cars, and people are in the foreground. Behind that is Douglas Channel and Mountains. On the mountain, the transmission line clearing is visible.
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 view of Douglas Channel. Smeltersite buildings, cars, and people are in the foreground. Behind that is Douglas Channel and Mountains. On the mountain, the transmission line clearing is visible.
Photograph of looking out at camp at smeltersite. Sign that says "softball" is in the foreground. In the back the Alcan wharf and crane are visible. Douglas Channel and mountains in background.
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 looking out at camp at smeltersite. Sign that says "softball" is in the foreground. In the back the Alcan wharf and crane are visible. Douglas Channel and mountains in background.
Photograph of a brick fireplace in a room. There is a table with a turned on light on the right. Some items around the fireplace like a broom, and some metal objects.
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 a brick fireplace in a room. There is a table with a turned on light on the right. Some items around the fireplace like a broom, and some metal objects.
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 a bus at smeltersite. There is a group of people standing outside the bus. Water towers and forest in the background.
Photograph of RCMP officer in red uniform in front of building at smeltersite. Possibly a guest house. House is on a mound of dirt, possibly prepped for a garden. Bottom is lined with stones. There is another small, white building higher up on the right.
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 RCMP officer in red uniform in front of building at smeltersite. Possibly a guest house. House is on a mound of dirt, possibly prepped for a garden. Bottom is lined with stones. There is another small, white building higher up on the right.
Photograph of smeltersite looking east. Precast yard and storage in foreground. Structural steel being erected in service buildings. Forms being placed for building 153 and rectifier building 102. Trucks dumping backfill behind. Burning in townsite area left background.
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
Photograph of smeltersite looking east. Precast yard and storage in foreground. Structural steel being erected in service buildings. Forms being placed for building 153 and rectifier building 102. Trucks dumping backfill behind. Burning in townsite area left background.
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.
Photograph of smeltersite viewed from Douglas Channel. View is looking at the side of smeltersite extending towards Moon Bay. The Smeltersite wharf is in the centre, and in front of it is a tugboat pulling a barge. To the right of the tugboat is the smeltersite panabode home.
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 smeltersite viewed from Douglas Channel. View is looking at the side of smeltersite extending towards Moon Bay. The Smeltersite wharf is in the centre, and in front of it is a tugboat pulling a barge. To the right of the tugboat is the smeltersite panabode home.
Photograph of looking out at Douglas Channel and Smeltersite, possibly from a boat. Smeltersite wharf and a barge? can be seen in the distance. Mountains in background.
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 looking out at Douglas Channel and Smeltersite, possibly from a boat. Smeltersite wharf and a barge? can be seen in the distance. Mountains in background.
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 view of smeltersite from across Douglas Channel. Smeltersite homes visible.
Photograph of smeltersite viewed from the Douglas Channel. Houses and bunkhouse visible. There is also a yellow plane on the shore. Forest in background.
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 smeltersite viewed from the Douglas Channel. Houses and bunkhouse visible. There is also a yellow plane on the shore. Forest in background.
Photograph of a yellow float plane at smeltersite. Photo is taken from a boat. Edge of boat and a man holding onto a boat rope is on the left. Smeltersite is in the background. Beyond that are mountains.
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 a yellow float plane at smeltersite. Photo is taken from a boat. Edge of boat and a man holding onto a boat rope is on the left. Smeltersite is in the background. Beyond that are mountains.
Photograph of a single floor house. Looks like smeltersite. The home has flower boxes in the window, and flower beds on the ground. Ground is a green lawn, and there is a red chair on the right. There is also a car on the far right. Forest in background.
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 a single floor house. Looks like smeltersite. The home has flower boxes in the window, and flower beds on the ground. Ground is a green lawn, and there is a red chair on the right. There is also a car on the far right. Forest in background.
