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.
Photo showing 7 international L-190 trucks, complete with Jaegar ReadyMix Concrete Machines, first installment of a large fleet at Kitimat. In early June, these were waiting for completion of batching plant installation. They were used to carry concrete directly to the new smelter, townsite or any construction in progress. Batch plant location is at Gravel Mountain.
Photo showing 7 international L-190 trucks, complete with Jaegar ReadyMix Concrete Machines, first installment of a large fleet at Kitimat. In early June, these were waiting for completion of batching plant installation. They were used to carry concrete directly to the new smelter, townsite or any construction in progress. Batch plant location is at Gravel Mountain.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
Photograph of foundation for Anglican Christ Church at the corner of Kingfisher and Gyrfalcon Avenues. The Rectory in the background is almost ready for occupancy. Other houses visible in background too.
Donated by Jackie Worboys. Given to the Jackie Mufford Worboys family by Wally Melville.
Scope and Content
Photograph of foundation for Anglican Christ Church at the corner of Kingfisher and Gyrfalcon Avenues. The Rectory in the background is almost ready for occupancy. Other houses visible in background too.
Photograph of walkway through underpass from Nechako Centre to neighbourhood A-III. View looking down sidewalk into tunnel. People are walking. Anglican Church is in the background on the right.
Donated by Jackie Worboys. Given to the Jackie Mufford Worboys family by Wally Melville.
Scope and Content
Photograph of walkway through underpass from Nechako Centre to neighbourhood A-III. View looking down sidewalk into tunnel. People are walking. Anglican Church is in the background on the right.
Photograph of aerial view of Kitimat townsite, 1975. Nechako, Kildala, and in progress Whitesail, and neighbourhood D clearing sites visible. Alcan and Eurcan sites also visible on right side.
Photos donated by Joan Smith for Anglican Church 50th Anniversary. Donated in April 2003.
Scope and Content
Photograph of aerial view of Kitimat townsite, 1975. Nechako, Kildala, and in progress Whitesail, and neighbourhood D clearing sites visible. Alcan and Eurcan sites also visible on right side.
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.
