Fonds consists of material that was gathered by Thompson as she researched island history for museum exhibits and local history albums. It includes land title information about Cortes Island properties going back to the original Crown Grants, correspondence and notes about Cortes Island history, photographs, maps and ephemera.
Fonds is arranged in five series: Land Titles Research; Historical Information; Maps; Photographs; and Ephemera.
30 cm of textual records
40 photographs
12 maps
2 CDs
History / Biographical
Doreen (Huck) Thompson, 1944-2006:
Doreen’s grandparents, William Edward Huck and Mabel Wells Huck, arrived on Cortes Island in 1915. Widowed in WWI, Mabel and her four children left Cortes for Vancouver in 1923. Her son Harry, Doreen’s father, returned to Cortes in the 1930s. He married Edith Launchbury in 1937 and had two children, Doreen (b.1944) and Ed (b.1945, d.1993). Doreen and Ed were raised in Whaletown and attended school there and at Manson’s Landing.
Doreen graduated from Vic High in Victoria before marrying Bob Thompson in 1962. From 1961 to 1963, Doreen lived in Teakerne Arm in a floathouse Bob had built on the shore of the Whaletown Lagoon and then moved to the shores of Heriot Bay on Quadra Island. Her children were born in 1964 (Janny) and 1965 (Debby). In 1970 the family and the house moved to Cortes Island where both daughters attended school to Grade 10.
Doreen spent a few years living in Alberta and Victoria in the early 1980s and then returned to Cortes Island. Doreen developed a deep knowledge of the history of the island and she devoted considerable time to preserving, gathering and sharing her own and others knowledge of the island through her volunteer work at the Cortes Island Museum and Archives.
Doreen was one of the founders of the Cortes Island Museum. She curated four exhibits at the Museum, including “Windows on Whaletown” in 1999, “Von Donop Inlet”, the commercial fishing portion of “Celebrating Wild Salmon”, and “Memories of Manson’s Landing”. She researched and created albums which combine photographs, reminiscences and clippings to document the history of various island areas, such as Green Valley and Whaletown. The Doreen Thompson Exhibit Gallery at the Museum commemorates her contributions.
Doreen was making a fourth cross-Canada road trip from Cortes to Newfoundland when she was killed in a car accident near Fort McLeod, Alberta on August 1, 2006.
Custodial History
Material was stored at the museum or collected from Doreen Thomas' house.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of material that was gathered by Thompson as she researched island history for museum exhibits and local history albums. It includes land title information about Cortes Island properties going back to the original Crown Grants, correspondence and notes about Cortes Island history, photographs, maps and ephemera.
Fonds is arranged in five series: Land Titles Research; Historical Information; Maps; Photographs; and Ephemera.
Fonds consists of documents created and accrued by CES between 1988 and 2006, including financial statements, correspondence, meeting minutes, notes, maps, reports, legal documents, and publications. It includes 62 files arranged in thirteen series following the original order of the material.
.6 m of textual records (2 boxes)
29 photographs : col.
Extent
0.6
History / Biographical
The Cortes Ecoforestry Society (CES) was incorporated in March 1999, under the following mission statement:
"To work in partnership with the Klahoose First Nation, to gain community stewardship of the working forest lands on Cortes to create perpetual ecological and economic benefits for the entire community, and to serve as a model for sustainable ecoforestry."
Preceding names for the organization include Cortes Island Forestry Committee (ca. 1988-1990), Cortes Island Forest Resource Committee (c. 1990) and Cortes Island Forest Committee (ca. 1991-1999). A draft document from October 1991 states that,
"[T]he Cortes Island Forest Committee (CIFC) was formed in 1988. The purposes of the CIFC are to develop ecologically responsible and balanced forest use of Cortes Island forests, to develop a sustainable forest-based economy, to educate ourselves and the public regarding appropriate use of Cortes Island forests, and to work towards a broad based public consensus for the use of these forests."
In July 1999 Klahoose First Nation and CES signed an unprecedented Memorandum of Understanding, stating that the two parties would work together to create a community forest that used eco-system forestry. In 1999 and 2000 the Cortes Ecoforestry Society began planning and preparing a community forest proposal. In 2003, volume was made available for small community tenures, including Woodlot Licences and Community Forest Agreements (CFAs). Klahoose supported the efforts to revitalize the community forest proposal and a small, voluntary advisory group was formed (Bruce Ellingsen, Chief Kathy Francis, Liz Richardson and Ron Wolda). To ensure the proposal was seen to be inclusive of all islanders, the proponent name was changed to the Cortes Island Community Forest advisory group. The community forest proposal stalled, and CES, which at one point had a membership of 400 residents supporting their goals, became less active.
In May of 2011, the Cortes Community Forest Advisory Group was invited to apply for a Community Forest Agreement (CFA) by the Minister of Forests, and in September 2013 the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations issued a Community Forest Agreement to the Cortes Forestry General Partnership, which was established on June 2012.
The Cortes Forestry General Partnership is managed and governed equally by two partners, the Klahoose Forestry No. 2 Limited Partnership (KF2LP) and the Cortes Community Forest Co-operative. The tenure agreement lasts for 25 years and encompasses 3,869 hectares of crown land, about 35% of the island. The Klahoose Nation holds ancestral tenure over Cortes Island. They are currently at stage 4 in the process of negotiating a treaty agreement with the province of British Columbia and Canadian government.
Custodial History
Donated to CIMAS on Dec. 16, 2017 by David Shipway.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of documents created and accrued by CES between 1988 and 2006, including financial statements, correspondence, meeting minutes, notes, maps, reports, legal documents, and publications. It includes 62 files arranged in thirteen series following the original order of the material.
Notes about Reverend Rollo Boas and Kathleen (Kay) Boas, undated (1940s?); scanned photographs: Boas family, 1946 and Squirrel Cove Church burning, 1948; excerpt from The Columbia is Coming mentioning rev Boas, 1982; Posts in WNE by Rollo Boas, 1990; CIMAS News Release "A Woman's Perspective of Life on the Missionary Ships," 2000; posts in Cortes Marketer about Kathleen Boas, 2006, 2007 (obituary); notes on Boas family by Lynne Jordan, 2012
Notes about Reverend Rollo Boas and Kathleen (Kay) Boas, undated (1940s?); scanned photographs: Boas family, 1946 and Squirrel Cove Church burning, 1948; excerpt from The Columbia is Coming mentioning rev Boas, 1982; Posts in WNE by Rollo Boas, 1990; CIMAS News Release "A Woman's Perspective of Life on the Missionary Ships," 2000; posts in Cortes Marketer about Kathleen Boas, 2006, 2007 (obituary); notes on Boas family by Lynne Jordan, 2012
Notes on Byers Logging, 1863-1935; facsimile of a letter written by Mike Manson to his brother John in 1923, typed up by Etta Byers in 1978; Read Island History: Byers Family, by Mrs. Etta Byers, nee McKay, 1975; clipping of coastal logging/family camps, Etta Byers, 1977; Etta Byers, interviewed by Marcia Wolter, April 20, 1993; clipping of Clarence and Etta Byers 60th wedding anniversary, 2008; clipping of Clarence Byers obituary, 2009; letter from Etta Byers regarding visit to the museum and her local history, undated. Blue folder labelled Etta Byers: Read Island History, 1975; Hand written notes from Etta Byers, undated; printed photograph of Mary Jane (chapman) Aldrich and Herbert Cyrus Aldrich
Notes on Byers Logging, 1863-1935; facsimile of a letter written by Mike Manson to his brother John in 1923, typed up by Etta Byers in 1978; Read Island History: Byers Family, by Mrs. Etta Byers, nee McKay, 1975; clipping of coastal logging/family camps, Etta Byers, 1977; Etta Byers, interviewed by Marcia Wolter, April 20, 1993; clipping of Clarence and Etta Byers 60th wedding anniversary, 2008; clipping of Clarence Byers obituary, 2009; letter from Etta Byers regarding visit to the museum and her local history, undated. Blue folder labelled Etta Byers: Read Island History, 1975; Hand written notes from Etta Byers, undated; printed photograph of Mary Jane (chapman) Aldrich and Herbert Cyrus Aldrich
Midge Calwell talks about Von Donop Creek, as told to Dianne Hentschel and Doreen Thompson, 2001, with photographs scanned from the Von Donop album, 1946-1949; Emails with Bernice regarding Calwell family, 2016
Midge Calwell talks about Von Donop Creek, as told to Dianne Hentschel and Doreen Thompson, 2001, with photographs scanned from the Von Donop album, 1946-1949; Emails with Bernice regarding Calwell family, 2016
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.
Logging Donkey Engineer Certificate addressed to Wilfred George M. Freeman, 1941; Union Steamships Limited order form, 1941 or 1951; photographs of Eva Freeman and Lotti McDevitt, undated. Memorial info for Wilfred Freeman, 2012
Logging Donkey Engineer Certificate addressed to Wilfred George M. Freeman, 1941; Union Steamships Limited order form, 1941 or 1951; photographs of Eva Freeman and Lotti McDevitt, undated. Memorial info for Wilfred Freeman, 2012
Memorial note about George Griffin in WNE, undated; clippings of 50th wedding anniversary for Mr. and Mrs Griffin, 1973 and memorial service for Griffin son, undated
Memorial note about George Griffin in WNE, undated; clippings of 50th wedding anniversary for Mr. and Mrs Griffin, 1973 and memorial service for Griffin son, undated
Info on Ken Hansen and the Squirrel Cove School, 1939-1979. Tax receipt for Harold Hansen and others, 1956. Scanned photograph from Lakeview Ranch summer camp, undated (pre-Linnaea). Clippings about Ken Hansen killing wolves, farming sheep, advocating for raw milk sales, and general info about Hansen family life on Cortes, including some from WNE, 1964-2008. Info on the Hansens in dialogue with the ministry and press about wolves on Cortes, 1970s. Info about memorials for Harold Hansen, 2003, Ken Hansen, 2004, and Dolly Hansen, 2012. Transcript of conversation with Dolly Hansen, Doreen (Huck) Thompson, Sue (Bone) Ellingsen, and Dianne (Theal) Hentschel, 2005. Info on Dolly Hansen and family, 2009. Info on Hazel Hansen. Keywords: Squirrel Cove School, Linnea Farm, wolves
Info on Ken Hansen and the Squirrel Cove School, 1939-1979. Tax receipt for Harold Hansen and others, 1956. Scanned photograph from Lakeview Ranch summer camp, undated (pre-Linnaea). Clippings about Ken Hansen killing wolves, farming sheep, advocating for raw milk sales, and general info about Hansen family life on Cortes, including some from WNE, 1964-2008. Info on the Hansens in dialogue with the ministry and press about wolves on Cortes, 1970s. Info about memorials for Harold Hansen, 2003, Ken Hansen, 2004, and Dolly Hansen, 2012. Transcript of conversation with Dolly Hansen, Doreen (Huck) Thompson, Sue (Bone) Ellingsen, and Dianne (Theal) Hentschel, 2005. Info on Dolly Hansen and family, 2009. Info on Hazel Hansen. Keywords: Squirrel Cove School, Linnea Farm, wolves
Info on Hawkins family tree, 1866-2016. Government document appointing Frederick G. Hawkins, 1913. Certificate of Diploma for Doris Umpeldry (?), 1919. Info on logging in the early 1900s. Scanned photographs and clippings about the Hawkins family, 1940s-70s (not all dated). Invoices for Mrs. Fay Hawkins, Mansons Landing, 1952. Receipts for A Guide to Codes and Signals, from old Hawkins house, undated. Additional information on Hawkins family in writeup, email, and letter from CIMAS, 2011. Info on Hawkins family from The Scribes blog, printed 2015 and 2020.
Info on Hawkins family tree, 1866-2016. Government document appointing Frederick G. Hawkins, 1913. Certificate of Diploma for Doris Umpeldry (?), 1919. Info on logging in the early 1900s. Scanned photographs and clippings about the Hawkins family, 1940s-70s (not all dated). Invoices for Mrs. Fay Hawkins, Mansons Landing, 1952. Receipts for A Guide to Codes and Signals, from old Hawkins house, undated. Additional information on Hawkins family in writeup, email, and letter from CIMAS, 2011. Info on Hawkins family from The Scribes blog, printed 2015 and 2020.