RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Agnes Neave recalls moving from the Prairies to British Columbia in 1940 after her family became ill with typhoid. She found an advertisement for a small property in Ootsa Lake which ha;d good fishing. She describes her first trip into the area by train and ferry; her first impressions; setting up a three year rental with the option to buy after that; the trek from Burns Lake with h;er whole family and their possessions; establishing themselves at Francois Lake; what life was like there; and the Anglican church at Francois Lake. [TRACK 2: blank.]

RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Arthur Chadwick discusses his family history in Wisconsin all the way back to the American Civil War. He was born in 1885 and came to Canada by himself in 1907 to Alberta. Not liking Alberta, he worked for the CPR to save money to eventually move to BC in 1910. He discusses work available in Vancouver at that time, and an experience working on a sternwheeler in Hazelton. He describes moving to Babine Portage because of a booming mining community at that time and mentions several characters. He describes his experience as a camp cook in Burns Lake; getting lost out by Babine Portage for twenty-one days with nothing to eat and meeting Indians on Cunningham Lake who eventually took him to their camp and fed him; his friendship with Martin Starret, with whom he shared a property boundary and who ran a store; a description of Martin Starret's life and that of his uncle, who was fur trader C.B. Smith, and his wife and daughter and son; what life was like in Babine Portage; ;life at Babine hatchery and cannery; more on Martin Starret and how Mr. Chadwick began trapping in 1916; and an anecdote about having to register to get grub. TRACK 2: Mr. Chadwick continues with hi;s anecdotes including some places and names, more on trapping at Tatla Lake, raising cattle, and more on Mr. Chadwick's experience as a cook.

CALL NUMBER: T1208:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Bea Williscroft : Hazelton and Telkwa, 1909-1914 PERIOD COVERED: 1909-1914 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1962-03-21 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Beatrice "Bea" Williscroft recalls summer visits to her father (Walter Archer Williscroft) at Hazelton (1909-1912). She talks about childhood memories of Port Essington, the trip up the Skeena River, an incident at Minskinisht, the Skeena riverboats, impressions of their arrival at Hazelton (1909), residents, R.S. Sargent, childhood reminiscences, the Indian cemetery, anecdotes, the atmos;phere of the town, Cataline, an incident with H.H. Little and Hazelton stores. TRACK 2: Bea Williscroft continues speaking about Hazelton, local buildings, hotels and residents. She recalls Bill Wrat;hall -- an area photographer, sports and recreation events, Rev. Field, Mr. Loring, Wiggs O'Neill, practical jokes, roads in the Hazelton area, the Cedar Swamp, her father's responsibilities and road ;work, entertainment and recreation, Telkwa, residents in the Bulkley Valley, Rene Degville, Guy Thorp and the impact of World War I.

CALL NUMBER: T1208:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Bea Williscroft describes the Telkwa area, 1909-1917 PERIOD COVERED: 1909-1917 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1962-03-21 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Beatrice Williscroft continues with her recollections of Rene Degville, the Telkwa area prior to 1917, pack trains and teamsters and cattle drives. She discusses Burns Lake prior to the railway, Francois and Ootsa Lake, Charlie Barrett, roadhouses (20 Mile, 38 Mile, 48 Mile), Michael Shadey, Mooseskin Johnny stories, roadhouses, travelling with her father, entertainment and social life, Telkwa c.1914, Blackjack MacDonell and Hughie McLean. TRACK 2: Bea Williscroft continues with recollections about wildlife, Ernie Moran, Charlie Barrett, Barney Mulvaney, R.S. Sargent, Jim May and social gatherings.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-18 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. William ("Bill") McKenna discusses how his father, James McKenna, came to the Okanagan and settled in Kelowna in 1889, eventually selling out to irrigation people in 1909. He and family; next took up a homestead between Burns Lake and Dekker Lake. George Wallace and Dick Carrol are mentioned as being in the area when his father arrived along with a government telegraph office and three Indian families. His father built a stopping house for the time when the railroad was being constructed. Bill recalls details of when he arrived at the age of five, including the building of the ;railway with trestles and the first train. In 1914, Barney Mulvaney laid out tents which led to the beginning of Burns Lake. The development of the town, including the first post office, and a description of Barney Mulvaney and other early settlers. Then, Mrs. Margaret McKenna offers the story of when she met Mike Touhy and Barney Mulvaney, including descriptions of both men, and childhood memories of events and people. TRACK 2: Mrs. McKenna continues with more anecdotes about childhood memories and people in the area. Then Bill McKenna offers more descriptions of Barney Mulvaney, Wiggs O'Neill and Harry Morgan, and recalls coaching hockey at Fraser Lake.

Probate/estate files.

Stock shots. Show clearing of snags, etc., in the area of the Paul Fire, using caterpillar tractors equipped with chains. Includes aerial views or operation and cleared area.

Shows streets and surveyed lots.

CALL NUMBER: T4210:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Pioneer Profiles project : R. Earl Gerow RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1985-03-04 SUMMARY: R. Earl Gerow was an early aircraft maintenance engineer who worked for Canadian Airways and Trans-Canada Airlines. TRACK 1: He describes the early flying activities at Burns Lake and his entry into aviation business as a mechanic. Bush flying activities of Canadian Airways 1930-36. The Paddy Burke search in 1930 and other significant aviation incidents. TRACK 2: Further descriptions of early bush flying operations around Burns Lake area with references to other operators. Transfers to Trans-Canada Airlines upon its formation and gains A.M.E. licence. Describes the changes from bush operations to airline and the development of Trans-Canada Airlines from 1938 onward. Air Canada today from the operations point of view.

CALL NUMBER: T4210:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Pioneer Profiles project : R. Earl Gerow RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1985-03-04 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Description of early airline service between Vancouver and Seattle. Description of accidents and incidents at Vancouver airport. TRACK 2: Blank.

This series consists of records related to land use, management and alienation in the Range IV Coast District, Range V Coast District and the Cariboo Land District. The records date from 1911-1980. The records were created by various government officials stationed in Fort Fraser and Burns Lake.

The series includes subject files and correspondence files with settlers discussing the pre-emption, lease and purchase of specific parcels of land.

Other records include certificates of pre-emption; lists of pre-emptions, crown grants, cancellations, purchases and leases; Cariboo country lands registers; Atlin Townsite land register; Endako townsite land register; registers of pre-emption records; register of purchased land; Fort Fraser hay and pasture lease register; one volume of government agent record of receipts and payments financial records; and one file of Smithers mining recorder correspondence.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-18 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Edward Alfred Aslin discusses how he was born in Kansas and moved to an area near Edmonton with his family when he was seven years old in 1894. He describes getting married in 1906 and subsequently coming out west. In 1916 he left the railway to come to Fort Fraser to open a store, so his kids could be stationary and attend school. He acquired too much stock to support his family, t;here so he moved to Burns Lake. He describes Fort Fraser at that time as a declining and quiet place after the railway had completed its work there. He describes the circumstances after he and his wife split up, when he became a placer miner at Manson Creek to conquer the loneliness of missing his children. He describes what Manson Creek was like at that time. He describes fur trading out by B;ear Lake in the Babine country. [TRACK 2: blank.]

SUMMARY: "North of Fifty-three" is number 10 in the series. It deals with the "Lakes Country" south of Burns Lake, and the characters who homesteaded, trapped and farmed there. Mike Touhy and his poetry. An amusing account of the last trappers' convention at Burns Lake in 1919. Voices heard include: May McGrane, Bea Williscroft, Mary Richmond, Cliff Harrison, Arthur Shelford, Bill McKenna, Bill Richmond, and Frank Chettleburgh.

Magistrate's record books, July 1911 - February 1915; June 1915 - February 1925; March 1925 - May 1930 mostly in the hand of Stipendiary Magistrate, Stephen H. Hoskins. Volume 1 starts in Hazelton and includes a copy of the oath to be taken by reporters and a copy of the "affirmation of witness in Court in lieu of oath"; Volume 2 and 3 are mostly Smithers; Volume 3 contains information relating to Public Works expenditures, 1912-1913.

Travelogue. Scenery and attractions of the area accessible by the highway between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Footage includes: Prince George Airport with passengers boarding airliner; lakeside scenes; lumber mill; harvesting grain near Vanderhoof; Hudson's Bay post at Fort St. James; lake barges and a Beech 18 floatplane (registration CF-BQH) on Stuart Lake; trout fishing on Stuart Lake and Fraser Lake; Burns Lake; Babine Lake; Francois Lake; Ootsa Lake; Binta Lake; Telkwa, and nearby coal mine; Smithers; Moricetown Falls salmon run, with Indians gaffing salmon; Bulkley Canyon; Hazelton; Hagwilget Canyon; totem poles at Kispiox, Kitseguecla, and Kitwanga (plus village and burial grounds at the latter); Terrace, and its pole mill; Lakelse Lake; highway scenes; bald eagles; commercial fishing on the Skeena; Prince Rupert (cruise ship docking, unloading fish, fishing festival, homes and gardens, downtown, airport with amphibious airliner taxiing and taking off).

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): John Glen Sr. describes the Francois Lake area, c.1910 PERIOD COVERED: 1910-1920 RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-?] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: John Glen Sr. describes arriving in Duncan from Scotland in 1910 and working on a dairy farm there before landing in Francois Lake to pre-empt land with Jim and Robert (Bob) Jeffrey, his arrival at Hazelton, incidents on the trip into Burns Lake, crossing Burns Lake in a government raft, his arrival at Francois Lake, Tom Harris of Harris and Long Ranch, his first few months at Francois Lake, an anecdote about a bear, the arrival of Robert Jeffrey at Francois Lake in 1911, the trip by wagon and raft from Burns Lake to Francois Lake with the Jeffrey family possessions, and mail service.; TRACK 2: John Glen Sr. continues by describing the use of South African script land at Francois Lake, the Francois Lake settlement, the new settlers including Mr. Purdue, the decline of regional growth, Glen leaving Francois Lake and moving to Alberta near Wainwright, the Jeffrey family at Cowichan Lake, how the Francois Lake Ferry was brought in from Burns Lake, his first trip to Francois Lake ;is recounted briefly, and telegraph linesman Harry Birdsall.

The series consists of 1146 photographic prints and negatives taken by Harry Jomini between 1951 and 1954. These photographs document the construction of the Kenney Dam, part of the Kitimat Kemano project undertaken by the Aluminum Company of Canada (Alcan). The series includes photographs of the area including Kemano, Burns Lake, Francois Lake, Nechako, Ootsa and Vanderhoof. There are also photographs of individuals and groups living in the community. The prints are almost all numbered, titled and dated and were originally filed in 14 black binders and an envelope of loose photographs and negatives. Jomini visted the construction site on a regular basis from 1951 to 1954 and documented all aspects of the construction. Volume 14 documents the ceremony for the unveiling of the cornerstone by the Minister of Public Works E.T. Kenney on May 10, 1952.

SUMMARY: "Ootsa and Burns Lake People", #22 in the series, mainly features the recollections of Arthur Shelford and Cliff Harrison about some of the characters who lived in the Ootsa Lake country before the First World War.