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.
File consists of a signed work agreement, correspondence, research notes, reference materials, newspaper articles and other related documents pertaining to an article titled "The Ravens & the Road: Life & Death on National Park Highways", which Ben wrote for Alberta Views magazine between 2004 and …
File consists of a signed work agreement, correspondence, research notes, reference materials, newspaper articles and other related documents pertaining to an article titled "The Ravens & the Road: Life & Death on National Park Highways", which Ben wrote for Alberta Views magazine between 2004 and 2005.
File consists of correspondence and published articles pertaining to the 1995 Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, as well as an application form which Ben filled out to submit the second edition of Handbook of the Canadian Rockies in the competition. File also includes a certificate given to Ben…
File consists of correspondence and published articles pertaining to the 1995 Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, as well as an application form which Ben filled out to submit the second edition of Handbook of the Canadian Rockies in the competition. File also includes a certificate given to Ben after his book won the "Best Guide Book" award in the same competition, and a letter from Barbara Grinder sent to Ben and Cia Gadd suggesting that they enter the book in the Andy Russell Nature Writers Award competition.
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 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 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 four VHS tapes with videos pertaining to interviews with Ben Gadd, which were published by CFRN Television and CBC between 1985 and [ca.2000]. Content pertains to Cadomin Cave, Maligne Canyon, and Ben's professional life.
Produced by CFRN, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Date Range
1985-1986
[ca.1990-2000]
1993
1995
Physical Description
4 VHS tapes
Scope & Content
File consists of four VHS tapes with videos pertaining to interviews with Ben Gadd, which were published by CFRN Television and CBC between 1985 and [ca.2000]. Content pertains to Cadomin Cave, Maligne Canyon, and Ben's professional life.
Notes
Individual contents in file:
V810 / III / / D / NV - 2 : "Cadomin Cave, June 1985 (CFRN TV clip, with Fred Kazakoff + [A?] Watson"; "Maligne Canyon, 23 [February] 86 (CBC clip, with Ted Barrus + Lee MacKenzie)"
V810 / III / / D / NV - 3 : "CBC News 6/2/93 6 PM"
V810 / III / / D / NV - 4 : "Great Albertans - Ben Gadd" [CFRN Television, October 4, 1995]
V810 / III / / D / NV - 5 : "Ben on CBC TV news re: Maligne Canyon Teahouse" [n.d., ca.1990-2000]
File consists of correspondence and notes pertaining to corrections and additions which were made to the first and second editions of Ben Gadd's book, Handbook of the Canadian Rockies.
File consists of correspondence and notes pertaining to corrections and additions which were made to the first and second editions of Ben Gadd's book, Handbook of the Canadian Rockies.
Notes
File is arranged in two folders:
M590 / II / A / 19 : Corrections and additions, 1988-1993 [first edition]
M590 / II / A / 20 : Corrections and additions, 1995-2001 [second edition]
File consists of letters and postcards sent to Ben Gadd between 1968 and 1971, as well as copies of letters which Ben sent to various people and organizations during the same time period. Content pertains to Ben's personal and professional life, family, holidays and various other subjects.
File consists of letters and postcards sent to Ben Gadd between 1968 and 1971, as well as copies of letters which Ben sent to various people and organizations during the same time period. Content pertains to Ben's personal and professional life, family, holidays and various other subjects.