Series consists of nine albums (binders) holding 554 photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island, with accompanying descriptions and with 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. The majority of the photographs are copies, as indicated by the numbers assigned to them by the Campbell River Museum & Archives. There are 72 original photographs in the albums.
Nine photograph albums (binders) holding 554 photographs with accompanying descriptions.
Custodial History
May Ellingsen put this collection together in the mid 1980s. She collected hundreds of old photographs from 30 donor families which were then copied and catalogued by the Campbell River Museum in 1985, with funding from the Canada Council and Canada Works. (see "Musings", a publication of the CR Museum & Archives Society, Vol. IV #1, March 1985) The Campbell River Museum made negatives and two copies of the photographs; the originals were then returned to the donor families. One copy of each photo was given to May, who arranged them in albums and added her commentary. She continued to add to the albums through the 1990s, adding 72 original photographs and more descriptions. She kept the albums in the library in the Manson's Hall and then in the Cortes Museum when it opened in 1999. The albums were officially donated to CIMAS in 2004.
Scope and Content
Series consists of nine albums (binders) holding 554 photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island, with accompanying descriptions and with 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. The majority of the photographs are copies, as indicated by the numbers assigned to them by the Campbell River Museum & Archives. There are 72 original photographs in the albums.
Item level finding aid is available for the 72 original photographs.
Copyright
The Campbell River Archives has negatives for the copied photographs in the Collection and makes prints on request for a charge according to their policy and according to the wishes of the donors. Donor/source cards were filled out by each family donating photographs and include restrictions on use in some cases. They are on file at the Campbell River Archives.
CIMAS holds the copyright on the 72 original photographs in these albums.
Collection consists of photographs of Cortes Island people, places and events. Photographs not belonging to another fonds or collection in the Archives have been described as part of this collection.
Photographs have been donated to or collected by Cortes Island Museum & Archives. Where it is known, provenance is described at the item level.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of photographs of Cortes Island people, places and events. Photographs not belonging to another fonds or collection in the Archives have been described as part of this collection.
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).
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.
Series consists of one photograph album containing 329 black and white photographs with captions, dating from 1922 to 1924. The photographs depict Dorothy Huck, friends and family, on Cortes and in Saskatchewan. There are also some commercial photographs of the Rocky Mountains.
Edges of the cover are frayed; the first five, the eighth and the last four pages are broken along the fold and are loose. The photographs are glued onto the black cardboard pages and show signs of rippling, creasing, dirt and wear but most of the images are very clear. Some of the pictures are loose or missing.
Scope and Content
Series consists of one photograph album containing 329 black and white photographs with captions, dating from 1922 to 1924. The photographs depict Dorothy Huck, friends and family, on Cortes and in Saskatchewan. There are also some commercial photographs of the Rocky Mountains.
Series consists of one photograph album containing 150 black and white photographs with captions, dating from 1916 to 1927. Most of the photographs depict Dorothy Huck, her family and friends, and scenes from Cortes Island, especially the Green Valley area. There are also some photographs from Vancouver and Moose Jaw, Sk. where Dorothy attended school.
1 photograph album, 18.5 x 14 x 4.5 cm, containing 150 black and white photographs.
Physical Condition
Cover is worn; spine is damaged and has been repaired with orange tape and cellophane tape. Photographs are glued onto the black paper pages and show signs of wear such as dirt or wrinkling but are generally very clear. Some photographs are missing and a few have been cut.
Scope and Content
Series consists of one photograph album containing 150 black and white photographs with captions, dating from 1916 to 1927. Most of the photographs depict Dorothy Huck, her family and friends, and scenes from Cortes Island, especially the Green Valley area. There are also some photographs from Vancouver and Moose Jaw, Sk. where Dorothy attended school.
Michael Carkener (1949- ) has lived at 757 Sutil Point Rd., Manson's Landing on Cortes Island since ca. 1978. The house at that address was originally built by the Froud family in 1914. Frederick Froud donated a portion of his land for Manson's Landing Community Hall and St. James Church in the 1920s.
Custodial History
Photograph #2013.002.001 was found by Michael Carkener when he moved into the house at 757 Sutil Pt. Rd; the others were collected by his wife, Janice Piche, in the 1980s, probably from the Fretwell family. Michael Carkener donated the collection to CIMAS in 2013.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of twenty-four photographs depicting Cortes Island scenes and people, and one folder containing a letter and ephemera.
This collection consists of photographs of Jalmar Olson, his house and garden in Gorge Harbour, and Whaletown. Textual records include a hand-written account of J. Olson by his grand-daughter, Judy (Alderson) Gerwing, and a photocopy of a letter to J. Olson from the Meteorological Division of the Dept. of Transport (Small fonds box 1-18).
7 photographs : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm
3 photographs : colour ; 15 x 10 cm
1 file of textual records
History / Biographical
Jalmar Olson (Apr 30, 1869-Feb 29, 1964) was born in Sweden. He emigrated to Canada in 1906 and moved to Cortes in the 1930s. He had a house and garden in Gorge Harbour at what is now 509 Whaletown Rd. Olson was a Weather Observer for Transport Canada until 1949, when he moved off-island for health reasons.
Custodial History
Donated to CIMAS by Judy Alderson Gerwing, the grand-daughter of Jalmar Olson, Sept. 27, 2013.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of photographs of Jalmar Olson, his house and garden in Gorge Harbour, and Whaletown. Textual records include a hand-written account of J. Olson by his grand-daughter, Judy (Alderson) Gerwing, and a photocopy of a letter to J. Olson from the Meteorological Division of the Dept. of Transport (Small fonds box 1-18).
These photographs depict people ((Needs ID) and houses in Whaletown Bay, to the west of the present-day ferry landing. They are labelled "Whaletown B.C., my Dad's place".
2 loose pages from a photograph album containing 15 black and white photographs
History / Biographical
(Obituary from the Powell River Peak: http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2012/12/04/community/obituaries/doc50b6568a6c710870190038.txt)
Annabelle Jane Smith (née Graham), April 10, 1940 – November 19, 2012
Annabelle passed away in Quesnel, BC. She is survived by her daughters Darlene (Dan) Johnson and Paulene Smith, and two granddaughters Brittney and Brooke. She also leaves behind her sisters Penny (Harold) Tuck, Bonnie Skoropad, and Marilyn (Jim) Schmor, brother Robert and many nieces and nephews.
Custodial History
These photographs were mailed to CIMAS in 2008. There is no signed donation form.
Scope and Content
These photographs depict people ((Needs ID) and houses in Whaletown Bay, to the west of the present-day ferry landing. They are labelled "Whaletown B.C., my Dad's place".
Collection consists of five cartoons by Ken Slater. There are three large coloured pen and ink cartoons drawn as Christmas cards for Gary and Velma Bergman, who owned the Whaletown store, and two pencil drawings by Ken Slater.
Ken Slater (1905-1970) was a long-time resident of Cortes Island, a commercial fisherman and boat builder who was also an accomplished carver and cartoonist. His boatworks was located on the site now occupied by the Whaletown Post Office. Ken built the "Sylva Jane", launched in 1946, for Reg and Sylvia Walsh. He also built a model of the ship, which is in the collection of the Cortes Museum. Ken moved to Cortes Bay in 1962. His cartoons, artwork and wood carvings were displayed and sold at many island affairs.
Custodial History
The three coloured cartoons were given to Mark Appleyard by Gary and Velma Bergman for donation to CIMAS [ca. 2015]. Provenance of the two pencil drawings is unknown. There is no accession record; an arbitrary FIC (Found In Collection) number has been given based on the date of processing.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of five cartoons by Ken Slater. There are three large coloured pen and ink cartoons drawn as Christmas cards for Gary and Velma Bergman, who owned the Whaletown store, and two pencil drawings by Ken Slater.
Collection comprises nine large maps of Cortes Island with handwritten family trees on the back sides, created when Marg Sullivan handed out the maps at a gathering and asked everyone present to write their family trees down. Families documented include: Sullivan, Marg and Sully; Smith, Marion; Jeffery, Baron and Nellie Smith; Ringwood, Gail and Stephen; Campbell, Duane and Florence; Hansen, Hazel and Ken; Rogers, Art and Hendon, Del; McDevitt, Lottie; Borden, Vern (Borden homestead is marked on the map); Froud family; Petznick family; Beesley family; Hayes family; Mike Manson family; John Manson family; Morrison, David Reekie; Lambert family; Padgett family; Tiber (Teuber) family; Henry Hague family.
Margaret (Marg) Sullivan (1934-2017) was born in Flin Flon, Manitoba. She married Clarence “Sully” Sullivan in 1955, and they moved to Cortes Island in the early 1980s, taking an active part in community affairs. Marg was a stained-glass artist, and she created the windows for St. Saviour-By-The-Sea Church overlooking Cortes Bay. Each personalized window commemorates a long-time Cortes resident and there is a fascinating story behind the creation of each window. Marg also custom designed the circular stained glass window above the entrance door of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in the Klahoose village of Tork in Squirrel Cove. This window is imbued with symbolism meaningful to the Klahoose First Nation and tells a story all its own. The Band Administrator in 1998 arranged for Marg to meet with Klahoose elders and artists to consider design elements the Band wished to have her incorporate in the window. She made research trips to the First Nations Museum at Alert Bay and to the Klahoose traditional lands in Toba Inlet before designing the window. Marg’s personal stories about each of these windows were recorded for preservation in the Museum’s Archives at a tea in 2015.
Custodial History
Donated to CIMAS by Marg Sullivan in 2016.
Scope and Content
Collection comprises nine large maps of Cortes Island with handwritten family trees on the back sides, created when Marg Sullivan handed out the maps at a gathering and asked everyone present to write their family trees down. Families documented include: Sullivan, Marg and Sully; Smith, Marion; Jeffery, Baron and Nellie Smith; Ringwood, Gail and Stephen; Campbell, Duane and Florence; Hansen, Hazel and Ken; Rogers, Art and Hendon, Del; McDevitt, Lottie; Borden, Vern (Borden homestead is marked on the map); Froud family; Petznick family; Beesley family; Hayes family; Mike Manson family; John Manson family; Morrison, David Reekie; Lambert family; Padgett family; Tiber (Teuber) family; Henry Hague family.
Collection contains a file of material about Elton Anderson including a typed reminiscence by Elton Anderson, and a notebook containing a handwritten account of a boat trip.
Elton Anderson (1908 -1975) was a naturalist and conservationist. He was born in Victoria and lived for some years on Cortes Island. A former logger, Anderson became a leader in conservation work in BC. He served as president of the Federation of BC Naturalists, was an honorary life member of the Vancouver Natural History Society and the Victoria Natural History Society, and a member of the Canadian Nature Federation.
Custodial History
Provenance of these files is unclear and there are no accession records. They have been given arbitrary fonds numbers based on date of processing and described as the Elton Anderson Collection.
Scope and Content
Collection contains a file of material about Elton Anderson including a typed reminiscence by Elton Anderson, and a notebook containing a handwritten account of a boat trip.
Collection consists of ephemera relating to the history of Cortes Island. Ephemera not belonging to another fonds or collection in the Archives have been described as part of this collection.
Donor information is described at the file level where it is known; however the provenance of many records in this collection is unknown.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of ephemera relating to the history of Cortes Island. Ephemera not belonging to another fonds or collection in the Archives have been described as part of this collection.
The CIMAS audiovisual collection consists of sound and video recordings on various media. Subject matter includes interviews with residents of Cortes Island and nearby islands, events which occurred on the island and musical and theatrical performances by island artists and groups. Material is arranged in three series according to physical type: Audio tapes; CDs and DVDs, and VHS tapes. Items which do not have accession records have been given an arbitrary FIC (Found In Collection) number depending on their date of processing.
The CIMAS audiovisual collection consists of sound and video recordings on various media. Subject matter includes interviews with residents of Cortes Island and nearby islands, events which occurred on the island and musical and theatrical performances by island artists and groups. Material is arranged in three series according to physical type: Audio tapes; CDs and DVDs, and VHS tapes. Items which do not have accession records have been given an arbitrary FIC (Found In Collection) number depending on their date of processing.
Series consists of 80 photographs with typed explanatory captions, depicting scenes and activities relating to the Manson's Landing school, general scenes of Cortes Island, and James Nixon family of Twin Islands. Many of the the photographs have information written on their backs.
May Ellingsen compiled this album from photographs in the possession of the Manson family and wrote the explanatory captions. The photographs of Manson's school were taken by Katherine Lettice, the teacher at the time; photographs of Twin Islands were taken by the Nixon family, who lived there and were friends of the Manson family. Photographs were turned over to May by Rose or John Manson. Some photographs were in May's possession as her mother, Robina (Manson) Freeman, was a daughter of Michael Manson.
Scope and Content
Series consists of 80 photographs with typed explanatory captions, depicting scenes and activities relating to the Manson's Landing school, general scenes of Cortes Island, and James Nixon family of Twin Islands. Many of the the photographs have information written on their backs.
Series consists of one spiral-bound scrapbook containing thirty-eight pages of colour photographs which have been cut out with scrapbooking scissors and glued onto the paper. Captions identify events and dates. Events depicted include Farmers' Markets and a "Teddy Bear's Parade" at the old Whaletown school grounds; annual work bees and plant sales at the Gorge Hall; the Christmas Craft Bazaar; Cortes Day and Sand Castle Day at Smelt Bay; Young Musician's concerts; the annual Christmas dinner with Santa Claus; and the project to replace the roof of the Gorge Hall.
1 photograph album, 25 x 29.5 cm : (ca. 150 photographs : col.)
Scope and Content
Series consists of one spiral-bound scrapbook containing thirty-eight pages of colour photographs which have been cut out with scrapbooking scissors and glued onto the paper. Captions identify events and dates. Events depicted include Farmers' Markets and a "Teddy Bear's Parade" at the old Whaletown school grounds; annual work bees and plant sales at the Gorge Hall; the Christmas Craft Bazaar; Cortes Day and Sand Castle Day at Smelt Bay; Young Musician's concerts; the annual Christmas dinner with Santa Claus; and the project to replace the roof of the Gorge Hall.
Series consists of one photograph album with nine pages of colour photographs glued onto black paper. It contains photographs and a newspaper clipping documenting the Hall expansion project in 1983, which included a new entrance and the addition of a lounge with a fireplace built by Andy Ducasse. Also in the album was a loose photograph depicting the platform of the Gorge Hall at the beginning of construction, ca. 1931. This photograph (2017.005.195) is stored in the Oversize Photographs Box.
1 photograph album of nine pages; 1 photograph: b&w, 27 x 20 cm
Scope and Content
Series consists of one photograph album with nine pages of colour photographs glued onto black paper. It contains photographs and a newspaper clipping documenting the Hall expansion project in 1983, which included a new entrance and the addition of a lounge with a fireplace built by Andy Ducasse. Also in the album was a loose photograph depicting the platform of the Gorge Hall at the beginning of construction, ca. 1931. This photograph (2017.005.195) is stored in the Oversize Photographs Box.
