Excerpt from Transactions of the Edinburgh Geological Society, 1868; A Trapper's Journal, Charlie Rasmussen, 1929; excerpt from The Last Great Sea mentioning Bute Wax, 2000; Bute Inlet history and the Glacier Museum Project, Judith Williams, 2010; BC Arts Capacity and Sustainability Grant draft application, 2011; emails and webpage printouts, 2010, 2011, 2015. Newspaper clippings and magazine articles relating to Bute Inlet, 2010-2019, subjects mentioned include: George Vancouver, Cougar Companions, Disposition of Crown Land and Allocation of Water, Plutonic Power, fishing, Homalco history and culture, Tsilqot'in, Glen Macklin, National Geographic. CIMAS promotional material for the Bute Inlet boat trip and exhibit; photographs and post cards
Excerpt from Transactions of the Edinburgh Geological Society, 1868; A Trapper's Journal, Charlie Rasmussen, 1929; excerpt from The Last Great Sea mentioning Bute Wax, 2000; Bute Inlet history and the Glacier Museum Project, Judith Williams, 2010; BC Arts Capacity and Sustainability Grant draft application, 2011; emails and webpage printouts, 2010, 2011, 2015. Newspaper clippings and magazine articles relating to Bute Inlet, 2010-2019, subjects mentioned include: George Vancouver, Cougar Companions, Disposition of Crown Land and Allocation of Water, Plutonic Power, fishing, Homalco history and culture, Tsilqot'in, Glen Macklin, National Geographic. CIMAS promotional material for the Bute Inlet boat trip and exhibit; photographs and post cards
Article about the Inlet, date unknown; trip advertisement in Cortes Marketer; promotional posters; hand written notes working out cost of trip, invoices, fees paid, cost per person, and profit; emails regarding taxi and charter quote, tour guide, estimated cost per person, dates, coordinations, advertisements, and invoices; write up for press release; handwritten note noting how much they enjoyed the trip
Article about the Inlet, date unknown; trip advertisement in Cortes Marketer; promotional posters; hand written notes working out cost of trip, invoices, fees paid, cost per person, and profit; emails regarding taxi and charter quote, tour guide, estimated cost per person, dates, coordinations, advertisements, and invoices; write up for press release; handwritten note noting how much they enjoyed the trip
Newspaper clippings and articles re: Bute Inlet hydro project; Plutonic Power; run-of-river projects; Friends of Bute; Bute history; exhibition; But Inlet boat tour. Emails re: art; grants; curation of exhibit; critique of Rob Wood and CIMAS by Klahoose member Ken Hanuse; request for Open Meadows Project song performance by Klahoose member Brenda Hansen; display cabinets; exhibit fees. Review of exhibit by Marcel Creurer; project proposal sent to the Vancouver Foundation; handwritten notes by Lynne Jordan and Judy WIlliams; invoices; records of financial contributions; promotional material; photographs
Newspaper clippings and articles re: Bute Inlet hydro project; Plutonic Power; run-of-river projects; Friends of Bute; Bute history; exhibition; But Inlet boat tour. Emails re: art; grants; curation of exhibit; critique of Rob Wood and CIMAS by Klahoose member Ken Hanuse; request for Open Meadows Project song performance by Klahoose member Brenda Hansen; display cabinets; exhibit fees. Review of exhibit by Marcel Creurer; project proposal sent to the Vancouver Foundation; handwritten notes by Lynne Jordan and Judy WIlliams; invoices; records of financial contributions; promotional material; photographs
Historical info packets on history of colonization and early settlers, including info on the park and lagoon, from 1886 onwards. Timeline of early settlers, 1887-1940s. Publications of "Manson's Landing Mirror," Peg Pyner, 1954-1958. Transcribed interviews: Bert and Ken Summers in conversation with Susan Ellingsen, Dianne Hentschel and Doreen Thompson, 2005; Sue Ellingsen, Doreen Thompson, and Dianne Hentschel in conversation with Maryann McCoy, Anne Barton, and Fred Reedel; interview with Barbie Pyner; and interview with Nancy Anderson. Info on Heay Family and George Leask. Excerpts from: The Log, 1940-1946; Goosegrass and Buttercups, D.C. Kirk; The Columbia is Coming; Chalkdust & Outhouses, Barbara Ann Lambert; Seven-Knot Summers, Beth Hill; and PHSC Journal, 2012. Play script, "Gracious Living." Additional info in clippings, handwritten notes, pictures, and emails.
Historical info packets on history of colonization and early settlers, including info on the park and lagoon, from 1886 onwards. Timeline of early settlers, 1887-1940s. Publications of "Manson's Landing Mirror," Peg Pyner, 1954-1958. Transcribed interviews: Bert and Ken Summers in conversation with Susan Ellingsen, Dianne Hentschel and Doreen Thompson, 2005; Sue Ellingsen, Doreen Thompson, and Dianne Hentschel in conversation with Maryann McCoy, Anne Barton, and Fred Reedel; interview with Barbie Pyner; and interview with Nancy Anderson. Info on Heay Family and George Leask. Excerpts from: The Log, 1940-1946; Goosegrass and Buttercups, D.C. Kirk; The Columbia is Coming; Chalkdust & Outhouses, Barbara Ann Lambert; Seven-Knot Summers, Beth Hill; and PHSC Journal, 2012. Play script, "Gracious Living." Additional info in clippings, handwritten notes, pictures, and emails.
Temperature and Percipitation 1941-1970 info from Environment Canada. Government of Canada pamphlets: British Columbia Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide, 1979; Seashore Life of the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, undated. Clipping, 2009
Temperature and Percipitation 1941-1970 info from Environment Canada. Government of Canada pamphlets: British Columbia Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide, 1979; Seashore Life of the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, undated. Clipping, 2009
Historical files from various stores and people on Cortes including order forms, receipts, and invoices, 1951-1952, copies of photos of Whaletown & Squirrel Cove stores.. Transcripts: Gary and Velma Bergman, Whaletown, with Dianne Hentschel and Doreen Thompson, 2003; Ken and Bert Summers with Susan Ellingsen, Dianne Hentschel, and Doreen Thompson, 2005. Additional keywords: Mrs Pearl V. Graham, Miss Lorraine Graham, McDevett/McDevitt, Cortez Lodge Store
Historical files from various stores and people on Cortes including order forms, receipts, and invoices, 1951-1952, copies of photos of Whaletown & Squirrel Cove stores.. Transcripts: Gary and Velma Bergman, Whaletown, with Dianne Hentschel and Doreen Thompson, 2003; Ken and Bert Summers with Susan Ellingsen, Dianne Hentschel, and Doreen Thompson, 2005. Additional keywords: Mrs Pearl V. Graham, Miss Lorraine Graham, McDevett/McDevitt, Cortez Lodge Store
Clippings with info on floathouses, the hermit of Von Donop Channel, the landslide at Spences Bridge, Von Donop Marine Park, Klahoose First Nation, and Doreen Thompson, 1920-2017, and clippings from WNE, 1987-1989. Transcript with info on the Ellingsens in Von Donop Creek, 1946-1950, from interview with May, Elmer, Andy, and Bruce Ellginsen, 2001. Info on logging in Von Donop Creek, 1920s-1960, from a logging meeting in 2001. Info from Von Donop Creek Research and Display for CIMAS, 2001. An envelope with info from Bev Mathews, donated in 2013.
Clippings with info on floathouses, the hermit of Von Donop Channel, the landslide at Spences Bridge, Von Donop Marine Park, Klahoose First Nation, and Doreen Thompson, 1920-2017, and clippings from WNE, 1987-1989. Transcript with info on the Ellingsens in Von Donop Creek, 1946-1950, from interview with May, Elmer, Andy, and Bruce Ellginsen, 2001. Info on logging in Von Donop Creek, 1920s-1960, from a logging meeting in 2001. Info from Von Donop Creek Research and Display for CIMAS, 2001. An envelope with info from Bev Mathews, donated in 2013.
Clippings, emails, and additional info on history of whaletown dock including government issued certificates, land registries, and subdivisions, 1903-2019.
Clippings, emails, and additional info on history of whaletown dock including government issued certificates, land registries, and subdivisions, 1903-2019.
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.
