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 four series: I. Personal, II. Professional, III. Activities, IV. Brewster family. I. Personal series, 1905-1982, 18 cm of textual records, 160 photographs, 2 sound recordings. Includes correspondence, interview and recorded conversation, address/notebook, artwork, other textua…
ca.80 cm of textual material. -- ca.900 photographs : prints, postcards, transparencies, negatives, copy negatives. -- 1 photograph album (50 prints). -- 3 sound recordings : audio tape cassettes
History / Biographical
Forrest Oliver "Pat" Brewster, 1896-1982, was a trail guide, outfitter and businessman in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Pat was a native and life-long resident of Banff. As a boy, he was an active Boy Scout and, by age seventeen, was a big game guide. After serving in World War I, Brewster established the first permanent camp at Lake O'Hara for the Canadian Pacific Railway. In 1926, he took over the Brewster Transport Company outfitting business from his brothers, Bill and Jim. In the 1930s, he became involved in skiing explorations in the Assiniboine, Skoki and Sunshine areas. Pat Brewster was active in community affairs and, in his later years, was an avid historian of the region. He published three books of reminiscences between 1975 and 1982.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of four series: I. Personal, II. Professional, III. Activities, IV. Brewster family.
I. Personal series, 1905-1982, 18 cm of textual records, 160 photographs, 2 sound recordings. Includes correspondence, interview and recorded conversation, address/notebook, artwork, other textual records, photographs.
II. Professional series, 1892-1982, 47.5 cm of textual records, 266 photographs, 1 sound recording. Includes papers pertaining to various Brewster family and other businesses, writing papers and sound recording, and photographs pertaining to guiding and outfitting, tourism promotion and other.
III. Activities series, 1841-1983, 6.5 cm of textual records, 262 photographs. Pertains to genealogical research, other activities and collected material.
IV. Brewster family series, 1841-1981, 2.5 cm of textual records, 132 photographs. Pertains to Brewster family, Jack Brewster, John Brewster, Pearl Brewster Moore and the Moore family.
File contains photographs used for research and production of Wild Cards and cartoons by Tim Nokes similar to ones used in book. One cartoon signed by Nokes family as a present to their Uncle Pat. Also includes portraits of the Marquis d'Albizzi, Fred Tabuteau and Joe Johnson
9 photographs : prints, copy negatives. -- 8 textual records
Scope & Content
File contains photographs used for research and production of Wild Cards and cartoons by Tim Nokes similar to ones used in book. One cartoon signed by Nokes family as a present to their Uncle Pat. Also includes portraits of the Marquis d'Albizzi, Fred Tabuteau and Joe Johnson
File consists of a signed contract renewal form between Ben Gadd and Access Network pertaining to a series of public broadcasts about the history of Bankhead, which Ben Gadd produced written content for; and a payment advance invoice for the same contract.
File consists of a signed contract renewal form between Ben Gadd and Access Network pertaining to a series of public broadcasts about the history of Bankhead, which Ben Gadd produced written content for; and a payment advance invoice for the same contract.
File consists of letters, postcards and newsclippings from various people, including N. R. Crump, Peter Lougheed and Dorothy Whyte, congratulating Pat on his book
File consists of letters, postcards and newsclippings from various people, including N. R. Crump, Peter Lougheed and Dorothy Whyte, congratulating Pat on his book
File consists of flyers, notes and correspondence, drafts and published advertisements pertaining to the promotion of Ben Gadd's work as an interpretive guide.
File consists of flyers, notes and correspondence, drafts and published advertisements pertaining to the promotion of Ben Gadd's work as an interpretive guide.
File consists of textual records pertaining to promotional work and advertising for Ben Gadd's book, Handbook of the Canadian Rockies. File includes correspondence between Ben Gadd and several individuals regarding advertising and other promotional work; notes and sample copies of advertisements, i…
File consists of textual records pertaining to promotional work and advertising for Ben Gadd's book, Handbook of the Canadian Rockies. File includes correspondence between Ben Gadd and several individuals regarding advertising and other promotional work; notes and sample copies of advertisements, including paste-ups; finished posters and flyers; booklets and brochures for companies and products involved with promotional material and marketing; newspaper clippings advertising Ben's book; and other related materials.
Files consists of letters, genealogical charts, historical data sheets, typescript, newsclippings and magazine articles regarding Brewster, Donaldson, Hutton, Irvine, McLean and Thompson families. Includes family tree of Pearl Moore. Photographs transferred to V91/409-445; photocopies retained in …
Files consists of letters, genealogical charts, historical data sheets, typescript, newsclippings and magazine articles regarding Brewster, Donaldson, Hutton, Irvine, McLean and Thompson families. Includes family tree of Pearl Moore.
Photographs transferred to V91/409-445; photocopies retained in file
Content Details
Plan of Cataraqui Cemetery, Kingston, Ontario, 1971 50'=1" re Thompson and Revelle families related to Pat Brewster family. Held inoversize "F"
Genealogy chart re Brewster family and various relatives, ca.1970. Held in oversize "H"
File consists of a draft, final copy and related correspondence pertaining to a fact sheet titled "The Geology of Banff National Park", which Ben Gadd produced for Parks Canada in 1980.
File consists of a draft, final copy and related correspondence pertaining to a fact sheet titled "The Geology of Banff National Park", which Ben Gadd produced for Parks Canada in 1980.
File consists of notes, correspondence and other documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's work researching and writing text for an exhibit about Bankhead, on behalf of the Government of Canada in 1981.
File consists of notes, correspondence and other documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's work researching and writing text for an exhibit about Bankhead, on behalf of the Government of Canada in 1981.
File consists of notes, correspondence and other documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's work on a Bankhead film project in collaboration with Parks Canada and the Edmonton-based company Access in 1981. File includes Ben's letter of resignation and a response letter from Access agreeing to terminate the…
File consists of notes, correspondence and other documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's work on a Bankhead film project in collaboration with Parks Canada and the Edmonton-based company Access in 1981. File includes Ben's letter of resignation and a response letter from Access agreeing to terminate the contract prior to completion of the project.
File consists of textual records pertaining to a brochure describing the history of Bankhead, which Ben Gadd researched, designed and produced on behalf of Parks Canada in 1981. File includes research notes, reference maps, correspondence, paste-up drafts and finished copies of the brochures.
File consists of textual records pertaining to a brochure describing the history of Bankhead, which Ben Gadd researched, designed and produced on behalf of Parks Canada in 1981. File includes research notes, reference maps, correspondence, paste-up drafts and finished copies of the brochures.
File consists of correspondence, research notes, payment records and other documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's publication, "Bankhead: The Twenty Year Town".
File consists of correspondence, research notes, payment records and other documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's publication, "Bankhead: The Twenty Year Town".
File consists of correspondence, book order forms and other documents pertaining to a book launch and promotional work for Ben Gadd's book, "Bankhead: The Twenty Year Town", in 1989.
File consists of correspondence, book order forms and other documents pertaining to a book launch and promotional work for Ben Gadd's book, "Bankhead: The Twenty Year Town", in 1989.
File consists of meeting minutes pertaining to a proposed writing contract for a publication about Bankhead, which was offered to Ben Gadd by Parks Canada in 1980. File includes correspondence sent to Ben Gadd from Parks Canada staff discussing amendments to the initial contract agreement and Ben's…
File consists of meeting minutes pertaining to a proposed writing contract for a publication about Bankhead, which was offered to Ben Gadd by Parks Canada in 1980. File includes correspondence sent to Ben Gadd from Parks Canada staff discussing amendments to the initial contract agreement and Ben's progress with the publication.
File consists of a first draft copy of Ben Gadd's publication, "Bankhead: The Twenty Year Town", with added notes and corrections; and a later draft annotated with minor edits.
File consists of a first draft copy of Ben Gadd's publication, "Bankhead: The Twenty Year Town", with added notes and corrections; and a later draft annotated with minor edits.
File consists drafts and a final copy of an article written by Ben Gadd titled "O-Canada National Bike Trip", which was published in the magazine Hosteler's Knapsack in 1983. File also includes correspondence pertaining to the creation and publication of the same atricle.
File consists drafts and a final copy of an article written by Ben Gadd titled "O-Canada National Bike Trip", which was published in the magazine Hosteler's Knapsack in 1983. File also includes correspondence pertaining to the creation and publication of the same atricle.