Articles, maps, emails and other written info on Coast Salish clam farming history, terminology, archaeology. Scanned photographs of clam gardens and Indigenous clam farmers, 1900-2005. Scanned photographs from June Cameron of early settlers harvesting and processing clams and fish, 1934-1941. Drawings of clams by Judith Williams. Excerpts from Kwakiutl Texts by Boas and Hunt and Clam Gardens by Judith Williams. Shellfish recipes from various sources. Open letters to Judith Williams and Mr. Harper from Christian Grounau regarding terracing effects of glacial runoffs, 2007 and 2008. Info from a talk Judith Williams gave on clam gardens at the Klahoose Hall, 2008.
Articles, maps, emails and other written info on Coast Salish clam farming history, terminology, archaeology. Scanned photographs of clam gardens and Indigenous clam farmers, 1900-2005. Scanned photographs from June Cameron of early settlers harvesting and processing clams and fish, 1934-1941. Drawings of clams by Judith Williams. Excerpts from Kwakiutl Texts by Boas and Hunt and Clam Gardens by Judith Williams. Shellfish recipes from various sources. Open letters to Judith Williams and Mr. Harper from Christian Grounau regarding terracing effects of glacial runoffs, 2007 and 2008. Info from a talk Judith Williams gave on clam gardens at the Klahoose Hall, 2008.
Emails, photographs, maps, emails and written info on clam gardens relating to the clam garden display; labels from display; several copies of shellfish recipes; memo from Judith William's publishers.
Emails, photographs, maps, emails and written info on clam gardens relating to the clam garden display; labels from display; several copies of shellfish recipes; memo from Judith William's publishers.
This photograph and the next two photographs in the album show what, in 1985, was left of the house built by Horace Ward when he took up his 1911 pre-emption of 120 acres of the N.1/2 of S.E.1/4 of Section 31. It was cancelled in 1922.
This photograph and the next two photographs in the album show what, in 1985, was left of the house built by Horace Ward when he took up his 1911 pre-emption of 120 acres of the N.1/2 of S.E.1/4 of Section 31. It was cancelled in 1922.
Clippings and brochures featuring history of building, formation of the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery, and artists and exhibits at the gallery, 1973-2018
Clippings and brochures featuring history of building, formation of the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery, and artists and exhibits at the gallery, 1973-2018
Buildings by the bay, Twin Islands. On the left is the house being built by Mr. Harpur C. Nixon for his son James. On the right is the home built by Dan McDonald. Foreground shows, beach, bay and two rowboats.
Buildings by the bay, Twin Islands. On the left is the house being built by Mr. Harpur C. Nixon for his son James. On the right is the home built by Dan McDonald. Foreground shows, beach, bay and two rowboats.
Marjorie Hayes in a long dress with puffed sleeves posing in front of the top gate at "Spit House", Manson's Lagoon.. (Photograph from the Hayes family.)
Marjorie Hayes in a long dress with puffed sleeves posing in front of the top gate at "Spit House", Manson's Lagoon.. (Photograph from the Hayes family.)
A group photograph taken in front of the white canvas house built by Walter Robertson on Hernando Island. The house was a bare framework covered by heavy Powell River canvas.
L to R, back row: Flossie (Manson) Kenny, Gwen (Manson) Campbell, Ralph Kenny
L to R, row 2: Mrs. Niven, Mrs. Jane Manson, Muriel Hurren
L to R, row 3: Audrey Kenny, Eileen Kenny, and Calvin, Minerva and Lorne Campbell
L to R, seated: Thelma Campbell, Dorothy Manson, Bill Niven and Ralph Kenny Jr.
A group photograph taken in front of the white canvas house built by Walter Robertson on Hernando Island. The house was a bare framework covered by heavy Powell River canvas.
L to R, back row: Flossie (Manson) Kenny, Gwen (Manson) Campbell, Ralph Kenny
L to R, row 2: Mrs. Niven, Mrs. Jane Manson, Muriel Hurren
L to R, row 3: Audrey Kenny, Eileen Kenny, and Calvin, Minerva and Lorne Campbell
L to R, seated: Thelma Campbell, Dorothy Manson, Bill Niven and Ralph Kenny Jr.
Co-operative Fire and Casualty Company info regarding request to insure a property, Mr and Mrs Ellingsen, 1963. Licensing and insurance papers for E. Ellingsen, 1968-1970. Info on residential, recreational, commercial, industrial and investment real estate, "Growing with Vancouver," featuring Bruce Ellingsen, 1974. Excerpts from The Columbia is Coming!, Doris Andersen, 1982. Receipts from Mansons Landing Store for May and Elmer Ellingsen, 1982-1987. Old notebook cover, Elmer Ellingsen, undated. Info on memorials: Elmer Ellingsen, 2002; May Ellingsen, 2012; and Virginia Hazel Ellingsen, 2019. Letter from Etta to CIMAS, 2012. Invoice for art purchased by CIMAS from David Ellingsen, 2017. Info on The Last Stand, D. Ellingsen, 2019. Info on Cortes Connection, 2019. Photo of Dianne Hentschel, Nellie Jeffrey, May Ellingsen, undated.
Co-operative Fire and Casualty Company info regarding request to insure a property, Mr and Mrs Ellingsen, 1963. Licensing and insurance papers for E. Ellingsen, 1968-1970. Info on residential, recreational, commercial, industrial and investment real estate, "Growing with Vancouver," featuring Bruce Ellingsen, 1974. Excerpts from The Columbia is Coming!, Doris Andersen, 1982. Receipts from Mansons Landing Store for May and Elmer Ellingsen, 1982-1987. Old notebook cover, Elmer Ellingsen, undated. Info on memorials: Elmer Ellingsen, 2002; May Ellingsen, 2012; and Virginia Hazel Ellingsen, 2019. Letter from Etta to CIMAS, 2012. Invoice for art purchased by CIMAS from David Ellingsen, 2017. Info on The Last Stand, D. Ellingsen, 2019. Info on Cortes Connection, 2019. Photo of Dianne Hentschel, Nellie Jeffrey, May Ellingsen, undated.
Wilfred and Jean Manson's home at Stag Bay, Hernando Island. The house is under construction with scaffolding still up, but is nearing completion. The old logging pier can be seen in the background to the left and closer, one of the sheds belonging to the logging camp.
Wilfred and Jean Manson's home at Stag Bay, Hernando Island. The house is under construction with scaffolding still up, but is nearing completion. The old logging pier can be seen in the background to the left and closer, one of the sheds belonging to the logging camp.
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).
