Fonds consists of a minute book and an accounts book of the Whaletown Church Hall Building Fund Committee, documents written by Canon Alan Greene setting out the history, responsibility and terms of use for the Church Hall, and a cover letter for the Certificate of Title from the Land Registry Office.
In 1919, the settlers of Whaletown decided to raise the funds necessary to erect a combined church and hall, to be used for both secular and religious purposes. The new building was attached to the first Whaletown school building, which was then used as a kitchen and dressing room. At this time, the parcel of land on which the school stood, at the corner of present-day Carrington Bay and Harbour Rd. in Whaletown, was deeded to the Diocese of Columbia by Mrs. Alice Robertson, and part of the property was set aside for a cemetery.
After a church was built in Whaletown in 1950, the Church Hall continued to be used for social events. In 1952 the Whaletown Community Club took over responsibility for the Gorge Hall, which then replaced the Church Hall as the main venue for weddings, dances, meetings and parties for both the Whaletown and Gorge Harbour communities. In 1953, the Whaletown Women's Institute signed agreements with both the Whaletown Community Club and the Columbia Coast Mission to assume responsibility for the use and upkeep of the Church Hall and cemetery. The Church Hall was used for a few more years. It was decommissioned in about 1957 and later dismantled.
Custodial History
Canon Alan Greene of the Columbia Coast Mission was involved in the project to build a new Church Hall, and wrote the document setting forth its history and terms of use; envelopes indicate the material was in his possession. Found in a box on the archives shelves; provenance unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a minute book and an accounts book of the Whaletown Church Hall Building Fund Committee, documents written by Canon Alan Greene setting out the history, responsibility and terms of use for the Church Hall, and a cover letter for the Certificate of Title from the Land Registry Office.
1999.002 Whaletown Women's Institute fonds
2003.003 Whaletown Community Club fonds
2009.001 Island Women's Club fonds
2011.001 Dorothy Huck Whalley fonds
Fonds consists of records of the Harbour Authority of Cortes Island and includes meeting minutes, financial statements, administrative documents, correspondence, leases and newsletters. Original order has been maintained.
In 1995, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) was directed to divest all its recreational harbours managed under the Small Craft Harbours program. In the following years, the DFO launched a program to encourage local non-profit groups to assume day-to-day management and operation of fishing harbours.
The Harbour Authority of Cortes Island was formed in 1998 or 1999 to "[r]epresent the community of Cortes Island to preserve and promote the present and future marine infrastructure and maritime transportation links, including wharves; docking launch and moorage facilities until being replaced by a suitable public representative or government agency".
The Harbour Authority of Cortes Island manages five locations, Cortes Bay, Squirrel Cove Dock, Gorge Harbour Government Dock, Manson’s Landing Dock and Whaletown Dock. All provide safe well-maintained moorage facilities for a wide-ranging group of marine users year round.
Custodial History
Records were donated to CIMAS by Lynne Jordan in 2012.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records of the Harbour Authority of Cortes Island and includes meeting minutes, financial statements, administrative documents, correspondence, leases and newsletters. Original order has been maintained.
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 consists of twenty pages of notes, lists, and handwritten letters relating to the Whaletown Women's Institutes 1952 Cemetery Project to clean up the old Whaletown cemetery at the corner of Carrington Bay & Harbour Rds. and replace grave markers.
File consists of twenty pages of notes, lists, and handwritten letters relating to the Whaletown Women's Institutes 1952 Cemetery Project to clean up the old Whaletown cemetery at the corner of Carrington Bay & Harbour Rds. and replace grave markers.
File consists of the agreement between the Whaletown Women's Institute and the Columbia Coast Mission regarding the use and upkeep of the Church Hall and cemetery at the corner of present-day Carrington Bay and Harbour Rd. in Whaletown.
File consists of the agreement between the Whaletown Women's Institute and the Columbia Coast Mission regarding the use and upkeep of the Church Hall and cemetery at the corner of present-day Carrington Bay and Harbour Rd. in Whaletown.
Families of Hernando Island men who worked together in a very small logging enterprise.
L to R: Mrs. Gwen (Fraser) Campbell holding Thelma's hand, Mrs. C. Owen (friend) behind Etta and Hazel McKay, Mrs. Jean (Wilfred) Manson behind Dorothy, Mrs. Florence (Ervin) McKay holding Minerva Campbell.
Families of Hernando Island men who worked together in a very small logging enterprise.
L to R: Mrs. Gwen (Fraser) Campbell holding Thelma's hand, Mrs. C. Owen (friend) behind Etta and Hazel McKay, Mrs. Jean (Wilfred) Manson behind Dorothy, Mrs. Florence (Ervin) McKay holding Minerva Campbell.
File contains a hand-drawn map of Hernando Island showing original pre-emptions, with information about settlement, schools and changes of title written on it.
File contains a hand-drawn map of Hernando Island showing original pre-emptions, with information about settlement, schools and changes of title written on it.
Photograph shows members of the Michael Manson extended family in bathing costumes. The are identified as Mr. Niven, Muriel Hurren, Jim Niven, Dick Parker, Thelma Campbell, Audrey Kenny, Jean Manson, Eileen Kenny, Minerva Campbell, Mrs. Niven, Dorothy Manson and Lorne Campbell.
Photograph shows members of the Michael Manson extended family in bathing costumes. The are identified as Mr. Niven, Muriel Hurren, Jim Niven, Dick Parker, Thelma Campbell, Audrey Kenny, Jean Manson, Eileen Kenny, Minerva Campbell, Mrs. Niven, Dorothy Manson and Lorne Campbell.
File contains five maps of Hernando Island: two showing plans of pre-emptions, 1891-1892; two copies of an old hand-drawn map, 1955; and one map of a later proposed development (undated). Some maps have notes on homesteads.
File contains five maps of Hernando Island: two showing plans of pre-emptions, 1891-1892; two copies of an old hand-drawn map, 1955; and one map of a later proposed development (undated). Some maps have notes on homesteads.
Manson's sheep grazing in the field on Hernando Island which was created by removing the old logging camp buildings. On the left is a one-time camp family house and on the right is the former cookhouse, now a barn.
Manson's sheep grazing in the field on Hernando Island which was created by removing the old logging camp buildings. On the left is a one-time camp family house and on the right is the former cookhouse, now a barn.
Rose (L) in overalls and her cousin Florence standing with a dog standing by trees at the John Manson home, Sunny Brae farm.
Rose was the daughter of John and Margaret Manson; Florence was the daughter of Michael and Jane Manson.
Rose (L) in overalls and her cousin Florence standing with a dog standing by trees at the John Manson home, Sunny Brae farm.
Rose was the daughter of John and Margaret Manson; Florence was the daughter of Michael and Jane Manson.
The log barn at Big Meadow on Hernando Island. The barn is built of logs and hand-split cedar shakes. While the railroad logging was still operating, Victor Berg and his partner lived at the Meadow and logged poles using horses.
The log barn at Big Meadow on Hernando Island. The barn is built of logs and hand-split cedar shakes. While the railroad logging was still operating, Victor Berg and his partner lived at the Meadow and logged poles using horses.
