Fonds consists of the personal, business and research records of May and Elmer Ellingsen. Textual records include personal and business correspondence; financial and legal records; information about local history; records and newsletters of various community organizations; records created by John Manson and by the St. James Ladies' Guild; maps; ephemera; and clippings about Cortes Island people and events. Fonds also includes photographs of the Manson family and other island people and places, and cassette tapes of oral history and music.
Fonds is arranged in 14 series: Correspondence; Financial records; Elmer Ellingsen records (business and personal); May Ellingsen personal records; Local history subject files; John Manson records; St. James Ladies' Guild records; Community organizations and services records; Cortes Island Museum & Archives Society records; Maps; Ephemera; Clippings; Photographs and Audio tapes.
Records from Accessions 2017.003 and 2019.002, which were processed after the other material had been arranged, have been interfiled.
3 meters of textual records
726 photographs
21 audio cassette tapes
Extent
252 cm
History / Biographical
Elmer Ellingsen (1913-2002) was born in North Vancouver to Sigurd and Gladys Ellingsen. After graduating from high school, he took a short course in business at Sprott Shaw College. In the early 1930s Elmer worked in logging and became a strong supporter of the trade union movement. He also had classical piano training in school, later turning to popular music; he played for many dances and parties until well into his eighties.
May Ellingsen (1914-2012) was born in Vancouver to George and Robina Freeman. Her maternal grandfather, Michael Manson, was the first person to pre-empt land on Cortes Island, in 1886. May grew up on Cortes and Hernando Islands until grade six, then moved to Vancouver with her family to finish her schooling.
May and Elmer met on Cortes in 1935 and were married on August 1, 1936. They built a float house and spent the next ten years in the Loughborough Inlet/Phillips Arm area where Elmer worked in his father's logging operations. While there, their children Shirley (1939), Bruce (1940) and Andy (1941) were born. In 1946 they moved to Von Donop Creek, where Elmer formed a logging partnership with Mike Herrewig and Scotty McKenzie. In 1950, he formed a new partnership with Erne Anderson for logging in the Whaletown area, and moved the floathouse to Manson's Landing lagoon. Two years later their floathouse was moved to its present location on Hague Lake.
After travelling from home to various logging operations, Elmer retired from logging. He bought a D8 Caterpillar tractor, backhoe and gravel truck and worked for the next forty years excavating, delivering gravel and moving things. He often worked with BC Hydro and BC Tel on pole installation, repair and maintenance.
Both Elmer and May were very active in community life. They sponsored weekly movie nights through the 1950s and square dancing in the sixties. May's many involvements included the Ladies' Guild, Women's Institute, Ratepayers Association, Post Office, Vancouver Regional Library development and Cortes Island Days. Elmer was a leading promoter of bringing ferry and hydro service to the island; he helped renovate Manson's Hall in the late 1970s, lobbied for road paving and helped initiate the Cortes Island Firefighters Assoc. in the 1980s. Both were founding members of the Cortes Island Museum and Archives Society.
Custodial History
Records were collected from the home of May and Elmer Ellingsen by Andy and Susan Ellingsen and by Bruce Ellingsen and donated to CIMAS. There are eight accessions in this fonds: 2007.001, 2007.002, 2007.003, 2007.005, 2008.002 and 2010.001, 2018.002 and 2019.002.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the personal, business and research records of May and Elmer Ellingsen. Textual records include personal and business correspondence; financial and legal records; information about local history; records and newsletters of various community organizations; records created by John Manson and by the St. James Ladies' Guild; maps; ephemera; and clippings about Cortes Island people and events. Fonds also includes photographs of the Manson family and other island people and places, and cassette tapes of oral history and music.
Fonds is arranged in 14 series: Correspondence; Financial records; Elmer Ellingsen records (business and personal); May Ellingsen personal records; Local history subject files; John Manson records; St. James Ladies' Guild records; Community organizations and services records; Cortes Island Museum & Archives Society records; Maps; Ephemera; Clippings; Photographs and Audio tapes.
Records from Accessions 2017.003 and 2019.002, which were processed after the other material had been arranged, have been interfiled.
File contains newspaper clippings about a visit of the Whaletown School class to Vancouver; a "Whaletown Round-Up" column written by Gilean Douglas, 1956; a photocopy of an article about the purchase of Smelt Bay Park, 1973; and a craft store in Whaletown, 1975.
File contains newspaper clippings about a visit of the Whaletown School class to Vancouver; a "Whaletown Round-Up" column written by Gilean Douglas, 1956; a photocopy of an article about the purchase of Smelt Bay Park, 1973; and a craft store in Whaletown, 1975.
File contains an informational booklet created by the Friends of Cortes through a grant from Canada Works. Topics include island geography, social and natural history, place names and tourist education.
File contains an informational booklet created by the Friends of Cortes through a grant from Canada Works. Topics include island geography, social and natural history, place names and tourist education.
File contains two copies of the booklet "Birds of Cortes and Mittlenatch Islands, a checklist with seasonal graphs" by George Sirk, Christian Gronau and Fred Zwickel, published by the authors in 1993.
File contains two copies of the booklet "Birds of Cortes and Mittlenatch Islands, a checklist with seasonal graphs" by George Sirk, Christian Gronau and Fred Zwickel, published by the authors in 1993.
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "In this documentary a rag-tag team of Cortes wreckers demolish a giant warehouse in James Bay, Victoria. The remove 100-year old maple flooring, which is bound for Cortes, while the building falls down around them. They have to get the flooring out before the bulldozers arrive! Shot on 16 mm film."
Cast: Pierre deTrey, Stephen Foster, Al Murray, John Wasyliw
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "In this documentary a rag-tag team of Cortes wreckers demolish a giant warehouse in James Bay, Victoria. The remove 100-year old maple flooring, which is bound for Cortes, while the building falls down around them. They have to get the flooring out before the bulldozers arrive! Shot on 16 mm film."
Cast: Pierre deTrey, Stephen Foster, Al Murray, John Wasyliw
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "A play on the work "divot" - "a piece of turf cut out of the ground by a golf club in making a stroke." The golfer who does this, according to George, is a "divotee" and this silly game needed a large dose of extra silliness doused on it. The attempt to just shoot one hole takes George and his caddy more on a cross-country steeplechase that a casual day on the course. Puns abound and the Voice of Doom, played by John Gregg, gets it in the end Watch for it! Shot at Gorge Harbour on 16mm."
Cast: Jon Gregg, Leon, George and a horse
Stagehand/Props: Jim Palmer
Cinematography: John Gregg
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "A play on the work "divot" - "a piece of turf cut out of the ground by a golf club in making a stroke." The golfer who does this, according to George, is a "divotee" and this silly game needed a large dose of extra silliness doused on it. The attempt to just shoot one hole takes George and his caddy more on a cross-country steeplechase that a casual day on the course. Puns abound and the Voice of Doom, played by John Gregg, gets it in the end Watch for it! Shot at Gorge Harbour on 16mm."
Cast: Jon Gregg, Leon, George and a horse
Stagehand/Props: Jim Palmer
Cinematography: John Gregg
Fonds consists of documents created and accrued by CES between 1988 and 2006, including financial statements, correspondence, meeting minutes, notes, maps, reports, legal documents, and publications. It includes 62 files arranged in thirteen series following the original order of the material.
.6 m of textual records (2 boxes)
29 photographs : col.
Extent
0.6
History / Biographical
The Cortes Ecoforestry Society (CES) was incorporated in March 1999, under the following mission statement:
"To work in partnership with the Klahoose First Nation, to gain community stewardship of the working forest lands on Cortes to create perpetual ecological and economic benefits for the entire community, and to serve as a model for sustainable ecoforestry."
Preceding names for the organization include Cortes Island Forestry Committee (ca. 1988-1990), Cortes Island Forest Resource Committee (c. 1990) and Cortes Island Forest Committee (ca. 1991-1999). A draft document from October 1991 states that,
"[T]he Cortes Island Forest Committee (CIFC) was formed in 1988. The purposes of the CIFC are to develop ecologically responsible and balanced forest use of Cortes Island forests, to develop a sustainable forest-based economy, to educate ourselves and the public regarding appropriate use of Cortes Island forests, and to work towards a broad based public consensus for the use of these forests."
In July 1999 Klahoose First Nation and CES signed an unprecedented Memorandum of Understanding, stating that the two parties would work together to create a community forest that used eco-system forestry. In 1999 and 2000 the Cortes Ecoforestry Society began planning and preparing a community forest proposal. In 2003, volume was made available for small community tenures, including Woodlot Licences and Community Forest Agreements (CFAs). Klahoose supported the efforts to revitalize the community forest proposal and a small, voluntary advisory group was formed (Bruce Ellingsen, Chief Kathy Francis, Liz Richardson and Ron Wolda). To ensure the proposal was seen to be inclusive of all islanders, the proponent name was changed to the Cortes Island Community Forest advisory group. The community forest proposal stalled, and CES, which at one point had a membership of 400 residents supporting their goals, became less active.
In May of 2011, the Cortes Community Forest Advisory Group was invited to apply for a Community Forest Agreement (CFA) by the Minister of Forests, and in September 2013 the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations issued a Community Forest Agreement to the Cortes Forestry General Partnership, which was established on June 2012.
The Cortes Forestry General Partnership is managed and governed equally by two partners, the Klahoose Forestry No. 2 Limited Partnership (KF2LP) and the Cortes Community Forest Co-operative. The tenure agreement lasts for 25 years and encompasses 3,869 hectares of crown land, about 35% of the island. The Klahoose Nation holds ancestral tenure over Cortes Island. They are currently at stage 4 in the process of negotiating a treaty agreement with the province of British Columbia and Canadian government.
Custodial History
Donated to CIMAS on Dec. 16, 2017 by David Shipway.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of documents created and accrued by CES between 1988 and 2006, including financial statements, correspondence, meeting minutes, notes, maps, reports, legal documents, and publications. It includes 62 files arranged in thirteen series following the original order of the material.
File contains newspaper articles about pulp mill pollution and a publication by Rex Weyler, "Seafood and Pulp: Striking a Balance in the Georgia Strait".
File contains newspaper articles about pulp mill pollution and a publication by Rex Weyler, "Seafood and Pulp: Striking a Balance in the Georgia Strait".
File contains newspaper articles about pulp mill pollution and a publication by Rex Weyler, "Seafood and Pulp: Striking a Balance in the Georgia Strait".
File contains newspaper articles about pulp mill pollution and a publication by Rex Weyler, "Seafood and Pulp: Striking a Balance in the Georgia Strait".
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "Chickens are a large source of entertainment, remakable pets with personalities, and they give us eggs. But when it came to dinner time, they were sadly the main guest of honour. George wanted to immortalize, and thus keep his chickens alive forever. This film does just that. On 16mm, shot at George and Lauren Hay's homestead on Seascape Rd."
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "Chickens are a large source of entertainment, remakable pets with personalities, and they give us eggs. But when it came to dinner time, they were sadly the main guest of honour. George wanted to immortalize, and thus keep his chickens alive forever. This film does just that. On 16mm, shot at George and Lauren Hay's homestead on Seascape Rd."
In the realm of "home movies", the film contains vignettes of Cortes island life including Aislinn Sirk and Mayan Wooley bathing a remarkably patient cat and Jim Palmer using an Alaska mill.
Digitized by Doug McCaffry, ScanLab, 2022
In the realm of "home movies", the film contains vignettes of Cortes island life including Aislinn Sirk and Mayan Wooley bathing a remarkably patient cat and Jim Palmer using an Alaska mill.
Digitized by Doug McCaffry, ScanLab, 2022
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "In the 70s many bathtubs were outside and heated by wood fires. This amusing (and smoky!), satisfying way of having a nice long bath, in the great outdoors, inspired making this short on 16mm film. There was a twist to the scenario of course. Why not make soup while having a bath? Shot at John and Anna Gregg's home on Beasley Road. Cast: George /Cinematography : Anna Sirk ??"
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "In the 70s many bathtubs were outside and heated by wood fires. This amusing (and smoky!), satisfying way of having a nice long bath, in the great outdoors, inspired making this short on 16mm film. There was a twist to the scenario of course. Why not make soup while having a bath? Shot at John and Anna Gregg's home on Beasley Road. Cast: George /Cinematography : Anna Sirk ??"
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "When Linnaea was established, Robert Cabot commissioned Cortes Cinema to produce a film abot the Turtle Island Land Steward Society. The day-to-day life of the farm is documented as is the Hansen's move across the road to their new property. Ken, Hazel and Flo (Hazel's mom) are all in the film helping to clear land on yet another farm! Using Bear Air (Barry Miles), aerial footage of the farm and the island is also in the film. A gliimpse into the past. With sound and narration. On 16mm.
Music: Glen Dias / Narration: Peter Gibson
Cast: Thousands of cows!"
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "When Linnaea was established, Robert Cabot commissioned Cortes Cinema to produce a film abot the Turtle Island Land Steward Society. The day-to-day life of the farm is documented as is the Hansen's move across the road to their new property. Ken, Hazel and Flo (Hazel's mom) are all in the film helping to clear land on yet another farm! Using Bear Air (Barry Miles), aerial footage of the farm and the island is also in the film. A gliimpse into the past. With sound and narration. On 16mm.
Music: Glen Dias / Narration: Peter Gibson
Cast: Thousands of cows!"
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "The Cortes Hippy Gen of the 70s were, amongst many odd things, frugulous. Homes were never done on credit, one just built with whatever one could find or demolish. "Scoring" was a good thing, the term "recycling" was not yet in the mainstream vernacular. Adaptability, innovation and just plain dumb luck helped to preserve this culture from going extinct. Named after a famed hallucinogen, the film was a victim of accidental deterioration; dyes melted and images appear distorted; a vitreous detachment from reality. The Hippy Gen in a nutshell. Shot on Super 8 / Cast of Hippies"
Scenes and people include: Jim Palmer (in boat), Alex Nichol (with windmill), Alex, George, Jim Palmer, Izzy ?? moving building materials across the Gorge and up to the building site, ??? constructing George & Izzy's cabin, George Sirk in boat, ?? throwing a fish which an eagle swoops down on, Jean Fontaine wrangling logs in the water.
1 moving image : 13 minutes ; with background music
Scope and Content
From the "Out of the Archives" program: "The Cortes Hippy Gen of the 70s were, amongst many odd things, frugulous. Homes were never done on credit, one just built with whatever one could find or demolish. "Scoring" was a good thing, the term "recycling" was not yet in the mainstream vernacular. Adaptability, innovation and just plain dumb luck helped to preserve this culture from going extinct. Named after a famed hallucinogen, the film was a victim of accidental deterioration; dyes melted and images appear distorted; a vitreous detachment from reality. The Hippy Gen in a nutshell. Shot on Super 8 / Cast of Hippies"
Scenes and people include: Jim Palmer (in boat), Alex Nichol (with windmill), Alex, George, Jim Palmer, Izzy ?? moving building materials across the Gorge and up to the building site, ??? constructing George & Izzy's cabin, George Sirk in boat, ?? throwing a fish which an eagle swoops down on, Jean Fontaine wrangling logs in the water.
