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".
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 documents pertaining to a brochure and bookmark produced by Ben Gadd on behalf of the Friends of Jasper National Park. File includes printing quotes, sample copies, a published copy of the brochure, and a related advertisement.
File consists of documents pertaining to a brochure and bookmark produced by Ben Gadd on behalf of the Friends of Jasper National Park. File includes printing quotes, sample copies, a published copy of the brochure, and a related advertisement.
File consists of notes and correspondence pertaining to a request by professor Jon W. Jones at the University of Calgary to use the Handbook of the Canadian Rockies as study material for his geology course. File includes production quotes from Friesens publishing company and a purchase summary from…
File consists of notes and correspondence pertaining to a request by professor Jon W. Jones at the University of Calgary to use the Handbook of the Canadian Rockies as study material for his geology course. File includes production quotes from Friesens publishing company and a purchase summary from the University of Calgary.
File consists of documents pertaining to the organization Parks and People, 1988-1994. File includes a "personnel policies and practices manual"; meeting minutes; a cooperative agreement contract between the Canadian Parks Service and the Jasper-Yellowhead Historical Society, 1988; and a news artic…
File consists of documents pertaining to the organization Parks and People, 1988-1994. File includes a "personnel policies and practices manual"; meeting minutes; a cooperative agreement contract between the Canadian Parks Service and the Jasper-Yellowhead Historical Society, 1988; and a news article pertaining to the dissolution of Parks and People in 1994.
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 / 161 : Trapping, Furs
M590 / I / C / 162 : Tri-Council JNP Study
M590 / I / C / 163 : U.S. Parks
M590 / I / C / 164 : User Fees
M590 / I / C / 165 : Vermont
M590 / I / C / 166 : Volunteering
M590 / I / C / 167 : Warden-Arming Issue
M590 / I / C / 168 : WCWC [Western Canada Wilderness Committee]
M590 / I / C / 169 : Weldwood
M590 / I / C / 170 to 171 : Whitehorse Wildland Park [Files 1 and 2 of 2]
M590 / I / C / 172 : Wildflower Survey
M590 / I / C / 173 : Willmore Wilderness Park
M590 / I / C / 174 : Wolves
M590 / I / C / 175 : Yellowstone to Yukon Biodiversity Strategy
File consists of correspondence and quotes sent between Ben Gadd and publishing companies Kromar Printing Ltd., Arthurs-Jones Lithographing Ltd. and Allprint Ainsworth Associates Inc., as well as packaging and distribution company Instabox Calgary Ltd. Content pertains to the publication and distri…
File consists of correspondence and quotes sent between Ben Gadd and publishing companies Kromar Printing Ltd., Arthurs-Jones Lithographing Ltd. and Allprint Ainsworth Associates Inc., as well as packaging and distribution company Instabox Calgary Ltd. Content pertains to the publication and distribution of the Handbook of the Canadian Rockies, second edition.
File consists of correspondence, invoices and related documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's work arranging a publication agreement for his client, Ann Forhmzway, for the book "Your Destiny is in Your Name". The project was filed through Ben's copywriting company, The Wordworks.
File consists of correspondence, invoices and related documents pertaining to Ben Gadd's work arranging a publication agreement for his client, Ann Forhmzway, for the book "Your Destiny is in Your Name". The project was filed through Ben's copywriting company, The Wordworks.
Notes
Materials in file were identified as "Job #143" in The Wordworks job records - see file M590/III/D/57
File consists of notes, correspondence, drafts and financial records pertaining to the printing and design of a geological exploration proposal which Ben Gadd arranged on behalf of his client, Bediz Exploration. The project was filed through Ben's company, The Wordworks.
File consists of notes, correspondence, drafts and financial records pertaining to the printing and design of a geological exploration proposal which Ben Gadd arranged on behalf of his client, Bediz Exploration. The project was filed through Ben's company, The Wordworks.
Notes
Materials in file were identified as "Job #147" in The Wordworks job records - see file M590/III/D/57
File consists of notes, correspondence, drafts and financial records pertaining to a membership brochure which Ben Gadd produced on behalf of his client, the Canadian Natural Gas Processing Supply Men's Association (CNGPSMA). The project was filed through Ben's copywriting company, The Wordworks.
File consists of notes, correspondence, drafts and financial records pertaining to a membership brochure which Ben Gadd produced on behalf of his client, the Canadian Natural Gas Processing Supply Men's Association (CNGPSMA). The project was filed through Ben's copywriting company, The Wordworks.
Notes
Materials in file were identified as "Job #136" in The Wordworks job records - see file M590/III/D/57