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.
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 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 consist of correspondence, notes, printing samples and other documents pertaining to the design and production of the first edition of Handbook of the Canadian Rockies.
File consist of correspondence, notes, printing samples and other documents pertaining to the design and production of the first edition of Handbook of the Canadian Rockies.
File consists of various scientific journal articles which were collected and used as research materials by Ben Gadd during the creation of his book "Geology Road Tours". Articles pertain to Canadian and North American geological history, and related subjects.
File consists of various scientific journal articles which were collected and used as research materials by Ben Gadd during the creation of his book "Geology Road Tours". Articles pertain to Canadian and North American geological history, and related subjects.
File consist of correspondence, information booklets and other documents pertaining to grant applications made by Ben Gadd for his book, Handbook of the Canadian Rockies.
File consist of correspondence, information booklets and other documents pertaining to grant applications made by Ben Gadd for his book, Handbook of the Canadian Rockies.
File consists of published research materials collected by Ben Gadd pertaining to diamond mining, asteroids, glacial movement, the Canadian Arctic Islands and other subjects related to the field of Geology.
File consists of published research materials collected by Ben Gadd pertaining to diamond mining, asteroids, glacial movement, the Canadian Arctic Islands and other subjects related to the field of Geology.