Logging crew in front of the cookhouse at Stag Bay, Hernando Island. Of the men up on other's shoulders are: far left, Dick Thompson, next, Cliff Palmer. Far right, in the white shirt is Eric Erickson, blacksmith.
Logging crew in front of the cookhouse at Stag Bay, Hernando Island. Of the men up on other's shoulders are: far left, Dick Thompson, next, Cliff Palmer. Far right, in the white shirt is Eric Erickson, blacksmith.
Photograph of a D8 Cat beside a log raft on the beach at Tiber Bay. A house is on the shore, along with a logging trailer and shed. Labelled on the back: "Tiber Bay. The selling out of Tooker Logging at Tiber Bay, loading of machinery." (From a group of photographs labelled "Frank Tooker photos").
Photograph of a D8 Cat beside a log raft on the beach at Tiber Bay. A house is on the shore, along with a logging trailer and shed. Labelled on the back: "Tiber Bay. The selling out of Tooker Logging at Tiber Bay, loading of machinery." (From a group of photographs labelled "Frank Tooker photos").
Photograph of a white house with rock-walled terraces to its right. This was Amy and Scotty McKenzie's float house, moved from Von Donop Inlet in 1951. Amy was daughter of Ruth and Henry Byers, who lived in the “Grey House” west of the ferry landing. (The "Grey House" was later moved to Squirrel Cove next to the Store.) The McKenzie house was between the Grey House and the ferry landing; it was torn down ca. 1974. The terraces may still be seen in the small park next to the ferry landing.
Photograph of a white house with rock-walled terraces to its right. This was Amy and Scotty McKenzie's float house, moved from Von Donop Inlet in 1951. Amy was daughter of Ruth and Henry Byers, who lived in the “Grey House” west of the ferry landing. (The "Grey House" was later moved to Squirrel Cove next to the Store.) The McKenzie house was between the Grey House and the ferry landing; it was torn down ca. 1974. The terraces may still be seen in the small park next to the ferry landing.
Photograph of Whaletown bay. A crane is behind the ferry dock, which is under construction. The pink house on the right is Otto and Mary Weiler's house.
Photograph of Whaletown bay. A crane is behind the ferry dock, which is under construction. The pink house on the right is Otto and Mary Weiler's house.
Harry Sundick, one of the logging crew who worked at Stag Bay, Hernando Island. Note the railroad track in the foreground. Shortly after this picture was taken, he had an accident and was hospitalized.
Harry Sundick, one of the logging crew who worked at Stag Bay, Hernando Island. Note the railroad track in the foreground. Shortly after this picture was taken, he had an accident and was hospitalized.
Photograph is labelled on the back: "Tiber Bay. The last of the Cat logging, with the tug "General Caldwell, skipper John Charltown, taking out 2 ections of fir." (From a group of photographs labelled "Frank Tooker photos").
Photograph is labelled on the back: "Tiber Bay. The last of the Cat logging, with the tug "General Caldwell, skipper John Charltown, taking out 2 ections of fir." (From a group of photographs labelled "Frank Tooker photos").
This collection consists of ten photograph albums (binders) compiled and annotated by May Ellingsen. The albums contain both original and reproduced photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island. They are accompanied by captions and additional textual information such as pre-emption records, reminiscences and newspaper clippings. Most of the photographs date from the early decades of the 20th century, depicting homes and buildings, pioneer families, community activities, schools, wharves, boats, logging and marine activity. Fonds consists of two series: Series 1 (The May Ellingsen Historic Photograph Collection, Vol. 1-9, Accession 2004.003) and Series 2 (The Manson Family Album, Accession 2004.002).
Ten photograph albums (binders) containing 152 original photographs and 482 reproductions.
History / Biographical
May Ellingsen was born on March 13, 1914 to George and Robina Freeman. Her maternal grandfather, Michael Manson, was the first person to pre-empt land on Cortes Island, claiming a quarter section on Gunflint Lake in 1886. May spent her childhood on Hernando Island, where her family homesteaded and logged, and on Cortes Island, where she attended the log school at Manson's Landing.
In 1936 May married Elmer Ellingsen. They spent the next ten years in the Loughborough Inlet/Phillips Arm area while Elmer worked for his father's logging operations. During those years their children, Shirley, Bruce and Andy, were born. In 1946 the family moved to Von Donop Creek, where Elmer was logging. In 1950 they moved their float house, built at the time of their marriage, to Manson's Landing Lagoon and two years later, to its present permanent location on Hague Lake.
May and Elmer devoted much time and energy to building their community. Amongst her many community activities, May ran the library at Manson's Hall. She had a strong interest in local history, researching the history of land pre-emptions on the island, collecting and annotating photographs from pioneer families and recording interviews with old timers. She was a founder of the Cortes Island Museum and Archives Society; the archives reading room is named in her honor. Historical materials and artifacts gathered by May formed the kernel of the museum's collections and archives.
Custodial History
May Ellingsen created the albums in the 1980s, and kept adding to them throughout the 1990s. She kept them at the Manson's Landing library and then at the museum from 1999. She officially donated them to CIMAS in 2004.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of ten photograph albums (binders) compiled and annotated by May Ellingsen. The albums contain both original and reproduced photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island. They are accompanied by captions and additional textual information such as pre-emption records, reminiscences and newspaper clippings. Most of the photographs date from the early decades of the 20th century, depicting homes and buildings, pioneer families, community activities, schools, wharves, boats, logging and marine activity. Fonds consists of two series: Series 1 (The May Ellingsen Historic Photograph Collection, Vol. 1-9, Accession 2004.003) and Series 2 (The Manson Family Album, Accession 2004.002).