Scrapbook consists of newspaper clippings related to Banff Indian Days and the Calgary Stampede; various other newspaper clippings related to local and international news, including the opening of a new school in Morley and the Luxton Museum [now the Buffalo Nations Museum] in Banff, a fire at Jasp…
Scrapbook consists of newspaper clippings related to Banff Indian Days and the Calgary Stampede; various other newspaper clippings related to local and international news, including the opening of a new school in Morley and the Luxton Museum [now the Buffalo Nations Museum] in Banff, a fire at Jasper Park Lodge, and Canadian and international politics.
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 a summit record from Bennington Peak produced by the Alpine Club of Canada from around 1970. Entries are illegible due to severe water and mold damage.
File:
[Bennington Summit Register]
Summit Registers and Notes produced by Alpine Club of Canada
Date Range
ca. 1970
Physical Description
1 volume
1 cm of textual record
History / Biographical
Bennington Peak is located along the Continental Divide/Great Divide along the Alberta/British Columbia provincial border. Bennington Peak is one of the peaks of Mount Fraser and is part of the Bennington Glacier. It is situated on on the border of Jasper National Park, Alberta and Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia.
Scope & Content
File consists of a summit record from Bennington Peak produced by the Alpine Club of Canada from around 1970. Entries are illegible due to severe water and mold damage.
File:
[Bennington Summit Register]
Notes
Summit entries are illegible due to severe water and mold damage.
File consists of notes, contracts, correspondence and other documents pertaining to travel and hiking brochure projects which Ben Gadd produced for Parks Canada.
File consists of notes, contracts, correspondence and other documents pertaining to travel and hiking brochure projects which Ben Gadd produced for Parks Canada.
File consist of summit notes from Cataract Pass produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between around 2001 and 2011. Summit records include entries from visitors to the various summits which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details of specific events which occurred while at the sum…
Summit Registers and Notes produced by Alpine Club of Canada
Date Range
ca. 2001-2011
Physical Description
2 cm of textual records
History / Biographical
Cataract Pass is a mountain pass in Jasper National Park, Alberta. Nearby are Mount Stewart, Mount Athabasca, Mount Andromeda, and Highway 93.
Scope & Content
File consist of summit notes from Cataract Pass produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between around 2001 and 2011. Summit records include entries from visitors to the various summits which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details of specific events which occurred while at the summit, wildlife sightings, trail updates, and related topics.
File:
M200 / V / A / 190: Cataract Pass Summit Notes
Notes
File includes 2 colour photographic prints. Prints were originally together with the summit notes in a ziplock bag.
Fonds consists of two sous-fonds: M521 and V75.
M521 consists of four series, 154 cm, ca.1870-2002. Series I: Dorothy Wardle Personal Papers, 69.5 cm, ca.1870-2002 (includes Dorothy's written work and research and notes related to Banff). Series II: Wardle Family, 32.5 cm, 1872-1998 (including cor…
154 cm of textual records. -- 1304 photographs (1190 prints, 95 negatives, 19 transparencies). -- 6 photograph albums.
History / Biographical
The Wardle family was comprised of husband and wife, James Morey Wardle (June 26,1888 - May 18,1971) and Maud Leette (Roney) Wardle (May 24,1889 - December 1,1969), and their one child, Dorothy Hope Wardle (May 23,1919 - July 20,2003).
James Wardle, born in Chiliwack, British Columbia, was a civil engineer and public servant. He was the Superintendent of Banff National Park from 1918-1921, Chief Engineer for Parks Canada from 1921-1935, and Deputy Minister of the Interior from 1935-1936. He is primarily known as a highway design engineer, particularly for building the Banff-Windermere, Banff-Lake Louise, and Banff-Jasper highways. He was a councillor for the Municipality of Rockcliffe Park in Ontario and he was the President of the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies in Banff from 1925-1929. Mount Wardle in Vermillion was named after him in 1921. James married Leette on November 4, 1913, with whom he had one child, Dorothy.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Dorothy (also known as Dot and Dorie) grew up in Banff, Alberta and Ottawa, Ontario, due to her father's position with the federal government. She was educated at the Mountain School in Banff and at the Elmwood School in Ottawa. All three family members were graduates of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. James graduated in 1912 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Leette graduated with a Bachelor's degree, and in 1942, Dorothy also earned a Bachelor's degree. Dorothy was prominent in student life and active in athletics. In 1941, Dorothy became the first woman elected as President of the Alma Mater Society and during her academic career, Dorothy was a member of the Levana Intercollegiate Debative, University Centenary Committee, and Queen’s War Aid Commission.
Dorothy spent her career as a freelance writer however, upon graduation she served as the first Secretary-In-Charge of Records at Carleton College (now Carleton University) from 1942-1944 in Ottawa and in the mid-1950s worked as a secretary for the Glenbow Foundation in Calgary. Dorothy pursued a lifelong interest in traveling, art, and antiques. Although she was fiercely proud and protective of Banff and the Park, and remained a volunteer and patron of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Dorothy eventually settled in Sidney, British Columbia and shared an apartment with Sheila Iris Ritchie, with whom Dorothy travelled extensively. After her death in 2003, Dorothy, "Dorie," was laid to rest alongside her parents in the Old Banff Cemetery.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of two sous-fonds: M521 and V75.
M521 consists of four series, 154 cm, ca.1870-2002. Series I: Dorothy Wardle Personal Papers, 69.5 cm, ca.1870-2002 (includes Dorothy's written work and research and notes related to Banff). Series II: Wardle Family, 32.5 cm, 1872-1998 (including correspondence with Carl Rungius and Mrs. Helen Brett, and Christmas and other greeting cards from Peter and Catharine Whyte). Series III: Queen's University, 7.5 cm, 1911-1980 (including graduation certificates for each family member and records pertaining to Dorothy's participation on the Alma Mater Society). Series IV: Travel, 44.5 cm, ca.1950-1988 (includes hand-written notebooks meticulously detailing their travels).
V75 consists of two series, 79.5 cm, ca. 1912-2001. Series I: Wardle Family, ca. 1912-1971, 6 albums, 31 cm of photograph prints and negatives (including family trips, trail rides in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and family gatherings). Series II: Dorothy Wardle, 1972-2001, 34 cm of photograph prints, negatives, and transparencies (including Dorothy's travels in Alberta and British Columbia, overseas, and various outings with friends).
File consists of souvenir postcards sent to Ethel McKnight from various friends and relatives between ca.1909-1945. Postcard images pertain to views in and around Banff and the Canadian Rockies. Items are annotated with personal messages to Ethel.
File consists of souvenir postcards sent to Ethel McKnight from various friends and relatives between ca.1909-1945. Postcard images pertain to views in and around Banff and the Canadian Rockies. Items are annotated with personal messages to Ethel.
File consists of correspondence, drafts and other documents pertaining to an article written by Ben Gadd about the Skyline Trail in Jasper National Park, which was published by Explore Magazine in 1996.
File consists of correspondence, drafts and other documents pertaining to an article written by Ben Gadd about the Skyline Trail in Jasper National Park, which was published by Explore Magazine in 1996.
File consists of a planning scenario draft, response form and information sheet, draft of possible implications, meeting notes and comments, and correspondence between Parks Canada and the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. Content pertains to the Four Mountain Parks Program implemented by Parks…
File consists of a planning scenario draft, response form and information sheet, draft of possible implications, meeting notes and comments, and correspondence between Parks Canada and the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. Content pertains to the Four Mountain Parks Program implemented by Parks Canada between 1984 and 1985, and related changes adapted by the Trail Riders. Topics include wildlife and resource management, trail use and maintenance, townsite development, hunting and fishing, and other related subjects within Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks.
Notes
Planning scenario draft has annotations on front cover, annotations and illustrations on second interior page
Files consist of summit notes and summit registers from Hawk Mountain produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between 1995 and 2007. Summit records include entries from visitors to the various summits which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details of specific events which occurred w…
Summit Registers and Notes produced by Alpine Club of Canada
Date Range
1995 - 2007
Physical Description
2 volumes
2 cm of textual records
History / Biographical
Hawk Mountain is located in Jasper National Park, AB. Nearby are Mount Colin and the Jasper town site.
Scope & Content
Files consist of summit notes and summit registers from Hawk Mountain produced by the Alpine Club of Canada between 1995 and 2007. Summit records include entries from visitors to the various summits which pertain to individuals' hiking and climbing trips; details of specific events which occurred while at the summit, wildlife sightings, trail updates, and related topics.
Files include:
M200 / V / A / 63: Hawk Mountain [1995-2001]
M200 / V / A / 64: Summit Register - Hawk Mountain, Sept 2001 - June 2007