File consists of correspondence, invoices, notes and other materials pertaining to the publication of Ben Gadd's book "Canadian Rockies" through Beautiful America Publishing Company. File includes a 1991 catalogue from the company featuring Ben's book as a new release; and a letter from Ted Paul th…
File consists of correspondence, invoices, notes and other materials pertaining to the publication of Ben Gadd's book "Canadian Rockies" through Beautiful America Publishing Company. File includes a 1991 catalogue from the company featuring Ben's book as a new release; and a letter from Ted Paul thanking Ben for a manuscript sample of his novel "Raven's End".
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 collected correspondence and records pertaining to grant applications which Ben Gadd submitted to the Canada Council of Arts and the Alberta Foundation for the Literary Arts in 1990. File includes a draft excerpt of Ben's fictional novel, Raven's End, which he submitted as a writin…
File consists of collected correspondence and records pertaining to grant applications which Ben Gadd submitted to the Canada Council of Arts and the Alberta Foundation for the Literary Arts in 1990. File includes a draft excerpt of Ben's fictional novel, Raven's End, which he submitted as a writing sample to the Canada Council of Arts.
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 school work, including math problems, English assignments and drawings, produced by Ben Gadd as an elementary school student between 1953 and 1956. File also includes three telegrams sent by Ben's parents (Sam and Mary Gadd) and two letters pertaining to Ben's early development and…
File consists of school work, including math problems, English assignments and drawings, produced by Ben Gadd as an elementary school student between 1953 and 1956. File also includes three telegrams sent by Ben's parents (Sam and Mary Gadd) and two letters pertaining to Ben's early development and other updates.
File consists of documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's financial assistance and other university records. File includes Ben's student ID cards for the University of Colorado, University of Calgary, and University of Lethbridge; grade reports, tuition receipts, student loan cheques and invoices; schola…
File consists of documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's financial assistance and other university records. File includes Ben's student ID cards for the University of Colorado, University of Calgary, and University of Lethbridge; grade reports, tuition receipts, student loan cheques and invoices; scholarship and student loan application forms; school registration forms; and other related documents.
File consists of brochures and other published research materials collected by Ben Gadd, pertaining to guiding, climbing and skiing excursions, cycling, snowshoeing, and other recreational activities and tourism packages in the Canadian Rockies.
File consists of brochures and other published research materials collected by Ben Gadd, pertaining to guiding, climbing and skiing excursions, cycling, snowshoeing, and other recreational activities and tourism packages in the Canadian Rockies.
File consists of notes, assignments and other records pertaining to Ben Gadd's high school education in Colorado, 1961-1964. File includes collected newspaper clippings and research material for school assignments; illustrations by Ben, including architectural drawings and design plans for model ai…
File consists of notes, assignments and other records pertaining to Ben Gadd's high school education in Colorado, 1961-1964. File includes collected newspaper clippings and research material for school assignments; illustrations by Ben, including architectural drawings and design plans for model airplanes; short stories and original poetry; and other related material.
Notes
File M590 / I / B / 3 includes one annotated map of trails in Colorado which was used by Ben Gadd from 1960-1962 during various bicycling trips.