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
File consists of personal interest materials, including newspaper clippings, research articles, loose notes, and other textual records collected by Ben Gadd. Materials are arranged alphabetically by subject title.
File consists of personal interest materials, including newspaper clippings, research articles, loose notes, and other textual records collected by Ben Gadd. Materials are arranged alphabetically by subject title.
Notes
Contents of individual folders in file:
M590 / I / C / 57 : Federation of Alberta Naturalists
M590 / I / C / 58 : Firesmart, Forestwise
M590 / I / C / 59 : Fishing, Boats
M590 / I / C / 60 : Flanagan, Rory
M590 / I / C / 61 : Forest Fires
M590 / I / C / 62 to 63 : Four Mountain Parks and Waterton [Files 1 and 2 of 2]
M590 / I / C / 64 : Four Mountain Parks Planning Review, Other
M590 / I / C / 65 : Free Trade, GATT, NAFTA
M590 / I / C / 66 : Friends of Wells Gray Park
M590 / I / C / 67 : Grassi Lakes Geology
M590 / I / C / 68 : GSC
M590 / I / C / 69 : Global Warming
M590 / I / C / 70 : Green Party
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 collected articles, notes and correspondence compiled by Ben Gadd for use in the creation of a Burgess Shale exhibit for Parks Canada.
File consists of collected articles, notes and correspondence compiled by Ben Gadd for use in the creation of a Burgess Shale exhibit for Parks Canada.
Notes
Some materials in file include annotations by Ben Gadd
File consists of a contract and documents outlining general conditions of employment sent to Ben Gadd on behalf of Parks Canada. Documents pertain to terms and conditions of employment for a Burgess Shale exhibit project which Ben Gadd worked on in 2009.
File consists of a contract and documents outlining general conditions of employment sent to Ben Gadd on behalf of Parks Canada. Documents pertain to terms and conditions of employment for a Burgess Shale exhibit project which Ben Gadd worked on in 2009.
File consists of design plans, an interpretive outline and an exhibit storyline draft pertaining to a Burgess Shale exhibit project which was produced and displayed by Parks Canada. Materials were collected by Ben Gadd, as part of a work contract to assist with research and text writing for the exh…
File consists of design plans, an interpretive outline and an exhibit storyline draft pertaining to a Burgess Shale exhibit project which was produced and displayed by Parks Canada. Materials were collected by Ben Gadd, as part of a work contract to assist with research and text writing for the exhibit.
File consists of two annotated copies of a text draft produced by Ben Gadd as part of a work contract with Parks Canada. Content pertains to a Burgess Shale exhibit project which was produced and displayed in 2009. File includes one unedited draft with an attached letter from Ben Gadd to Jenny Klaf…
File consists of two annotated copies of a text draft produced by Ben Gadd as part of a work contract with Parks Canada. Content pertains to a Burgess Shale exhibit project which was produced and displayed in 2009. File includes one unedited draft with an attached letter from Ben Gadd to Jenny Klafki, and one draft with edits by Parks Canada staff [possibly Jenny Klafki].
File consists of one disc containing footage of the launch of Ben Gadd's book, "Canadian Rockies Geology Road Tours", at the Geological Survey of Canada building in Calgary in 2008.
File consists of one disc containing footage of the launch of Ben Gadd's book, "Canadian Rockies Geology Road Tours", at the Geological Survey of Canada building in Calgary in 2008.
Notes
Original annotation on front of disc:
"Canadian Rockies Geology Road Tours Launch at GSC [Geological Survey of Canada] Calgary, 4 Nov 2008 Video by Perry Davis"
File consists of one VHS tape containing rough footage of Ben Gadd and two other environmentalists discussing plants, ecosystems, geological history and related topics pertaining to areas near Cardinal Divide and Cardinal River. Video was possibly produced as part of a legal dispute concerning the …
File consists of one VHS tape containing rough footage of Ben Gadd and two other environmentalists discussing plants, ecosystems, geological history and related topics pertaining to areas near Cardinal Divide and Cardinal River. Video was possibly produced as part of a legal dispute concerning the Cheviot Mine project in 1996.
Notes
Film starts at 2 minutes running time; Ben Gadd appears throughout video, with speaking part beginning at 7 min. 25 sec.; total running time 36 minutes