Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Ben Gadd's personal life and career as an environmental researcher, educator, interpretive guide, publisher, public speaker and author, ca.1956-2018. Fonds includes maps, research materials, publication notes/drafts, correspondence, contracts, photographs, …
ca. 7.9 metres of textual records -- ca. 274 maps -- 29 VHS tapes -- ca.15 discs with digital files -- 21 cassettes -- photographs -- oversized materials -- USB stick with 15 sldeshows
History / Biographical
Ben Gadd (1946-) is a retired naturalist, guide, geologist, instructor, freelance writer and award-winning author based in the Canadian Rockies.
Ben was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1946. He met his wife, Cia (Langdon) Gadd at Colorado College in 1965, and the couple married four weeks later. Ben and Cia had two sons, Will and Toby. Ben and his family relocated to Jasper in the late 1960s. Ben later attended the University of Lethbridge and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Earth Science in 1972.
Between 1976 and 1980, Ben taught classes at Mount Royal College and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology; he later taught additional classes at Grant MacEwan College and Lakeland College. From 1981, Ben also worked as a seasonal naturalist/guide for Parks Canada. Ben left Parks Canada in 1985 to start an independent naturalist guiding business with Cia based in Jasper and other parts of the Canadian Rockies, which the couple continued to operate for over two decades.
Ben published his best-known work, "Handbook of the Canadian Rockies", through his publishing company Corax Press in 1986. The second edition of "Handbook of the Canadian Rockies" received multiple awards after its release in 1995. Ben's fiction book, "Raven's End" won the title of Best Canadian Rockies Book at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival in 2001 and became a Canadian bestseller. Overall, Ben has authored or co-authored 11 books and received nearly one dozen awards for his achievements as a writer, researcher and guide.
Ben continued to lead guided hikes and school programs until his retirement in 2016.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of materials pertaining to Ben Gadd's personal life and career as an environmental researcher, educator, interpretive guide, publisher, public speaker and author, ca.1956-2018. Fonds includes maps, research materials, publication notes/drafts, correspondence, contracts, photographs, video and sound recordings, and other related material. Materials donated in 2024 include one USB stick containing
Notes
Ben Gadd fonds arrangement:
Series I : Personal records
- Subseries A : Travel guides and maps
- Subseries B : Education and early writings
- Subseries C : Personal interest files
- Subseries D : Other personal and collected
Series II : Research and publication records
- Subseries A : Handbook of the Canadian Rockies
- Subseries B : Other publications
Series III : Professional records
- Subseries A : Parks Canada Records
- Subseries B : Interpretive guiding
- Subseries C : Teaching records
- Subseries D : Other contracts and projects
Series IV : Legal and financial records
- Subseries A : Legal records
- Subseries B : Financial records
Fonds consists of motion picture titled "Canadian Rockies, 1930 Maligne Lake Camp, Mount Brazeau" and a scrapbook containing letters, brochures, maps, newsletters, and photographs pertaining to Allyn Ford and Nancy Dart's respective memberships with the Alpine Club of Canada, as well as a trip to J…
1 motion picture : 16 mm, b/w, silent, ca.500 ft ; 4 cm of textual records (1 volumes ; 24.5 x 29.3 cm)
History / Biographical
Allyn K. Ford (1878-1964) was a businessman and collector in Minneapolis, Minnesota and a member of the Alpine Club of Canada from 1908 onwards. He was married to Emily Powell Ford (1886-1976) and had at least two daughters, Alice Carpenter Ford and Nancy (Ford) Dart. Nancy also became a member of the ACC in 1953.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of motion picture titled "Canadian Rockies, 1930 Maligne Lake Camp, Mount Brazeau" and a scrapbook containing letters, brochures, maps, newsletters, and photographs pertaining to Allyn Ford and Nancy Dart's respective memberships with the Alpine Club of Canada, as well as a trip to Jasper in the mid-1950s.
Fonds consists of textual records, postcards, drawings and one photograph album pertaining to Mary (Molly) Wright Adams (1868-1909); transcripts of Molly's original letters which were compiled by Molly's sister, Catharine Elkin (nee Adams) between ca.1939 and 1941; and transcriptions of letters sen…
Some materials produced by Catharine (Adams) Elkin
Date Range
[ca.1844 - 1909]
[ca.1939 - 1944]
1980 - 1981
2014
Physical Description
21 cm of textual records -- 16 postcards -- 3 drawings -- 1 photograph album : 107 b&w photographs
History / Biographical
Mary Wright (Molly) Adams was born on 15 October 1868. in Ridgefield Connecticut. She was the third of five children born to Cornelia Ann Cook (1830-1902) and Daniel Lucius Adams (1814 - 1899) She died in Kobe, Japan on 23 January 1909 and was buried there.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of textual records, postcards, drawings and one photograph album pertaining to Mary (Molly) Wright Adams (1868-1909); transcripts of Molly's original letters which were compiled by Molly's sister, Catharine Elkin (nee Adams) between ca.1939 and 1941; and transcriptions of letters sent between Molly's extended family members [including members of the Adams, Cook and Wright families], ca.1844 and 1866.
Textual records primarily consist of correspondence sent between Molly Adams and various friends and family members [ca.1891-1909].
Notes
Fonds consists of two series:
Series I : Correspondence [contains two sub-series: I / A : Molly Wright Adams ; I / B : Extended family]
Series II : Personal and collected records
File consists of brochures, souvenir booklets, travel guides and related materials pertaining to Canadian Pacific trips and destinations within North America. Locations include: Banff Springs Hotel and Banff National Park; the Empress Hotel in Victoria; British Columbia; Ontario and the the Great L…
File consists of brochures, souvenir booklets, travel guides and related materials pertaining to Canadian Pacific trips and destinations within North America. Locations include: Banff Springs Hotel and Banff National Park; the Empress Hotel in Victoria; British Columbia; Ontario and the the Great Lakes; Quebec; Alaska; and the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. File also includes a map of the Canadian Pacific rail system [1918] and a copy of "Empress of the Pacific" cruise magazine [1936].
Items divided into 3 files:
LUX/II/C4/15: Ontario, Quebec, Alaska and Canadian coastal guide books [ca. 1915-1920]
LUX/II/C4/16: Canadian Rockies guides and information booklets
LUX/II/C4/17: Other Canadian Pacific material
Item pertains to one black soft cover scrapbook with alternating paper dividers and plastic sleeves. Book contains newsletters, brochures, and letters pertaining to the Alpine Club of Canada dated 1922-2003, newsletters from the American Alpine Club 1941, and various travel and dining brochures for…
4 cm of textual records (1 volumes ; 24.5 x 29.3 cm)
History / Biographical
Nancy (Ford) Dart, daughter of Minneapolis businessman Allyn K. Ford, became a member of the Alpine Club of Canada in 1953. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Scope & Content
Item pertains to one black soft cover scrapbook with alternating paper dividers and plastic sleeves. Book contains newsletters, brochures, and letters pertaining to the Alpine Club of Canada dated 1922-2003, newsletters from the American Alpine Club 1941, and various travel and dining brochures for Jasper and the Jasper Park Lodge from ca. 1954.
Tucked into a pouch inside the front cover are two letters addressed to Nancy Dart in 2003 regarding her 50th anniversary as a member of the ACC, four ACC annual newsletter booklets from 1922, 1923, and 1925, and an envelope addressed to Nancy Ford (Dart) containing paperwork pertaining to her admission to the ACC in 1953.
Items throughout the scrapbook are either tucked into the plastic sleeves or dispersed throughout the pages. Contents include annual ACC camp brochures (one from 1908, others from the 1940s and 50s), letters (one addressed to Geoffrey Howard from Allyn K. Ford, in 1941 and another addressed to Mr. Ford, probably Allyn Ford, in 1953), photographs/postcards taped to a page divider, seven dinner lists from 1953 for the Jasper Park Lodge (all dated Friday, July 10 but each has a different header picture), a booklet from the third annual ACC membership dinner, a brochure for the 1941 annual American Alpine Club meeting and dinner, three tourism magazines for Jasper from the Canadian National Railway, one trail map of Jasper and one of Banff, an ACC newsletter and brochure for the Mountain Leadership Conference from 1989, a typed copy of a short story "A Journey with the Men of Alps" held together with a small pin (possibly a dramatic retelling of Allyn Ford's first trip to the Rockies), two ACC crossword puzzels (one partially completed), and a notice from the American Alpine Club pertaining to America's involvement in World War II from 1941. Tucked inside the back cover is a red paper envelope containing two photographs (possibly printed off the computer) of A.O. Wheeler from the 1923 ACC camp in Larch Valley.
File consists of collected commercial postcards from Canada, the United States, Central America, Europe and the United Kingdom [non-annotated]. File includes loose postcards, postcard sets and fold-out photo card booklets.
ca. 630 b&w and col. postcards ; 23 x 18 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of collected commercial postcards from Canada, the United States, Central America, Europe and the United Kingdom [non-annotated]. File includes loose postcards, postcard sets and fold-out photo card booklets.
Notes
Items in this file have been organized by geographical location. See "Content Details" entry field for contents of individual folders.
File is organized into 8 folders, numbered LUX / III / D / PG - 1 to 8.
PG - 1 : Banff National Park
PG - 2 : Canadian Rockies and Selkirks
PG - 3 : Alberta and British Columbia [Other]
PG - 4 : Canada
PG - 5 : United States of America
PG - 6 : United States of America, cont.'d [postcard sets and 1933 Chicago World Fair]
PG - 7 : Foreign
PG - 8 : Other [location not specified]
File consists of transcribed correspondence between members of the Cook, Wright and Adams families. File includes letters between Catharine Cook, Mary Wright, Cornelia Cook Adams and "Arianna" [ranging between 1844-1866]; and a letter sent from Cornelia to her brother, Roger Cook Adams, pertaining …
File consists of transcribed correspondence between members of the Cook, Wright and Adams families. File includes letters between Catharine Cook, Mary Wright, Cornelia Cook Adams and "Arianna" [ranging between 1844-1866]; and a letter sent from Cornelia to her brother, Roger Cook Adams, pertaining to the transcribed letters [ca.1944].
File consists of postcards and souvenir postcard booklets sent to members and friends of the Luxton family, including Eleanor, Norman and Georgina Luxton. Content pertains to locations and landmarks in various regions, including Canada, the United States, England, France and the Ivory Coast. File a…
ca. 250 prints : b&w and col. postcards ; 16 x 12 cm or smaller -- 1 b&w photograph : print ; 16 x 10.5 cm
Scope & Content
File consists of postcards and souvenir postcard booklets sent to members and friends of the Luxton family, including Eleanor, Norman and Georgina Luxton. Content pertains to locations and landmarks in various regions, including Canada, the United States, England, France and the Ivory Coast. File also includes one b&w photograph depicting a group of unidentified children.
Notes
Items in this file have been organized by geographical location. See "Content Details" entry field for contents of individual folders.
File consists of handwritten letters and 6 postcards which Molly Wright Adams sent to her sister, Catharine (Adams) Elkin, between 1891 and 1903. Contents pertain to Molly's travels in Europe, including trips to Switzerland, Italy, England, Germany, and the Netherlands.
File consists of handwritten letters and 6 postcards which Molly Wright Adams sent to her sister, Catharine (Adams) Elkin, between 1891 and 1903. Contents pertain to Molly's travels in Europe, including trips to Switzerland, Italy, England, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Notes
Items in file are accompanied by two envelopes addressed to Catharine Elkin and her husband, Dr. William Elkin.
File pertains to 68 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from February 3 to June 30, 1960. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, camping, construction projects around the house (mostly pertaining to the new …
1.1 cm of textual records (87 pages ; 22.3 x 27.4 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 68 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from February 3 to June 30, 1960. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, camping, construction projects around the house (mostly pertaining to the new addition), events and people in Concord, weather, and returning from a trip to Concord in June. Letters are mostly hand-written, some typed. Also includes postcards and a notecard.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoples used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
146 - 20 has a small newspaper clipping attached to the letter.
Good : all pages creased throughout from being folded prior to accession, minor rips and tears along the edges of most pages.
146 - 20 : staple removed from insert, replaced with plastic paper clip.
File pertains to 74 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from July 2 to December 30, 1960. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, camping, construction of the new kitchen & workroom (including the removal of …
1.7 cm of textual records (107 pages ; 21.9 x 27.8 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to 74 letters written by Catharine Robb Whyte to her mother, Edith Morse Robb from July 2 to December 30, 1960. Topics include day to day life, Banff events, visits from friends, painting, wildlife, travel, camping, construction of the new kitchen & workroom (including the removal of the original stone chimney in the kitchen), the Calgary Stampede, the death of George Paris, Walter Phillips going blind, the United Nations summit in September, weather, and a visit Catharine made to Concord in December. Letters are mostly hand-written, some typed. Also includes postcards, a telegram, and a notecard.
Notes
Please note: language pertaining to Indigenous Peoples used throughout is outdated and may be offensive.
Some letters are marked with a small x in pencil, indicating where Jon Whyte made notes for use in his project "Catharine Robb Whyte, Peter Whyte: Commemorative Portfolio," originally published in 1981.
M36 / 147 - 28 appears to be missing page 2, but could be misnumbered.
File consists of one large booklet/portfolio containing biographical information, illustrations, and 10 copies of painted colour portraits all pertaining to Indigenous chiefs. Individuals depicted are: Crowfoot [Southern Blackfoot], Old Sun [Northern Blackfoot], Red Crow [Southern Blood tribe], Bul…
File consists of one large booklet/portfolio containing biographical information, illustrations, and 10 copies of painted colour portraits all pertaining to Indigenous chiefs. Individuals depicted are: Crowfoot [Southern Blackfoot], Old Sun [Northern Blackfoot], Red Crow [Southern Blood tribe], Bull Head [Sarcee], Eagle Tail [North Piegans], Poundmaker [Cree], Medicine Calf [Southern Blood tribe], Big Bear [Cree], Big Plume [Sarcee], and Pakan [Wood Cree]. Collection also includes historical information pertaining to Indigenous history in Western Canada written by Dr. James G. MacGregor, and a map depicting Indigenous treaty boundaries in and around the Rocky Mountains.
Notes
Date range provided is estimate by Processing Archivist
File consists of postcards sent to extended family members and friends of the Luxton family. Senders and recipients include John Grant and George Millward McDougall, William [Bill] LaPorte, Emmeline Wheeler, and Effie Huppe.
File consists of postcards sent to extended family members and friends of the Luxton family. Senders and recipients include John Grant and George Millward McDougall, William [Bill] LaPorte, Emmeline Wheeler, and Effie Huppe.
Notes
Some items in this file are not dated. Some postcards do not name recipients and/or senders.
File consists of pamphlets, event programmes, information booklets, song books, bound publications and other published materials collected by members of the Luxton family. Content pertains to community events, including Banff and Calgary area trapshooting tournaments and organization meetings; an e…
File consists of pamphlets, event programmes, information booklets, song books, bound publications and other published materials collected by members of the Luxton family. Content pertains to community events, including Banff and Calgary area trapshooting tournaments and organization meetings; an exhibit opening at the Glenbow Museum [1981]; scientific theory and human evolution; Japanese study books; Canadian and global politics; international travel; and various other subjects.
Items in file are organized into 4 file folders based on contents:
LUX / II / F1 / 67 : Pamphlets, event programs and booklets
LUX / II / F1 / 68 : Booklets and small publications
LUX / II / F1 / 69 : Books and bound publications
LUX / II / F1 / 70 : Loose and other published materials
File consists of 9 address books and organizers containing addresses, birthdays and other personal information related to friends and members of the Luxton/McDougall families. Numerous items in file also contain loose personal letters, business cards, notes and other textual records.
File consists of 9 address books and organizers containing addresses, birthdays and other personal information related to friends and members of the Luxton/McDougall families. Numerous items in file also contain loose personal letters, business cards, notes and other textual records.
Notes
Address books may have belonged to Georgina Luxton, Eleanor Luxton and/or other members of the Luxton and McDougall families.
File LUX / III / D / 25 contains 7 bound address books and one collection of loose pages from an address book. File LUX / III / D / 26 contains one address organizer with a plastic and metal sliding mechanism.
File consists of newspaper clippings, articles and newsletters pertaining to and promoting the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies, 1964-1972. Includes clippings from The Acton Free Press, The Globe and Mail, The Financial Post, Star Weekly, the Canadian Paediatric Society, Calgary Herald, Seattle…
File consists of newspaper clippings, articles and newsletters pertaining to and promoting the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies, 1964-1972. Includes clippings from The Acton Free Press, The Globe and Mail, The Financial Post, Star Weekly, the Canadian Paediatric Society, Calgary Herald, Seattle Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Field & Stream, and the Edmonton Journal.
Notes
Clippings were originally stored in one 3-ring black binder (M545/III/22) and one red binder (M545/III/23) containing PVC page protectors
File pertains to four black leather notebook with the titles wirtten in red paint on the front cover.
51 - 1 : "SL I" (Slides Book I) Includes hand-written lists and details of 35 mm slides [colour positive film] taken and compiled by Lillian Gest from trips taken between 1939 and 1949.
51 - 2 : "S…
4.5 cm of textual records (4 volumes ; 10.8 x 17.6 cm or smaller)
History / Biographical
See fonds level description.
Scope & Content
File pertains to four black leather notebook with the titles wirtten in red paint on the front cover.
51 - 1 : "SL I" (Slides Book I) Includes hand-written lists and details of 35 mm slides [colour positive film] taken and compiled by Lillian Gest from trips taken between 1939 and 1949.
51 - 2 : "SL II" (Slides Book II) Includes hand-written lists and details of 35 mm slides [colour positive film] taken and compiled by Lillian Gest from trips taken between 1949 and 1955.
51 - 3 : "SL III" (Slides Book II) Includes hand-written lists and details of 35 mm slides [colour positive film] taken and compiled by Lillian Gest from trips taken between 1955 and 191965.
51 - 4 : "SL IV" (Slides Book IV) Includes hand-written lists and details of 35 mm slides [colour positive film] taken and compiled by Lillian Gest from trips taken between 1966 and 1981.
Also includes folder of loose material from the notebooks.
File consists of 9 letters sent to and from Sol Lipkind pertaining to the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies bulletin information. Includes letters from Hal Quinlan, Mary S. Lore, and Helen and Wayne Gillis; and response letters from Sol Lipkind sent to Mary Lore and Helen and Wayne Gillis.
Content produced by Sol Lipkind, Mary Lore, Helen Gillis, Wayne Gillis, and Hal Quinlan
Date Range
1969 - 1971
Physical Description
0.25 cm of textual records
History / Biographical
Sol Lipkind was an active participant and member of the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. Lipkind served as Chairman of the Executive Committee in 1971 and as President of the Trail Riders in 1972. Sol Lipkind's son, Joel Lipkind, served as President of the organization in 1980 and 1981. Sol also owned and managed the Ribtor Warehouse in Calgary.
Scope & Content
File consists of 9 letters sent to and from Sol Lipkind pertaining to the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies bulletin information. Includes letters from Hal Quinlan, Mary S. Lore, and Helen and Wayne Gillis; and response letters from Sol Lipkind sent to Mary Lore and Helen and Wayne Gillis.
File consists of 24 textual records including bound books, small booklets and brochures. Content pertains to travel and tourism in the Canadian Rockies, Calgary, Fort Langley, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Montana, and Japan. Includes two "pocket directories" for Vancouver [1899 and 1900] and one for Saska…
File consists of 24 textual records including bound books, small booklets and brochures. Content pertains to travel and tourism in the Canadian Rockies, Calgary, Fort Langley, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Montana, and Japan. Includes two "pocket directories" for Vancouver [1899 and 1900] and one for Saskatoon [1914]; souvenir booklets for Pincher Creek [1900 - 1905], Turner Valley Oil Field [1915 - 1920] and the Canadian Wax Gallery; booklet "Calgary Alberta: The Land of Plenty"; two copies of a Banff National Park guide book [ca. 1912]; "A Sprig of Mountain Heather" tourist booklet by the Department of the Interior, Canada [1914]; "Hippodrome" souvenir book; “Pocket Guide to Japan”; "Westward Honk!" travel publication by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1919) detailing a National Parks road trip across Canada and the United States; two copies of “Pictographs in Southwestern Alberta” information booklet; an information sheet and map of the Rocky Mountains Forest Reserve signed by “E. Wakelyn”; a scrapbook of newspaper clippings from The Albertan [1963] pertaining to Calgary; a brochure on Marble Canyon; and two brochures pertaining to interpretive programming in Banff National Park [1972 and 1973 respectively].
Notes
Contents have been arranged chronologically and divided into four files (see Content Details).
”A Sprig of Mountain Heather” souvenir book contains pressed plant matter
“Picturesque Calgary” booklet placed in acid-free envelope due to damage and fragile state
”Hippodrome” souvenir book stored in mylar sleeve
”A Sprig of Mountain Heather” souvenir book kept in original envelope in file folder. Consider additional storage measures, and handle with caution as attached pressed plant is fragile and may break apart easily