Recording consists of oral history interviews of Doreen (Huck) Thompson and Wilfed Freeman by Oonagh O'Connor. Topics covered in Thompson's interview include Huck family history on Cortes; medical emergencies; gardening; fishing; hunting; logging. Topics covered in Freeman's interview include reminiscences of the island in 1927; roads; transportation. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Recording consists of oral history interviews of Doreen (Huck) Thompson and Wilfed Freeman by Oonagh O'Connor. Topics covered in Thompson's interview include Huck family history on Cortes; medical emergencies; gardening; fishing; hunting; logging. Topics covered in Freeman's interview include reminiscences of the island in 1927; roads; transportation. There is a short summary of the interview, written by May Ellingsen, in the cassette case.
Photograph of a scene described on the back (probably by Rollo or Kathleen Boas) as "gathering patients for clinic off float house - carriage being taken aboard." A man is loading a baby carriage from a float covered with coils of cable, boom chain and oil drums. The camp outhouse is behind the boat.
Photograph of a scene described on the back (probably by Rollo or Kathleen Boas) as "gathering patients for clinic off float house - carriage being taken aboard." A man is loading a baby carriage from a float covered with coils of cable, boom chain and oil drums. The camp outhouse is behind the boat.
Fonds consists of the records of the Cortes Island Ratepayers Association, an organization of the property owners and residents of Cortes Island from 1963 to 1984. They include administrative documents such as the constitution and membership lists, minutes of CIRA meetings, annual reports, newsletters to members, correspondence and materials related to the provision of services, land use planning and other issues of island concern.
The fonds is composed of the following series: Administrative Documents; Minutes; Financial; Newsletters and Notices; Correspondence; Subject; Community Planning and Land Use (Advisory Planning Commission); Clippings; and Maps and Plans.
The Cortes Island Ratepayers Association (CIRA) was an association of property owners and residents formed in 1963 to "further the development of the island and to have a representative body in dealing with the Provincial government."
The first activity initiated by CIRA was to lobby the provincial government for the provision of electricity and ferry service to Cortes Island. Their efforts met with success. Electricity was brought to the island in 1970 and ferry service from Quadra Island to Cortes Island began in 1969. CIRA also became an important forum for the discussion of other important services on Cortes Island, including roads, fire protection, garbage disposal, water quality, rural mail delivery and library facilities.
As a result of CIRA's efforts to bring electricity to Cortes Island, in 1967 the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Dan Campbell, designated Cortes Island a Local Improvement District. This made Cortes Island into a legal entity for the purpose of negotiating with the province for electrical power. In that same year, Minister Campbell invited CIRA to participate in discussions and committee work on the formation of a regional district level of government.
In 1968, Cortes Island was designated 'Electoral Area I' in the Regional District of Comox-Strathcona (RDCS) with an elected director. Under this system, a Regional Director is elected who in turn sits on the Board of the RDCS. Each Regional Director appoints an Advisory Planning Commission (APC), a committee of island residents who advise the Director on matters of island concern. In 1968, CIRA determined that the elected members of the executive of CIRA would form the APC for Cortes Island. This arrangement lasted until the dissolution of CIRA in 1984. The first zoning by-law was completed in 1970 and an Official Settlement Plan and zoning by-law in 1979.
In 1982, CIRA initiated a court case against Raven Lumber for non-compliance with the Cortes Island Official Settlement Plan and zoning by-law. CIRA won the case upon appeal, but in 1984 an Order in Council allowed Raven Lumber to proceed with their development. The court case had absorbed a great deal of CIRA energy and fund raising effort over a four year period. At the General Meeting in November, 1984 there were no candidates willing to stand for the executive. CIRA was declared inactive at that meeting and was never reactivated.
Custodial History
During the term of the last president of CIRA, the records were kept in the Gorge Harbour Community Hall on Cortes Island. After the dissolution of the CIRA in 1984, the records continued to be stored in the hall. The records were transferred to the Cortes Island Museum and Archives by the Whaletown Community Club (owner of the hall) in 2000.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the records of the Cortes Island Ratepayers Association, an organization of the property owners and residents of Cortes Island from 1963 to 1984. They include administrative documents such as the constitution and membership lists, minutes of CIRA meetings, annual reports, newsletters to members, correspondence and materials related to the provision of services, land use planning and other issues of island concern.
The fonds is composed of the following series: Administrative Documents; Minutes; Financial; Newsletters and Notices; Correspondence; Subject; Community Planning and Land Use (Advisory Planning Commission); Clippings; and Maps and Plans.
Regional Director of Electoral Area I (Cortes Island) fonds
Gilean Douglas fonds
Finding Aid
File list available
Arrangement
Materials were received in their original file folders, however the files were not in any discernible order. In the absence of original order, materials were arranged by function and subject at the series level and chronologically within series.
Series consists of CIRA general correspondence and APC general correspondence, as well as CIRA correspondence on specific issues, including ferry service, electrical and telephone service, the Regional District system of government, medical services, parks, wharves, environmental concerns, tax assessments, log dump and beach salvage, predators (wolves and cougars), oyster poaching, the road network, garbage collection and disposal, historic sites, library services, emergency response and policing, and the Raven Lumber subdivision proposal and ensuing court case.
Series consists of CIRA general correspondence and APC general correspondence, as well as CIRA correspondence on specific issues, including ferry service, electrical and telephone service, the Regional District system of government, medical services, parks, wharves, environmental concerns, tax assessments, log dump and beach salvage, predators (wolves and cougars), oyster poaching, the road network, garbage collection and disposal, historic sites, library services, emergency response and policing, and the Raven Lumber subdivision proposal and ensuing court case.
Fonds consists of materials created or collected by Directors of Cortes Electoral Area during their terms of office. Because outgoing Directors may turn their current files over to their successors, the papers of one Director may contain materials generated during a previous term.
Fonds includes minutes of Cortes Advisory Planning Commission meetings; minutes of Regional Board and committee meetings with related background material; records of public hearings; correspondence; community plans and by-laws with associated planning material; licenses for the use of foreshore and crown land; and materials relating to island issues such as parks, aquaculture, forestry, garbage disposal, recycling and water quality.
Fonds is arranged into sous-fonds based on accession of records and contains four sous-fonds: Linda Gagnon, Regional Director; Ralph Nursall, Regional Director; George Sirk, Regional Director; and Jeanette Hiebert, Regional Director.
The Regional Director of Electoral Area I (Cortes Island) was the elected representative to the Regional District of Comox-Strathcona (RDCS), one of 28 regional districts in British Columbia. The RDCS covered an area of North Vancouver Island and surrounding islands which included the municipalities of Campbell River, Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, Gold River, Sayward, Tahsis and Zeballos, and 10 rural Electoral Areas. Initially enabled by the Municipal Act of 1965, Regional Districts act as a regional government over issues affecting their entire region. In the absence of incorporated municipalities, they function as the "local" government for rural areas by providing planning and land use regulations, and facilitating the delivery of services such as garbage disposal, fire protection and house numbering. Cortes Island was designated Electoral Area I when the RDCS was formed in 1968, and was the smallest electoral area in both population and size. In 2008 the RDCS was split, and Cortes Island became Area B in the newly-formed Strathcona Regional District.
Cortes was represented on the RDCS by one Director, elected for a three year term, who appointed an Alternate Director and an Advisory Planning Commission (APC). From 1968 until 1984, the Cortes Island APC was formed by the elected executive of the Cortes Island Ratepayers Association. The first Director of Area I was George Griffin (1968-1973), followed by Gilean Douglas (1973-1978), Irv Reedel (1978-1981), David Hansen (1981-1984), Bruce Ellingsen (1984-1987), Linda Gagnon (1987-1990), Ralph Nursall (1990-1996), George Sirk (1996-2005) and Jeanette (Jenny) Hiebert (2005-2008).
Custodial History
Material in the Linda Gagnon, Regional Director sous-fonds (Accession 2002.001) was passed on to her successor, Ralph Nursall, at the end of her term. It was donated to CIMAS in 2002 by Ralph Nursall. Material in the Ralph Nursall, Regional Director sous-fonds (Accession 2003.001) was donated to CIMAS by Nursall in 2003 and in 2008 (Accession 2008.001). Material in the George Sirk, Regional Director sous-fonds (Accession 2004.004) was donated to CIMAS by Sirk in 2004. Material in the Jeanette Hiebert Regional Director sous-fonds (Accession 2019.015) was donated to CIMAS by Hiebert in 2019.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of materials created or collected by Directors of Cortes Electoral Area during their terms of office. Because outgoing Directors may turn their current files over to their successors, the papers of one Director may contain materials generated during a previous term.
Fonds includes minutes of Cortes Advisory Planning Commission meetings; minutes of Regional Board and committee meetings with related background material; records of public hearings; correspondence; community plans and by-laws with associated planning material; licenses for the use of foreshore and crown land; and materials relating to island issues such as parks, aquaculture, forestry, garbage disposal, recycling and water quality.
Fonds is arranged into sous-fonds based on accession of records and contains four sous-fonds: Linda Gagnon, Regional Director; Ralph Nursall, Regional Director; George Sirk, Regional Director; and Jeanette Hiebert, Regional Director.
The Gilean Douglas fonds contains records from Douglas's term as Regional Director (1973 to 1978). The Cortes Island Ratepayers Association fonds contains material relating to Cortes' incorporation into the Regional District, and minutes, correspondence and other materials from the APC (1968-1984).
File consists of corrrespondence, financial statements, planning notes, lists of volunteers, food and supplies generated in the course of Whaletown Community Club participation in the annual Cortes Day barbecue and dance.
1 folder of textual records including 1 scribbler notebook
Scope and Content
File consists of corrrespondence, financial statements, planning notes, lists of volunteers, food and supplies generated in the course of Whaletown Community Club participation in the annual Cortes Day barbecue and dance.
The photograph shows a boatload of visitors going to Stag Bay, transport provided by the small gasboat in the background. During George Freeman's years at Stag Bay, he used this '"little green boat" for necessary commuting between Stag Bay and Lund, not only for personal needs but also for logging camp needs for repairs, medical emergencies, etc.
Wilfred Manson is standing on the gasboat in the back.
In the rowboat, L to R: Colin Campbell, Fraser Campbell (brothers), Jean Manson and Dorothy, Florence McKay with oar, Gwen Campbell and Thelma, Mrs. Colin Campbell behind Hazel McKay, Etta McKay.
The photograph shows a boatload of visitors going to Stag Bay, transport provided by the small gasboat in the background. During George Freeman's years at Stag Bay, he used this '"little green boat" for necessary commuting between Stag Bay and Lund, not only for personal needs but also for logging camp needs for repairs, medical emergencies, etc.
Wilfred Manson is standing on the gasboat in the back.
In the rowboat, L to R: Colin Campbell, Fraser Campbell (brothers), Jean Manson and Dorothy, Florence McKay with oar, Gwen Campbell and Thelma, Mrs. Colin Campbell behind Hazel McKay, Etta McKay.
The Cortez Bay Women's Auxiliary (of the Anglican Church) was founded in November, 1951, around the same time that chapters were formed in Whaletown and Manson's Landing.
Custodial History
Donated in 1990 by Sheila Stoppa, the daughter of Ellen Musclow, who was the secretary/treasurer of the organization.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one minute book containing minutes of meetings of the Cortez Bay Womens' Auxiliary.
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 ephemera from a global warming seminar, "First Aid for a Scorched Planet" by Basil Seaton, materials from the Linnaea Seed Project and the Cortes Island Co-operative Self-Sufficiency initiative.
File contains ephemera from a global warming seminar, "First Aid for a Scorched Planet" by Basil Seaton, materials from the Linnaea Seed Project and the Cortes Island Co-operative Self-Sufficiency initiative.
This fonds comprises records of four Cortes Island women's service organizations, including minutes, financial records, administrative records, correspondence, photographs, ephemera and artifacts. It is arranged in four sous-fonds according to the creator of the records: Whaletown Women's Institute (2009.001.1); Whaletown Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church (2009.001.2); Cortes Island Women's Institute (2009.001.3); and Island Women's Club (2009.001.3). Related material in CIMAS archives may be found in the Whaletown Women's Institute fonds (1999.002), the Gilean Douglas fonds (1999.001), and the May and Elmer Ellingsen fonds (2007.001).
The Island Women's Club was formed in 2000, when the members of the Cortes Island Women's Institute withdrew from the British Columbia Women's Institute in order to focus their efforts locally. It was the successor to previous women's service organizations on Cortes, local branches of the Women's Institute and the Anglican Church Women's Auxiliary. Activities included awarding bursaries to graduating high school students, contributing to school projects such as printing yearbooks, sponsoring sports teams and building playground equipment, supporting the community halls and organizing memorial teas on behalf of bereaved families. They disbanded in 2016.
Custodial History
After they disbanded, records of the Whaletown Women's Institute and the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary passed into the hands of the Cortes Island Women's Institute and its successor, Island Women's Club, who donated them to CIMAS in 2009. The organizational records created by the Island Women's Club were donated to CIMAS in 2018.
Scope and Content
This fonds comprises records of four Cortes Island women's service organizations, including minutes, financial records, administrative records, correspondence, photographs, ephemera and artifacts. It is arranged in four sous-fonds according to the creator of the records: Whaletown Women's Institute (2009.001.1); Whaletown Women's Auxiliary of the Anglican Church (2009.001.2); Cortes Island Women's Institute (2009.001.3); and Island Women's Club (2009.001.3). Related material in CIMAS archives may be found in the Whaletown Women's Institute fonds (1999.002), the Gilean Douglas fonds (1999.001), and the May and Elmer Ellingsen fonds (2007.001).
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Cortes Island Women's Institute. It is arranged in nine series: Minutes, Reports, Financial, Administrative Records, Correspondence, Subject Files, Ephemera, Photographs and Artifacts.
The Cortes Island Women's institute was formed in 1984. Although Cortes Island had historically been difficult to traverse, and the communities consequently insular, by the 1980s the road systems were such that "a Women's Institute for the whole of Cortes Island" seemed to make sense.
CIWI was founded with the bank balance of a Manson's Landing service group called the Ladies Guild, which was founded in the 1940s. When membership and activity in the guild declined in the 1970s, the focus was shifted to a renovation and addition to Manson's Hall. Once the Hall had been sufficiently updated, it was thought that the remaining funds might be put to use "creating an instrument for better communication between all our women and a chance to work together in the community".
Charter members of the CIWI were Heather Berry, Peggy Newsham, Maryann McCoy, Linda Hendricks, and Mary Block.
Custodial History
Records were donated to CIMAS by the Island Women's Club in 2009.
Scope and Content
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Cortes Island Women's Institute. It is arranged in nine series: Minutes, Reports, Financial, Administrative Records, Correspondence, Subject Files, Ephemera, Photographs and Artifacts.
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Island Women's Club. It is arranged in six series: Financial, Administrative, Correspondence, Projects, Ephemera and Artifact.
he Island Women's Club was founded 2000, when the members of the Cortes Island Women's Institute withdrew from the British Columbia Women's Institute; it disbanded in 2016.
Custodial History
Records of the Island Women's Club were donated to CIMAS in 2018 by the last secretary of the organization, Callie Waddell.
Scope and Content
Sous-fonds consists of records of the Island Women's Club. It is arranged in six series: Financial, Administrative, Correspondence, Projects, Ephemera and Artifact.
Fonds consists of a summary of the results of a questionnaire regarding ferry service composed by the Transportation Committee and sent to Cortes Island residents; the original questionnaires returned by islanders; and notes on other transportation issues such as road pavement and boat launch sites.
A District of Campbell River meeting March 22, 1993 took place in the Campbell River Hall. Present at that meeting were the Chairman of the B.C. Ferry Corporation; Peter Hughes, Operations Manager BC Ferry Corporation for North Islands; representative of the Campbell River Council and Campbell River School District; Gretchen Brewin, Chair Community Relations Committee; Colin Gabelman and his Executive Assistant; various B.C. Ferry Corp personnel including the person responsible for docks and terminals; and Jim Abrams and Ralph Nursall representing the Regional District.
At that meeting Peter Hughes recommended that Cortes Islanders form a Transportation Committee to liaison with B.C. Ferry Corp.
When Ralph returned to Cortes Island he spoke with a number of people he thought might be interested in forming the backbone of such an Island Committee. Eight of the 20+ people Ralph had contacted attended an April 21, 1993 Cortes Island preliminary meeting--Joanne Weyler, Sabina Mense, Joan Bevington, Ken Ferguson, Herbert Havelaar, Norm Gibbons, Tom Bennet and Dick Teams. What was discussed was the convening of a Transportation Committee meeting to bring together all those Islanders interested in transportation issues on the island. No one at that meeting volunteered to convene such a meeting. Ralph contacted then acting Operation Manager for B.C. Ferry Corp., Capt. Norman Craddock, and made arrangements for a public meeting with Capt. Craddock in attendance to answer questions from the floor. Joanne Weyler advertised the event through the Cortes Classifieds.
The May 12, 1993 Transportation Committee consisted of all those who attended that public meeting held at the Gorge Hall. The high turnout (50+) indicated an intense interest in transportation issues on the Island and there was a spirited exchange of questions and answers. Before this meeting, Dennis Mense had agreed to act as convener for an Executive of the Transportation Committee and Ralph Nursall asked for volunteers to serve on the Executive. Volunteers included Harry Breurkens, Glen Carleton, Norm Gibbons, Bertha Jeffery, Ted Pudden, Carol Reese and Joanne Weyler. [ . . . ]
The "mandate" for the Committee and its Executive, as expressed by Ralph Nursall, as as follows: "[I]t is intended that the Transportation Committee be an independent, community committee operating as it sees fit to collect opinions of Islanders to transport to the B.C. Ferry Corp. and getting information from the Corporation for Islanders. [ . . . ] the Committee will also interest itself in Highways and other transportation matters of the Island."
(From "Cortes Island Transportation Committee Background Information," in Regional Director fonds)
Custodial History
The material was compiled by the Cortes Island Transportation Committee. It was made available to islanders at the Manson's Landing library, and later transferred to CIMAS.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a summary of the results of a questionnaire regarding ferry service composed by the Transportation Committee and sent to Cortes Island residents; the original questionnaires returned by islanders; and notes on other transportation issues such as road pavement and boat launch sites.
