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.]

The item consists of a reel of 16 mm film which includes the following:
Rodeo scenes; large poultry farm (at Westbank); selecting and packing eggs; men inspecting fields, farm buildings, installations, old steam-tractor, cattle in pasture; lumber mill at lake; town of Fraser Lake; Endako Mines Ltd. display, a working model, ore samples, etc.

The fonds comprises videotape copies of eight promotional, documentary or general-interest films produced for the Aluminum Company of Canada (or its successor, Alcan Canada Products) in the years 1951-1979. They depict the history, development and operations of the Kitimat project, including the Kenney Dam, the Kemano power plant, power transmission lines, Kitimat smelter, and the town and port of Kitimat. Four of these titles were made by Lew Parry Film Productions; two were produced by Crawley Films Ltd.

Shows route from Quesnel to Elwin Lake near Topley. Photographic copy of coloured ms. original in the Bancroft Library (Map/17.B8/C7T/1866d/D). Astronomical observations by P.J. Leech. From notes by J. [Maclu]re. Sheet 1.

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands in 1930. It contains a volume of Coast Land Districts, Range 4 and Range 5 appraisal reports of reverted government lands within Tps. 2-4, Range 4 and Tps. 10-13, 19,20, Range 5. The reports are arranged numerically within each land district. Information may include assessment district, land registry office, legal description, date of forfeiture, plan number, acreage, suitability, improvements, soil, water supply, irrigation or dyking, accessibility, nearest settlement or Post Office, nearest school, topography, and assessed and appraised value. The report usually includes a coloured sketch map of the property. The two sections are indexed by report numbers to the legal land description.

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: T1031:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-11-09 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Arthur Shelford recalls his early life in England and his feeling that city life in London was not for him, so he decided to come to Canada in 1908 on an urge. Mr. Shelford describes the conditions of economic depression upon arriving in Canada at Calgary. Mr. Shelford recalls his experience working on the railroad, including the food they ate and his interactions with the Walking Boss; the relationship between the railroad and the employment agency in Calgary; his decision to walk a few miles up the road to Field which was his first experience in British Columbia, there was no work available, his next job on the railroad which paid a dollar and a half a day which was excellent, his positive experiences with foreigners and how it changed his perceptions of others, the need for gloves to do the work, befriending an English soldier named Tommy Gibson who got him a job working on the road at Banff which paid very well and his experience there, an anecdote about some of his co-workers who got arrested for drinking and one who got out and let the others loose and his boss changed the man's name so he would not get arrested, the scenery around Banff, putting a fire out at Fernie, odd jobs and characters, and an anecdote about when he worked on shingling roofs in winter. TRACK 2: Mr. Shelford describes how he came to Vancouver in 1909 and how much he liked it, the game of real estate, working in a logging camp at Courtenay until a forest fire burned his camp down, getting a job as a fireman for nine months at Powell Lake and the foreman Jim Springer who was a great man, his job as an engineer at the Powell River Pulp Company and a description of the conditions as one of the best jobs he ever had, his brother Jack suggesting that they venture to Northern BC to; acquire land, a journey up the Skeena by river boat and the conditions there and the people whom he met on the trip. Mr. Shelford describes arriving at Hazelton, how Hazelton was a frontier village.

CALL NUMBER: T1031:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-11-09 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Shelford continues by discussing his horses, a trip to Bella Coola to get cattle in 1910 with his brother and what was involved in the trip including building a raft out of rope, characters around Francois Lake including Harry Morgan and other pioneers, more on their journey and a description of places visited and sites seen, leading the cows up the valley, expertise about horses, more on their travels including interactions with the horses and building more rafts. Mr. Shelford discusses the personality of pioneer Irishman Mike Touey, including several anecdotes including one about the three pounds of meat he ate per day and another about his poetry and another about an incident when he retired to Burns Lake and gave up eating meat. TRACK 2: Mr. Shelford continues with more on interesting characters who were in the area around the time Mr. Shelford came in around 1914. Firstly, he discusses the two Oknianski boys who were Polish and they made a living off whip sawing and they also were involved with Hansard in Ottawa which is something Mr. Shelford feels is quite commendable. Secondly, Mr. Shelford discusses and offers anecdotes about Bob, Jim and Kelly Nelson who were known for their hospitality. Thirdly, he discusses the Hinton family who came from London and had hardly spent any time in the country, Mrs. Hinton really missed eating meat, details on the family and people whom the daughters married. Fourthly, a Norwegian man named Jacob Lund and an anecdote about Lund's teeth and a dentist and another Norwegian man named Shorty Mathieson who was a good friend to everyone and had a knack to find an easy way to do things. Fifth , Mr. Shelford discusses the pioneer women whom he believes did not get nearly enough credit. Mr. Shelford offers anecdotes about the contributions of several of these women including Mrs. Bennett who came into Hazelton before the railway, Mrs. George Lawson who came from Scotland, Mrs. Morgan who came in over the Bella.

CALL NUMBER: T1031:0003 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-11-09 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Shelford recalls enlisting in WWI in 1916 and almost being turned down for entry in Hazelton because he had flat feet. He discusses what he did upon returning from the war including how lovely returning to Vancouver was and his travels back up to Houston and continuing work just as he had left off. He discusses the economic conditions of the country after the war, jobs they tried to get some money including shipping cream, the start of the railway tie industry and the profitability of timber to that end, trapping furs, cattle prices, conditions picking up just prior to WWII, the impact of the war in boosting the lumber industry, drawbacks of the lumber industry, the necessity of having to supplement farming with other work, the flood of 1948 by aluminum companies to provide power for the plant at Kitimat and the repercussions on good farming land and relocating settlers, the reaction from the community, details about the Kenny Dam, and compensation. TRACK 2: Mr. Shelford continues with more on the compensation from the aluminum company and how most felt it was quite fair, one man who did not spend the money he was given well and others who did, repercussions on the local economy, the growth of the Ootsa Lake community including the first church, the effect the flood had on the lake itself, the growing tourist industry, pioneering routes by river, general problems of pioneer life and farming, having to walk everywhere because there were no roads until 1915 and that road was very rough.

Amateur film. In summer 1928, two carloads of travellers drive from Kamloops to Hazelton and return, filming highlights of their trip. These include the Cariboo Road, Barkerville, Bear Lake, Summit Lake, Stuart Lake, Fort St. James, Bulkley River, Telkwa River, and Skeena River. Footage from this trip is continued on film F1984:01/05.

RECORDED: Vanderhoof (B.C.), 1981-09-18 SUMMARY: Bessie Bailley was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1905, and attended the Nechako one-room school from 1916-1924. She tells of coming out from Ireland to the Nechako district; walking along the track from Prince George because the train was not in proper operation yet, and women were not allowed on it. Describes early Nechako school days.

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.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Harry and Louisa LeDuke and their life in the Burns Lake area PERIOD COVERED: 1903-1939 RECORDED: Burns Lake (B.C.), 1971 SUMMARY: [No content summary available for this interview.]

CALL NUMBER: T1028:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Cliff Harrison describes how he came to Ootsa Lake, and the good reputation of the land for agriculture. He discusses his father, who was a miner in the Kootenays and his memories of the; East Kootenays; the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1914, his experience working in a Hudson's Bay Company store in Kamloops; work for mining companies; reminiscences of Ootsa Lake in 1912, including ;that there was no doctor; how people had to help each other. He describes a few local characters and early settlers: Harry Morgan, Mike Touhy, Shorty Matheson, Cataline (Jean Caux), Barney Mulvaney, a;nd Skin Tyee, who was also known as Charlie Clutesi. TRACK 2: Mr. Harrison continues with more on local characters Skin Tyee and Florence Hinton. Mr. Harrison then recalls his experiences with Native Indians, and the introduction of aviation to the Ootsa Valley.

CALL NUMBER: T1028:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1966-05-05 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Cliff Harrison recalls how Indians came to have their legends via observations with no evidence, and the Indian legend of "Devil Man"; a story of a man dying of scurvy; and discusses trappin;g and selling fur in Kimsquit Valley. TRACK 2: Mr. Harrison recalls a bear story; anecdotes about what he did for amusement; and traveling through the Interior, including how he traveled.;

CALL NUMBER: T1028:0003 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Harrison recalls trapping beginning in 1906, including how trappers came to the area; fighting in World War I and coming back to the wilderness in 1919; anecdotes about selling furs in a; fluctuating market; a trapping convention and basket social; Mr. Harrison's recollections of other trappers, including John Mikkelson, Jack and Arthur Shelford, Harry Morgan (who was the first white man in the area), Skin Tyee and Jimmy Morgan. TRACK 2: Mr. Harrison continues discussing trappers such as Jimmy Morgan. He tells a story about mixing flying with trapping, and starting a trend for other trappers learning to fly; miscellaneous events connected to trapping, including almost freezing to death; and impressions and anecdotes about wolverines.

CALL NUMBER: T1028:0004 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961-07-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Harrison recalls growing up in the East Kootenay, including what life was like before the railroad; a detailed description of Captain Armstrong, a steamboat captain who navigated the Columbia River; the significance and details on the running of steamboats at that time; logging and wages. Harrison describes his arrival in BC in 1904, including his impressions. Harrison recalls various characters (and elaborates on what life was like at that time): Rufus Kimpton, Jim Brewer and a few more. TRACK 2: Mr. Harrison continues with more characters and events: the opening of the Paradise Mine; real estate promoter Randolph Bruce; "Bugroom"; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lake; Frank Stoddard, who had a hotel; several stories about blacksmith Sinc Craig,including one where he broke his leg falling into a grave at a funeral; Malcolm Cameron, the first policeman in the area, and how early pioneers were very law abiding, E.J. Scoville, who was the first magistrate and was also a champion speed; skater based out of Wilmer, and Jim McKay, the cattle baron at Athalmer.

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1889 and 1951. It contains six Coast Land District, Range 4 lot registers covering lots 1-2956. The registers list the lots in numerical order and record the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchaser, pre-emption, lease, etc.). Information may include the name of the purchaser, dates and numbers of certificates issued (including Crown Grants), dates and amounts of payments, and reference numbers to correspondence files and field books. There is an alphabetical name index in each volume.

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1873 and 1923. It contains 14 Coast Land District, Range 5 lot registers covering lots 1-7008. The registers list lots in numerical order and record the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchaser, pre-emption, lease, etc.). Information may include the name of the purchaser, dates and numbers of certificates issued (including Crown Grants), dates and amounts of payments, and reference numbers to correspondence files and field books.

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1894 and 1947. It contains a Coast Land District, Range 5, township register, covering Tp. 7-12. The land is listed numerically by sections within Townships, and records the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchase, pre-emption, lease, etc.). Information may include the name of the purchaser, dates and numbers of certificates issued (including Crown Grants), dates and amounts of payments, and reference numbers to correspondence files and field books. Also included is the Vanderhoof townsite. The volume contains an alphabetical name index.

Shows Township 14, location of Settlement Area No. 4.

This series contains the daily diary kept by Constable J.H. McClinton, British Columbia Provincial Police, "D" Division, stationed at Prince George.

Diaries kept by Mary Carolina (Williams), September 1922 - February 16, 1925. Mary Williams taught school at Mud River, B.C. (seventeen miles south west of Prince George) from 5 September 1922 to 27 June 1924. She then taught school at Park Court, Alberta; diary entries cover the period from 17 September 1924 to 16 February 1925. A typescript of the diaries has been filmed with the originals.

"Diary of a trip down the Yukon River, 1905" by Evelyn Penrose, C.G. Cowan's partner (original and illustrated typescript); letter from Evelyn Penrose to his mother, dated Hazelton, British Columbia, June 17, 1906, describing his trip from Kamloops with Cowan and the murder of Max LeClair near Hazelton (typed transcript); offprints of two undated articles "from Rod and Gun in Canada" by C.G. Cowan - "Two thousand miles down the Yukon River in a small boat" and Caribou shooting in British Columbia"; photograph album with captions by C.G. Cowan entitled "Trip with the Honourable Maurice Egerton up McMillan River, Yukon Territory, 1907; "Early history of the Onward Ranch" by C.G. Cowan. Selected photos copied by Visual Records accession 198006-5.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1966-09-13 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. May McGrane recalls her childhood in Rossland, including descriptions of the town at that time, a description of Phoenix, and entertainment buildings in Rossland. A trip with saddle horses in 1909 to Ootsa Lake, including details about how they did it and who they did it with. A boat trip to Bella Coola, the Bella Coola Trail, a Norwegian log house, more stories about the Bella Cool;a Trail, trading with Indians and characters around Ootsa Lake including Skin Tyee. TRACK 2: Mrs. McGrane discusses social events and stories of Ootsa Lake. Then, Mr. Dick McGrane describes his various jobs, involvement with labour organizations, reasons for going to Ootsa Lake, prospecting and trapping, and a story about a friend named George Sanneford.

RECORDED: Quesnel (B.C.), 1981-10-01 SUMMARY: Earl Baity was born in Idaho on November 26, 1907. He spent a short time attending Mud River school and Bouchie Lake school, as well as helped with building them. The author of "I Remember Chilako", as well as two other books, and the author of a column in the "Quesnel Observer". Tells of 1917 move to Mud River from Alberta in a box car with his parents and horses, etc. Tells of his life trapping and wood cutting. Tells of helping to build the Mud River school, and getting out of attending it! Reads one of his columns about Inez Ratcliffe, who went to school by dog sled team; she taught at Bouchie Lake school, across river from Quesnel. Stories of Christmas concerts and dances. Plays old time tune on violin, "Home Waltz", at end.

The item is an audio recording of an interview with Gilbert Forbes in 1976.
T0330:0001 track 1: Mr. Forbes discusses his background: born in 1889 at 100 Mile House; father was a rancher; moved to 122 Mile (Lac La Hache) in 1893; family ran the 122 Mile House as a ranch and a stopping house on the Cariboo road. The operation of a stopping house. School. Worked for Bank of British North America in Ashcroft, ca. 1906-08. Worked with Frank Swannell survey party, 1908. Experiences while working with Swannell in Nechako region. T0330:0001 track 2: More about surveying with Swannell. Worked on mining construction, 1909-10. Mining camp conditions. Trip to South America, 1912-13. Anecdotes about Forbes' trip in Argentina, Bermuda and the United States and his return to Lac La Hache, 1913. Anecdote about the death of "Bugs" at Lac La Hache, 1906.

T0330:0002 track 1: Worked on his father's ranch at 122 Mile House, 1913-22. Freight hauling on the Cariboo Road declines after 1919. Worked at Cedar Creek gold mine, 1922-23. Gold mining in the Cariboo region. Ranched and had a trap line during the Depression. Building with logs. Ranched during the 1940s.
T0330:0002 track 2: Brief account of activities in 1950s. Early freighters on the Cariboo Road described. Anecdotes about the teamsters on the Cariboo Road. Anecdotes about gambling. Preachers. (End of interview)

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.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Life in the Nechako Valley PERIOD COVERED: 1909-1957 RECORDED: Burns Lake (B.C.), [1972?] SUMMARY: [No content summary available for this interview.]

RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1964-07-18 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. George Ogston recalls his arrival in Canada from Scotland as a Hudson's Bay Company apprentice in 1903. He describes his work in the fur trade through Winnipeg, Fort St. James, Hazelton, Babine, McLeod Lake, Fort Graham and Fort Fraser from 1903 to 1912. He discusses the origins of Vanderhoof in 1914, and the fur trade including rivalries and conditions of bartering. [TRACK 2: blank.]

RECORDED: Vanderhoof (B.C.), 1981-09-18 SUMMARY: Grace Pebernat was born in Seattle in 1910. She received her teacher training at Vancouver Normal, 1928-29. Taught at: Meadowdale, 1929-34; Ellesby, 1934-36. She attended a one room school at Nechako, 1916-24. At the time of interview, this building was still standing but had been moved. First Nechako school in Joe Murray's cabin. Local girl gets school near home. Pleasant, trouble-free teaching experience.

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).