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 photographic material accompanied by media coverage and articles written by Robert Fleming pertaining to Chief Walking Buffalo's 1960 world journey with Chief David and Mrs. Crowchild and five other Stoney and Sarcee people, sponsored by International Moral Rearmament. Travel incl…
ca. 500 photographs: negatives, prints, transparencies. -- ca. 30 cm of textual records
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of photographic material accompanied by media coverage and articles written by Robert Fleming pertaining to Chief Walking Buffalo's 1960 world journey with Chief David and Mrs. Crowchild and five other Stoney and Sarcee people, sponsored by International Moral Rearmament. Travel included Aboriginal people in Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Uganda, and Kenya.Fonds are unprocessed held in 3 boxes and 1 oversize print mounted on foamcore
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.
File consists of one manuscript of a publication titled "In Search of Ancient Alberta" by Barbara Huck and Doug Whiteway, with edits and corrections by Ben and Cia Gadd. File also includes a letter sent to the Gadds from Barbara Huck, thanking them for their help.
File consists of one manuscript of a publication titled "In Search of Ancient Alberta" by Barbara Huck and Doug Whiteway, with edits and corrections by Ben and Cia Gadd. File also includes a letter sent to the Gadds from Barbara Huck, thanking them for their help.
File consists of author's copies of multiple editions of Ben Gadd's book, Handbook of the Canadian Rockies. Editions in file are annotated with notes and corrections by the author.
File consists of author's copies of multiple editions of Ben Gadd's book, Handbook of the Canadian Rockies. Editions in file are annotated with notes and corrections by the author.
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.
File consists of one VHS tape containing a recorded episode of "Take an Alberta Break!" featuring Ben Gadd and cave tours which he led through Cadomin Cave. Ben discusses bat habitats, cave crawling, and vandalism issues.
File consists of one VHS tape containing a recorded episode of "Take an Alberta Break!" featuring Ben Gadd and cave tours which he led through Cadomin Cave. Ben discusses bat habitats, cave crawling, and vandalism issues.
Notes
Running time is approx. 3 minutes [episode], followed by recorded advertisements
File consists of news articles collected by Ben Gadd pertaining to the proposed Cheviot Mine project near Cadomin, Alberta. Includes articles from the Jasper Booster, the Edmonton Journal, the Globe and Mail, Canadian Journal, Alberta Wilderness Association, and other publishers.
File consists of news articles collected by Ben Gadd pertaining to the proposed Cheviot Mine project near Cadomin, Alberta. Includes articles from the Jasper Booster, the Edmonton Journal, the Globe and Mail, Canadian Journal, Alberta Wilderness Association, and other publishers.
File consists of published journal articles, press releases and other reports collected by Ben Gadd pertaining to coal mining and the proposed Cheviot Mine project near Cadomin, Alberta. Includes materials published by The Tex Report, Ben Gadd, and the Alberta Government's Department of Energy and …
File consists of published journal articles, press releases and other reports collected by Ben Gadd pertaining to coal mining and the proposed Cheviot Mine project near Cadomin, Alberta. Includes materials published by The Tex Report, Ben Gadd, and the Alberta Government's Department of Energy and Natural Resources, as well as various online articles related to coal mining.
File consists of invoices and receipts sent between Ben Gadd and CKUA radio station pertaining to interviews and other services provided by Ben in 1986.
File consists of invoices and receipts sent between Ben Gadd and CKUA radio station pertaining to interviews and other services provided by Ben in 1986.
File consists of correspondence, drafts and other documents pertaining to an article written by Ben Gadd about the Skyline Trail in Jasper National Park, which was published by Explore Magazine in 1996.
File consists of correspondence, drafts and other documents pertaining to an article written by Ben Gadd about the Skyline Trail in Jasper National Park, which was published by Explore Magazine in 1996.
File consists of notes, drafts, sample illustrations and other materials pertaining to an interpretive trail guide which Ben Gadd produced for the Forest Technology School in Hinton, Alberta in 1992. File includes sample images taped together and annotated with additional information. FIle also inc…
File consists of notes, drafts, sample illustrations and other materials pertaining to an interpretive trail guide which Ben Gadd produced for the Forest Technology School in Hinton, Alberta in 1992. File includes sample images taped together and annotated with additional information. FIle also includes a pressed plant sample, stored in an envelope titled "Rhytidiadelphus triquetris (Shaggy moss)".