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.
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 139 pages of handwritten research notes, correspondence, and newspaper clippings, H35 x W30 cm or smaller. File pertains to Dorothy's research on Banff and surrounding area, Parks Canada, Department of the Interior, and the history of the Canadian Rocky Mountains in general. Record…
2 cm of textual records (139 pages ; 30 x 35 cm or smaller)
Scope & Content
File consists of 139 pages of handwritten research notes, correspondence, and newspaper clippings, H35 x W30 cm or smaller. File pertains to Dorothy's research on Banff and surrounding area, Parks Canada, Department of the Interior, and the history of the Canadian Rocky Mountains in general. Records were filed in an envelope that was titled "Book Notes."
Notable people include James Wardle, J.B. Harkin, Pat Brewster, Arthur Unwin, Dr. Brett, Norman Sanson, and Bill Peyto, among others. Notable places and topics include the organization of the Department of the Interior, the Banff-Windemere Highway, Rocky Mountain Park and Park Wardens, Kootenay National Park fires, coal and precious metal mines (e.g. Bankhead, Silver City), trail riding and hiking, research about James Wardle and his accomplishments, Ya-Ha-Tinda, and various parks (e.g. Glacier, Revelstoke, Elk Island, Kootenay, and Yoho).
Other records include a handwritten letter to the Auld family in Scotland (cousins of Sheila Ritchie) with a story about Glenbow and a highland cow from Oban, Scotland; personal reflections on the Banff area and mountains in general; notes that Dorothy took while doing research at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies and the Banff Public Library; and a variety of newspaper clippings.
Notes
Includes request slips and stationary from the archives at the Whyte Museum.
Potentially includes a handwritten list of Dorothy's written works.
Newspaper clippings primarily from the Times Colonist, which is published in Victoria, British Columbia.
Some of the slips of paper are taped together. Was unable to remove them without damaging the materials. May present conservation issues in the future.
File consists of collected research documents pertaining to Stanley J. Carr and the Brewster family in Banff. File includes correspondence from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development pertaining to requests for information about the Brewster family; autobiographical information ab…
Stanley "Windy" Carr (1890-1983) immigrated to Canada from England in 1907, and worked at ranches in Calgary before he was hired as a guide by the Brewster brothers in 1910. Stanley was active in the Canadian Army between 1916 and 1918, and returned to Alberta after being injured in France. Shortly after, Stanley and two other veterans started an outfitting business in Banff. Stanley married his wife, Jessie, in 1921. Around 1927, Stanley and Jessie purchased property at Tête Jaune Cache, where they built a home and opened a guest ranch. Stanley was a lifetime member of the Masonic Lodge in Cochrane and was actively involved in the construction of the Yellowhead Highway near Mount Robson. Carr Road (located by Red Pass Junction and Highway 16) was named in Stanley's honour.
Scope & Content
File consists of collected research documents pertaining to Stanley J. Carr and the Brewster family in Banff. File includes correspondence from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development pertaining to requests for information about the Brewster family; autobiographical information about Stanley J. Carr, who started working as a guide for the Brewster brothers in 1910; newspaper clippings; scanned copies of photographs depicting Stanley Carr and others on horseback, ca. 1915; a genealogical timeline of Sarah (Irvine) Brewster, William Brewster and their descendants; and poetry written by Stanley Carr about the Brewsters.
File consists of 2 published books. Contains 1 copy of 'Canada's Great Highway: from the First Stake to the Last Spike' by J.H.E. Secretan (1924), annotated by Nicholas Morant; and 1 copy of 'The Rockies of Canada' by Walter D. Wilcox (1909) with topographical map of the Rocky Mountain region in ba…
File consists of 2 published books. Contains 1 copy of 'Canada's Great Highway: from the First Stake to the Last Spike' by J.H.E. Secretan (1924), annotated by Nicholas Morant; and 1 copy of 'The Rockies of Canada' by Walter D. Wilcox (1909) with topographical map of the Rocky Mountain region in back pocket.
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 46 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 47.
File consists of 6 textual items (2 books, 4 booklets). Includes copies of the following texts:
- “Mammals of the Eastern Rockies and Western Plains of Canada” (A.L. Rand, 1948) with attached newspaper clipping inside about flying squirrel.
- “History of Lake O’Hara” (Lillian Gest, 1961) with signe…
File consists of 6 textual items (2 books, 4 booklets). Includes copies of the following texts:
- “Mammals of the Eastern Rockies and Western Plains of Canada” (A.L. Rand, 1948) with attached newspaper clipping inside about flying squirrel.
- “History of Lake O’Hara” (Lillian Gest, 1961) with signed note by author inside front cover.
- “They Came West” (F.O. ‘Pat’ Brewster, 1979) with handwritten note by author to Nicholas Morant inside.
- “The Rundle Adventure Story” (John Travis, 1968) with brief signed note by author inside.
- “The Death of Albert Johnson” (Frank W. Anderson, 1968) with several articles / clippings from 1985 & 1987 pertaining to ‘Mad Trapper’ Albert Johnson attached to inside of front and back covers.
- “The CPR Comes to Calgary” (CP Rail, 1975), signed ‘C. Wickstone’ on back cover.
Notes
Text “The Death of Albert Johnson” was originally stored in an envelope labelled “MAD HATTER” with additional annotations inside (see ‘Conservation’).
Storage Range
In file box M300 / III / D / 5 / 75 to M300 / III / D / 5 / 91
Items in this file are not to be accessed or distributed without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Reproduction Restrictions
Items in this file are not to be reproduced without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Language
English
Conservation
Envelope previously containing “The Death of Albert Johnson” has been kept with respective text in storage, in protective wrapping to prevent damage to adjacent items.
File consists of notes and a draft introduction produced by Ben Gadd pertaining to a film project about the Canadian Rockies which was produced by Pat Morrow. Notes include a list of possible titles for the video, as well as lists of topics to include for different regions discussed in the film.
File consists of notes and a draft introduction produced by Ben Gadd pertaining to a film project about the Canadian Rockies which was produced by Pat Morrow. Notes include a list of possible titles for the video, as well as lists of topics to include for different regions discussed in the film.
File consists of collected commercial postcards from Canada, the United States, Central America, Europe and the United Kingdom [non-annotated]. File includes loose postcards, postcard sets and fold-out photo card booklets.
ca. 630 b&w and col. postcards ; 23 x 18 cm or smaller
Scope & Content
File consists of collected commercial postcards from Canada, the United States, Central America, Europe and the United Kingdom [non-annotated]. File includes loose postcards, postcard sets and fold-out photo card booklets.
Notes
Items in this file have been organized by geographical location. See "Content Details" entry field for contents of individual folders.
File is organized into 8 folders, numbered LUX / III / D / PG - 1 to 8.
PG - 1 : Banff National Park
PG - 2 : Canadian Rockies and Selkirks
PG - 3 : Alberta and British Columbia [Other]
PG - 4 : Canada
PG - 5 : United States of America
PG - 6 : United States of America, cont.'d [postcard sets and 1933 Chicago World Fair]
PG - 7 : Foreign
PG - 8 : Other [location not specified]