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).
This picture shows the house built by George Freeman in about 1915 when he moved his family to Stag Bay, Hernando Island to look after Mike Manson's timber interests and livestock. The house is not yet finished, but is liveable. The house was located on a hill overlooking Stag Bay, on the site of the former Smith family home. They had planted two apricot trees, Italian prune trees and cherry trees which were bearing fruit.
L to R: David Robertson, Jack Manson, Mrs. Jane (Mike) Manson holding granddaughter May Freeman, Mrs. Robina (George) Freeman standing behind her sister Florence Manson, and George Freeman.
This picture shows the house built by George Freeman in about 1915 when he moved his family to Stag Bay, Hernando Island to look after Mike Manson's timber interests and livestock. The house is not yet finished, but is liveable. The house was located on a hill overlooking Stag Bay, on the site of the former Smith family home. They had planted two apricot trees, Italian prune trees and cherry trees which were bearing fruit.
L to R: David Robertson, Jack Manson, Mrs. Jane (Mike) Manson holding granddaughter May Freeman, Mrs. Robina (George) Freeman standing behind her sister Florence Manson, and George Freeman.
Members of the Manson family at Stag Bay, Hernando Island. There is a cherry tree at the end of the storage shed, and to the left and behind the people, an old building and fence and Italian prune trees.
L to R: Mrs. Jane Manson holding May Freeman, Mrs. Robina Freeman, Flossie Manson, David Robertson, Jack Manson, George Freeman
Note Freemans fox terrier 'Gypsy' to the left of Mrs. Manson and blocks of stove wood with an axe to the right.
Members of the Manson family at Stag Bay, Hernando Island. There is a cherry tree at the end of the storage shed, and to the left and behind the people, an old building and fence and Italian prune trees.
L to R: Mrs. Jane Manson holding May Freeman, Mrs. Robina Freeman, Flossie Manson, David Robertson, Jack Manson, George Freeman
Note Freemans fox terrier 'Gypsy' to the left of Mrs. Manson and blocks of stove wood with an axe to the right.
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.
Families of Hernando Island men who worked together in a very small logging enterprise.
L to R: Mrs. Gwen (Fraser) Campbell holding Thelma's hand, Mrs. C. Owen (friend) behind Etta and Hazel McKay, Mrs. Jean (Wilfred) Manson behind Dorothy, Mrs. Florence (Ervin) McKay holding Minerva Campbell.
Families of Hernando Island men who worked together in a very small logging enterprise.
L to R: Mrs. Gwen (Fraser) Campbell holding Thelma's hand, Mrs. C. Owen (friend) behind Etta and Hazel McKay, Mrs. Jean (Wilfred) Manson behind Dorothy, Mrs. Florence (Ervin) McKay holding Minerva Campbell.
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.
"Young Hopefuls" in front of the Manson's Landing school (then known as the Cortez Island School).
Front row: Ethel Tiber, George Marquette, Wilena Smith (later Mrs. Dick Thompson, Quadra), Nicol Manson.
Mid-row: Katherine Marquette, Mrs. Mary Marquette, Rose and Anna Manson (Middleton).
Back row: Alice Marquette & her grandmother, Mrs. Anna (August) Tiber.
"Young Hopefuls" in front of the Manson's Landing school (then known as the Cortez Island School).
Front row: Ethel Tiber, George Marquette, Wilena Smith (later Mrs. Dick Thompson, Quadra), Nicol Manson.
Mid-row: Katherine Marquette, Mrs. Mary Marquette, Rose and Anna Manson (Middleton).
Back row: Alice Marquette & her grandmother, Mrs. Anna (August) Tiber.
A group standing in front of the Rev. H. C. Nixon's boat "Salal".
Left to right: Bert Manson, Winnie Manson, Ivy Henry, Agnes Morrison, Dorothy Manson.
The Mansons are the family of William J. Manson from Mission B.C. The other two are friends visiting Cortes Island.
A group standing in front of the Rev. H. C. Nixon's boat "Salal".
Left to right: Bert Manson, Winnie Manson, Ivy Henry, Agnes Morrison, Dorothy Manson.
The Mansons are the family of William J. Manson from Mission B.C. The other two are friends visiting Cortes Island.
A group posing beside a picket fence on Twin Islands.
Back, left to right, Jack Manson, his mother Mrs. John (Margaret) Manson, Mr. and Mrs. James A. Nixon, and Bert Froud.
Front, left to right, Anna, Nicol, and Rose Manson.
A group posing beside a picket fence on Twin Islands.
Back, left to right, Jack Manson, his mother Mrs. John (Margaret) Manson, Mr. and Mrs. James A. Nixon, and Bert Froud.
Front, left to right, Anna, Nicol, and Rose Manson.
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.