Showing 153 results

authority records
K-ette Club of Salmon Arm
MS 143 · Corporate body · 1984-2005

The Kinsmen Club of Salmon Arm was founded in 1944 with twenty-seven charter members. It was a service club dedicated to meeting the community’s greatest needs. It hosted Halloween parties for children, spearheaded the building of the pool and the playground at Fletcher Park. The club was responsible for the construction of the roof and installation of a public address system at the Memorial Arena, the lawn bowling greens, and the Kinsmen Little League Park. The club donated a water softener and oxygen tent to the Shuswap Lake General Hospital and installed the first fountain at McGuire Lake.

In the late 1960s the Kinsmen Club purchased a building from the South Canoe Women’s Institute on Auto Rd SE, made renovations and park, and later donated it to the First Salmon Arm Scouts.

In 1971, after being approached by the Family Court Committee, the Kinsmen Club of Salmon Arm built a Receiving and Remand Home in Salmon Arm, providing short-term accommodation for children who were wards of the court. The house opened in 1974 and closed in 2001

The Receiving and Remand Home was sold in 2001 and over $100,000 disbursed into the community: Little Mountain Sports Complex, the Salmon Arm Museum and Heritage Association, the Shuswap Community Foundation, South Shuswap First Responders Association, the Shuswap Health-Care Foundation, Salmon Arm Ambulance and the Canadian Cancer Society and the Shuswap Arena Society.

Salmon Arm’s Kinette Club was made up of participating wives of members of the Kinsmen Club. The women’s group was formed in 1947. The Kinette Club adopted the Kinsmen motto. Mrs. Tom Calvert was installed as the first president. The group worked on a campaign, Marching Mothers, to raise money to eradicate polio. They raised money to furnish the ten-bed pediatric unit and playroom at Shuswap Lake General Hospital.

Membership in the Kinsmen Club was restricted to men under the age of 40. As the club aged the “Kin Family” carried on. Older Kinsmen and Kinettes joined Kinsmen Club-affiliated groups: K-40, for men, and K-ettes, for women. The newly formed chapters were not active Kinsmen Club members because the club’s constitution and by-laws did not include them. K-40 and K-ettes did not pay dues to Kinsmen and the groups operated as social clubs rather than a service clubs. It was expected that the K-40 and K-ettes would lend support and expertise to their Kinsmen and Kinette Club counterparts.

A group met to establish a K-ette Club in January 1984. Betty Lou Wagner chaired the meeting and Mary Letham acted as secretary. The women ran an advertisement to encourage new members to join. An election was held at the second meeting. Eileen Bedford and Gladys Beech acted as scrutineers. Those who were elected were:
• President Mary Letham
• Vice President Gladys Beech
• Secretary Joyce Cummings
• Treasurer Dot Johnson
• Directors: Jackie Cannon and Jan Hunter

A K-ette Membership Certificate laid out the aims of the Club:
• To continue the fellowship experienced by the members while they were active in the family of Kin.
• To be an auxiliary of the sponsoring Kinsmen Club.
• To assist with the sponsoring Club’s projects; all with the view to the promotion and furtherance of the object of the Association.

The Kin Hall on Auto Rd SE was a popular venue for meetings. Geneva McLean, Jan Hunter and Shirley Meszaros were the phoning committee. The group met every other month and decided to pursue a charter.

A raffle was held to raise money and potluck meetings were the norm. Members visited Kin House to see if help was needed with activities there.
In 1991 the age for active membership in the Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs was raised to 45 and then eliminated altogether in 1999. This may have impacted the K-ette group which dissolved in in 2005.

K-ette Club of Salmon Arm
MS 143 · Corporate body · 1984-2005

The Kinsmen Club of Salmon Arm was founded in 1944 with twenty-seven charter members. It was a service club dedicated to meeting the community’s greatest needs. It hosted Halloween parties for children, spearheaded the building of the pool and the playground at Fletcher Park. The club was responsible for the construction of the roof and installation of a public address system at the Memorial Arena, the lawn bowling greens, and the Kinsmen Little League Park. The club donated a water softener and oxygen tent to the Shuswap Lake General Hospital and installed the first fountain at McGuire Lake.

About 1968 the Kinsmen Club purchased a building from the South Canoe Women’s Institute on Auto Rd SE, made renovations and a playground, and later donated it to the First Salmon Arm Scouts.

In 1971, after being approached by the Family Court Committee, the Kinsmen Club of Salmon Arm built a Receiving and Remand Home in Salmon Arm, providing short-term accommodation for children who were wards of the court. The house opened in 1974 and closed in 2001.

The Receiving and Remand house was sold in 2001 and over $100,000 disbursed into the community: Little Mountain Sports Complex, the Salmon Arm Museum and Heritage Association, the Shuswap Community Foundation, South Shuswap First Responders Association, the Shuswap Health-Care Foundation, Salmon Arm Ambulance and the Canadian Cancer Society and the Shuswap Arena Society.

Salmon Arm’s Kinette Club was made up of participating wives of members of the Kinsmen Club. The women’s group was formed in 1947. The Kinette Club adopted the Kinsmen motto. Mrs. Tom Calvert was installed as the first president. The group worked on a campaign, Marching Mothers, to raise money to eradicate polio. They raised money to furnish the ten-bed pediatric unit and playroom at Shuswap Lake General Hospital.

Membership in the Kinsmen Club was restricted to men under the age of 40. As the club aged the “Kin Family” carried on. Older Kinsmen and Kinettes joined Kinsmen Club-affiliated groups: K-40, for men, and K-ettes, for women. The newly formed chapters were not active Kinsmen Club members because the club’s constitution and by-laws did not include them. K-40 and K-ettes did not pay dues to Kinsmen and the groups operated as social clubs rather than a service clubs. It was expected that the K-40 and K-ettes would lend support and expertise to their Kinsmen and Kinette Club counterparts.

A group met to establish a K-ette Club in January 1984. Betty Lou Wagner chaired the meeting and Mary Letham acted as secretary. The women ran an advertisement to encourage new members to join. An election was held at the second meeting. Eileen Bedford and Gladys Beech acted as scrutineers. Those who were elected were:
• President Mary Letham
• Vice President Gladys Beech
• Secretary Joyce Cummings
• Treasurer Dot Johnson
• Directors: Jackie Cannon and Jan Hunter

A K-ette Membership Certificate laid out the aims of the Club:
• To continue the fellowship experienced by the members while they were active in the family of Kin.
• To be an auxiliary of the sponsoring Kinsmen Club.
• To assist with the sponsoring Club’s projects; all with the view to the promotion and furtherance of the object of the Association.

The Kin Hall on Okanagan Ave SE was a popular venue for meetings. Geneva McLean, Jan Hunter and Shirley Meszaros were the phoning committee. The group met every other month and decided to pursue a charter.

A raffle was held to raise money and potluck meetings were the norm. Members visited Kin House to see if help was needed with activities there.

In 1991 the age for active membership in the Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs was raised to 45 and then eliminated altogether in 1999. This may have impacted the K-ette group which dissolved in in 2005.

Salmar Community Association
MS 144 · Corporate body · 1946-

The Salmon Arm Community Co-operative Sports Center Association met October 1st, 1946. The first order of business was the consideration of the name change to Salmon Arm Community Cooperative Association.

Directors elected were S.C. Elliot, F. Marshall, P.E. Pike, N.S. Minion, A.A. Robinson, F. Ibbotson, C.C. Barker, J.E. Campbell, and Ken Hunter. The directors were authorized to purchase the Rex Theatre at the same meeting.

The group was formed to consider the creation of a memorial to those who had served in the Second World War. The decision was made to build a memorial arena that also met the community’s needs for skating and ice hockey facilities.

The Association investigated sources of financing for this project and it was decided to purchase the existing Rex Theatre by the sale of debentures and non-interest bearing shares. It soon became apparent that the Rex Theatre building and equipment were outdated and it was decided that a new theatre should be built and officially opened for business.

In the meantime, a separate organization was formed to secure funds for the construction of the proposed arena. Construction was commenced in 1956 and the Salmon Arm Memorial Arena was ready for use on July 1, 1958. Surplus revenues from the operation of the Salmar were directed to the arena until responsibility for the operation of the arena was assumed by local government.

With the future of the arena assured, the objectives of the Association were expanded to include many other worthwhile community endeavors including sport and recreation, healthcare and the arts. Theatre revenues were also used to upgrade and enhance the Salmar. In the mid-1970s, the Salmar was renovated and new projection equipment purchased. In 1984, further renovations, including reconstruction of the lobby, enlargement of the stage and installation of special lighting to encourage live performances, were completed. In 1990 the Alexander Street façade of the Salmar, including signage, was upgraded. Technical improvements to projection and sound equipment continued to be made on an ongoing basis.

In 1978 the Association purchased the Starlite Drive-In Theatre and operated that facility in conjunction with the Salmar for many years. The Starlite was sold in September of 1990 to make way for the planned expansion of the junction of Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 97B.

In November of 1987, the name of the Association was changed to Salmar Community Association with the intent of making the community ownership of the Salmar more obvious to the many new residents of the Salmon Arm area.

By 1992 it became apparent that the operations of the Association needed to be expanded both to service the entertainment needs of a rapidly growing community and to ensure that the operations of the Association would remain commercially viable. After considerable discussion it was determined that the Association would build a new theatre complex.

Many issues, including the location and design of the new complex were considered and dealt with over the next several years. A suitable site was located on a portion of an undeveloped public parking lot on Hudson Avenue. It was then determined that a multiplex facility would be built, with four separate movie screens sharing a common projection room, lobby and other facilities. Financing was secured and construction commenced in October of 1996. The new complex was officially opened to the public as Salmar Grand Cinemas May 16, 1997.

The theatre capacity created by Salmar Grand Cinemas allows the Association to offer a wide variety of movies, often on the same date they are released in larger centres. The Association continues to operate the Salmar Theatre as a movie theatre and as a venue for live performances.

Salmar Community Association continues, in accordance with the vision of its founding members, to operate its community owned facilities for the benefit of the residents of Salmon Arm and Shuswap.

Gordon Priestman
MS 146 · Person · 1936-2003

According to his obituary, long time Salmon Arm Observer editor Gordon (Gord) Priestman was born, August 4, 1936, and raised in Toronto and Muskoka, Ont.

After completing his education, Gordon travelled in industrial sales for several years, freelance writing as a sideline. In 1964 he moved to British Columbia and, after a brief stay in Vancouver, accepted a post as reporter/editor for the Merritt Herald. A year-and-a-half later he became editor of the Powell River News in addition to two smaller papers.

The family moved to Salmon Arm April 1, 1967 when Gordon became editor of the Salmon Arm Observer, a position he was to hold for most of the next 33 years. During that period his column, “Observations,” was a popular feature and both the paper and Gordon were recipients of a number of newspaper industry awards.

A lifelong Social Democrat, he took a leave of absence to run for the NDP Party in the 1986 provincial election. He then returned to the Observer, retiring for health reasons in December 1998.

Gordon was always interested in the arts—writing, music and painting. He loved the outdoors, including camping, canoeing and observing nature. Until middle years he was active in a number of sports. He was involved with numerous local organizations, was a member of the Salmar Community Association, was a life member of the Fall Fair Society and a director of the Shuswap Community Foundation.

Gordon died August 4, 2003. He was survived by Faye Fawcett, his wife and companion of 19 years, his three children and his beloved pets.

Ruth Adair Peterson
MS 148 · Person · 1921-2008

When Ruth Adair Peterson (nee Brooke) died August 1, 2008 in Reno, Nevada, a succession of remarkable events repatriated to Salmon Arm a collection of significant paintings which celebrate a lovely story, a loving family, and its community.

More than three hundred paintings by Ruth’s father, Arthur Adair Brooke, were found under her bed wrapped in a cotton pillow slip and tied with a green ribbon. They came “home”. The one-of-a-kind collection was archival in every sense of the word. It spanned an important period of time and documented rural life in the Mt. Ida District of Salmon Arm.

Ruth’s story begins in 1921. Life on the Brookes’ farm, Asterfield, was unexpectedly interrupted with her birth. She was a fourth child and the first daughter to middle aged parents Arthur Adair and Annie Florence Brooke. She was given her mother’s maiden name and raised like an only child, adored by her adult brothers. Family members tell us her parents were strict Baptists. Ruth left home to attend business school in Calgary. It was there she met the love of her life, a divorced American baseball player named Bill Peterson. Ruth followed Bill to the States and they were married in 1951. Ruth and her new husband lived in Oakland, California and Reno, Nevada. The couple had a long marriage until Bill’s death in 1985.

But the story really began with the artist. Born in Rome in 1874, Arthur Adair Brooke had a long journey to Salmon Arm, British Columbia. The eldest child of Arthur Swindells and Amelia Adair Brooke had little memory at the age of two of moving with his family to Switzerland. His father was a professional watercolour artist and supported the family of 9 surviving children by painting landscapes.

When A.A. Brooke finished secondary school he was sent to England before emigrating to Canada in 1890. The first stop in Canada was Manitoba where he learned to farm under the tutelage of Joseph Merry at the Barnsley Farm Home. Four years later, Brooke began working his own farm.

Brooke married Annie Florence Ruth in 1898. Their first son, Harold Arthur, was born at Barnsley two years later. The family moved to Didsbury, Alberta, and two more sons joined the family, Ralph Edward in 1902 and Ernest Cuthbert in 1903. A.A. Brooke worked a homestead and received his Western Land Grant in 1904.

Alberta was not to be the end of the journey. Brooke sold the homestead and its improvements, and moved the household west after purchasing 60 acres of the Goforth farm in the Mt. Ida District near Salmon Arm. They arrived by train in 1907 with two loads of settlers’ effects and set up residence, naming their new home Asterfield.

Still adjusting to retirement, the couple moved again, this time south to another farming community, Cloverdale in the Fraser Valley. Arthur Adair spent his remaining years painting.

Annie Florence passed away December 6th, 1957. After her death, Arthur ached with loneliness and moved to Siska Lodge at Lytton, B.C. to be with his son Harold. He kept busy painting watercolours to sell in the Lodge’s coffee shop.

Arthur Adair was a prolific artist and left a legacy of a significant body of work. The farmer artist sketched images all his life, using his drawings as inspiration for later watercolours. His landscapes depict Switzerland, Ireland, Manitoba, Alberta, Alaska, and British Columbia. Numerous watercolours and sketches are held in private collections, at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, the Dufferin Historical Society Museum in Carman, Manitoba and the Salmon Arm Museum. But his best work is said to be Ruth’s baby books that document his daughter's early life.

Arthur died thirteen months after Annie on January 13, 1959.

Tappen Cemetery
MS 149 · Corporate body · 1920 -

The Tappen Women’s Institute organized to undertake a project in 1917. The women wanted a cemetery and initially canvased the C.P.R. for land but were denied. They pursued property that had been occupied by the Granite Creek Fish Hatchery, but were denied again because the land was not the Department of Naval Service’s to grant. It had not been transferred to the Service by the Department of Indian Affairs. Eventually the group purchased land from Mr. Jacob Bolton and had the plot approved by the Department of Health.

The women raised funds by pre-selling lots to Mr. and Mrs. H. Calhoun, Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Mobley, Miss A. Percer (Mrs. Magee), Mrs. W. Rogers, Mrs. G. Sweeten, Mrs. J.R. Reilly, Mr. T. Dondaneau, J.A. Wright, and Mrs. M. Smith (9 @ $10 each).

A layout of the cemetery was obtained from Harvey Stewardson, City Engineer, at New Westminster. The land was surveyed by E.O Wood (1918) and J. Heathcott (1932)

The initial price of single lots was $3. There was a discount for the purchase of 4 lots ($10). Burials began in 1920 and included David Smith, Hugh Brooke, and Kenneth Brooke.

Tappen Cemetery Fonds
MS 149 · Corporate body · 1917-1932

The Tappen Women’s Institute organized to undertake a project in 1917. The women wanted a cemetery and initially canvased the C.P.R. for land but were denied. They pursued property that had been occupied by the Granite Creek Fish Hatchery, but were denied again because the land was not the Department of Naval Service’s to grant. It had not been transferred to the Service by the Department of Indian Affairs. Eventually the group purchased land from Mr. Jacob Bolton and had the plot approved by the Department of Health.
The women raised funds by preselling lots to Mr. and Mrs. H. Calhoun, Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Mobley, Miss A. Percer (Mrs. Magee), Mrs. W. Rogers, Mrs. G. Sweeten, Mrs. J.R. Reilly, Mr. T. Dondaneau, J.A. Wright, and Mrs. M. Smith (9 @ $10 each).
A layout of the cemetery was obtained from Harvey Stewardson, City Engineer, at New Westminster. The land was surveyed by E.O Wood (1918) and J. Heathcott (1932).
The initial price of single lots was $3. There was a discount for the purchase of 4 lots ($10). Burials began in 1920 and included David Smith, Hugh Brooke, and Kenneth Brooke.

Carlin (family)
MS 15 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Family · 1896-1993

Robert Jennings Carlin was born in Kandiyohi, Minnesota, October 1896. James A. Carlin, Robert's father, moved the family, including infant Mildred to Kault in 1898. Three girls and a boy were born afterwards, Evelyn, Kathleen, Howard and Doreen.

James Carlin was mill superintendent at Tappen, working for the Columbia River Lumber Co. The company was owned by his brother Michael and business partner Fred Jones. James purchased Joe Genelle's home, former owner of the mill, for his family.

James Carlin purchased land in Grindrod and logged the property. The land was cleared of timber and sold prior to WW I to the North Coast Land Company of Vancouver for $50/acre for 1300 acres. The company paid a $10,000 down payment.

The land developers eventually got into financial difficulties and the Grindrod property returned to James Carlin through court action.

Robert worked for his father as an adolescent, haying the property in Grindrod. He went to Minnesota during the war. He found employment with the Great Northern Railway through relatives. He worked in Calgary for two years for Maclin Motors. He relocated to Powell River for eleven years. Robert returned to Tappen when his father became ill. He farmed the Tappen property from 1943 to 1964. He moved to Salmon Arm in 1967.

Harper Honey Family
MS 151 · Family · 1947-1976

Two lifelong residents of Salmon Arm: Henry Ivens (Buzz) Harper and his wife, Reba Mayne (nee Honey) Harper, played a paramount role in the local community.

Reba Mayne Honey was born on November 16th, 1913 in Salmon Arm to parents William John Honey and Agnes Lucy Bond. Furthermore, Henry Harper was born to parents Julia Edith Mary Ivens and Henry Arthur Harper on November 11th, 1909 in Salmon Arm. The parents of Henry Harper were first generation immigrants who were originally from England. Reba Honey’s parents and grandparents were born in Ontario. Her paternal great-grandparents immigrated from Cornwall and her maternal grandparents came from Scotland (Bonds and Baynes).

In his youth, Henry Harper, worked at various sawmills as sawyer, scaler and millwright including the Exchange Mill and Charlie Nakamura’s Mill as well as having his own mill on Mt Ida with his brothers-in-law, Max and Jack Honey. In 1953 he embarked on an economic enterprise for he started his own General Construction Company with another brother-in-law, Arthur (Rocky) Birkelund. Known as Harper & Birkelund, they built many commercial and residential buildings. Following Rocky’s departure, the business became known as Harper Construction. Throughout his lifetime, he was known for his industrious character and deep fondness of nature. Possessing a keen intellect, he studied mathematics and Western Canadian history in his spare time and followed the paths of the explorers and Hudson Bay trails as well as studying the C.P.R. history in BC. Meanwhile, Reba Harper in her younger years, had an incredible aptitude and intelligence for academics, and consequently furthered her studies as she trained as a teacher at the Victoria Normal School. Hereinafter she taught at Gleneden and Notch Hill Schools. Her father as Secretary Treasurer of the School Board for many years felt her to be better suited to teaching than to her dream of nursing.

Both Reba Mayne Harper and Henry Ivens Harper were positioned with fortune to see the critical junctures of the last century. For instance, during the societal, economic, and global quandaries that were brought by the catastrophes of WWI, Reba Harper, alongside her family, spent three years in Saskatchewan during the war. A rare occurrence of when she was not in Salmon Arm.

On May 8th, 1936 Henry Ivens Harper and Reba Mayne Honey were married.
After their marriage Reba became a full-time wife mother to daughter Linda and son John, bookkeeper, newspaper editor, crossword puzzle expert, and a hockey enthusiast.

Reba Mayne Harper died at the age of one hundred and four on January 14th, 2018. Her family described her as the “quiet lynchpin”. She was predeceased by her husband, Henry Harper, who passed away on New Year’s Eve of 1995.

June Griswold
MS 152 · Person · 2005-2013

June Stacel [1926 – 2013] was born in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. June spent her youth in logging camps in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.
In 1952 June met logger Harry Griswold in Oregon. They were married 1 month later and the marriage lasted 54 years. The couple had 2 children, Nola and Julia.

June was Curator at the S.S. Moyie in Kaslo and was involved with the Kootenay Lake Historical Society. The couple moved to the Shuswap in 1990 and became involved with the Spallumcheen Pioneer Power Club.

June played a key role developing the Seed Savers Group, was a supporter of the Salmon Arm Community Band, and the Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake Agricultural Association (Fall Fair).

MS 153 · Corporate body · 1909-

The District of Salmon Arm Fire Department is a volunteer fire department that has its roots in a community Fire Brigade that was formed in 1909 with M.M. Carroll named as Captain.

The first fire hall was built in 1913 on the corner of Shuswap and Okanagan Avenues, just south of the current “Old Courthouse” building. It housed two hand-drawn reels and a cart. A large bell was mounted on top of the hose tower for alerting the fireman of a fire. The development of the fire department was documented by former Chief Pat Shirley in the Salmon Arm Scrapbook.

The accessioned reports cover four fire halls: Canoe, Broadview, Central and Glen Eden and served the District (now City) of Salmon Arm.

MS 154 · Corporate body · 1946-1956

Front Street Grocery was a store that operated on Front Street (now Lakeshore Dr. NW) in the Merchant’s Block in downtown Salmon Arm.

The Salmon Arm Observer’s advertisements for Front Street Grocery are first found in 1939. Ed Porte, former manager of Overwaitea, was the first known owner. According to his death records Porte developed senility and heart conditions after ownership was transferred to Frank Farmer. Farmer operated the store from 1943. Farmer expanded the store in 1948 to include property previously occupied by Preston’s Radio Sales. The store was still in operation in 1955 but its telephone listings ceased in 1956.

According to Okanagan Historical Society President and local resident Linda Painchaud (nee Harper) Frank Farmer had pool tables in the back and the store operated into the 1960s.

Frank Farmer married Florence Gertrude Pauling in 1936 and the couple had one son Richard (Dick) in 1939. When Florence and Frank divorced, Frank married Mayo Wilson (nee Keefer) sometime after World War II. The couple had no children.

Tappen Centennial Committee
MS 16 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Corporate body · 1965-1972

The Tappen Centennial Committee was formed on March 29, 1965 to organize activities in the Tappen area to commemorate the Canadian Centennial (1967) and the centennial of B.C.'s entry into confederation (1971).

The organization was created by the executive of the Tappen Women's Institute at an advertised public meeting. The purpose of the committee was to secure funding for special projects. Projects sponsored by the committee had to be recreational or cultural in nature and could include playgrounds, heating systems, additions to halls and museums. Special funding was matched by three sources, federal, provincial and local at $1 per person. Projects had to be completed by 1966 and dedicated during the Canadian centennial celebrations in 1967.

Mrs. H.C. Ford was the first chairman elected and M. McLean was recording secretary. The committee met regularly until Oct. 1967.

In 1970 the committee was revitalized in anticipation of British Columbia's centennial. Projects supported by provincial funding had to be cultural, recreational or functional in nature.

The elected officers included Mrs. Murray Bruce, chair, Mrs. P.J. Carroll, vice chair, Mrs. Jim Smith, treasurer, Margaret Talbot, Secretary, Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Matt Kari, and Mrs. Kingston.

MS 17 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Corporate body · 1940-1967

The Canadian Bank of Commerce opened on January 7, 1911. The bank was built on Alexander Street, next to the present day Salmar Classic Theatre and home of Street Scene, a clothing store.

The first manager was A.J. Marlowe who hired the first female, Nina Stirling (Freeman). Subsequent managers were: KS Campbell, GN Harmon (acting), LE Brawders, F Pearson (following amalgamation with the Bank of Hamilton), G Kyle, WR Davies, FN Gisborne, SC Elliot, NH Affleck, DW Bruce, VH Lyons, JGR Scales, GE Bardo, and HL Paterson.

The merger with the Bank of Hamilton took place in 1923 and the name became the Canadian Bank of Commerce. In 1961 the Canadian Bank of Commerce amalgamated with the Imperial Bank of Canada and the name became The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

MS 18 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Corporate body · 1944-1947

In 1944 the Salmon Arm Honour Roll Committee was esblished to compile an honour roll for members of the City and District of Salmon Arm who volunteered for active service with the Canadian Armed Forces during World War II.

The committee comprised of Alderman V. Nancollas, Councillor H.A. Brooke, and a representative of the Salmon Arm District Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Ernest Doe. Rules of eligibility determining the right to be placed on the Honour Roll were governed by strict qualifications and no draftees were included.

In a letter to the City and the District of Salmon Arm dated March 4, 1946, the secretary of the committee, Ernest Doe, recommended that the committee, having faithfully discharged its duties to the best of its ability, be disbanded.

One of these completed lists hangs in Salmon Arm City Hall.

Frank and Laura Marshall
MS 19 · Family · 1939-1983

David Franklin (Frank) Marshall was born April 16, 1900 in Listowel, Ontario. While working as a reporter for the New Westminster Columbian he met Laura Bell Burroughs. The couple married June 14, 1928 and had one child, Denis Paul Marshall in 1933.

Laura was born in Kent County, Ontario February 27, 1899. Her family moved to Chaplin, Saskatchewan, where her father was a general merchant. The family’s next move was to New Westminster in 1921.

The Marshalls made their home at the coast for 16 years. Frank Marshall concluded his 23-year career as a reporter in 1944, purchased the Salmon Arm Observer, and settled into Shuswap life.

It did not take Frank Marshall long to become immersed in his new role. In 1946 Frank was the Charter President of the local Rotary Club, he joined the board of the BC Division of the Canadian Weekly Newspapers’ Association, and successfully ran for alderman - a position he held from 1947 to 1953.

In 1946 Frank was also elected to the Board of the Salmon Arm Community Co-operative Association (later named the Salmar Community Association). The Association’s goal was to buy the Rex Theatre and raise money for a living memorial to those who did not return from the recent World War. The group later built a new community theatre, paid off that debt, and, with proceeds from ticket sales, raised funds for the Salmon Arm Memorial Arena. The community asset was completed in 1958.

Frank Marshall was busy on several fronts. He built a new building for the Observer in 1947 and had a new home constructed on Harris Street in 1948 just a few blocks from the downtown core and Observer building.

When Frank died in 1964 after a lengthy illness, Laura Marshall continued in the family business. Their son, Denis Marshall, took over the position of Publisher. The two capably published the weekly paper until 1976 when it was sold to Lynne and Ian Wickett.

Laura retired to Victoria and died in 1988.

Marshall, D. F.
MS 19 · Family · 1939-1983

David Franklin (Frank) Marshall was born April 16, 1900 in Listowel, Ontario. While working as a reporter for the New Westminster Columbian he met Laura Bell Burroughs. The couple married June 14, 1928 and had one child, Denis Paul Marshall in 1933.

Laura was born in Kent County, Ontario February 27, 1899. Her family moved to Chaplin, Saskatchewan, where her father was a general merchant. The family’s next move was to New Westminster in 1921.

The Marshalls made their home at the coast for 16 years. Frank Marshall concluded his 23-year career as a reporter in 1944, purchased the Salmon Arm Observer, and settled into Shuswap life.

It did not take Frank Marshall long to become immersed in his new role. In 1946 Frank was the Charter President of the local Rotary Club, he joined the board of the BC Division of the Canadian Weekly Newspapers’ Association, and successfully ran for alderman - a position he held from 1947 to 1953.

In 1946 Frank was also elected to the Board of the Salmon Arm Community Co-operative Association (later named the Salmar Community Association). The Association’s goal was to buy the Rex Theatre and raise money for a living memorial to those who did not return from the recent World War. The group later built a new community theatre, paid off that debt, and, with proceeds from ticket sales, raised funds for the Salmon Arm Memorial Arena. The community asset was completed in 1958.

Frank Marshall was busy on several fronts. He built a new building for the Observer in 1947 and had a new home constructed on Harris Street in 1948 just a few blocks from the downtown core and Observer building.

When Frank died in 1964 after a lengthy illness, Laura Marshall continued in the family business. Their son, Denis Marshall, took over the position of Publisher. The two capably published the weekly paper until 1976 when it was sold to Lynne and Ian Wickett.

Laura retired to Victoria and died in 1988.

Duncan, Frank
MS 21 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Person · 1878-1970

Francis (Frank) Duncan was born in Missouri in 1878. As a child, he and his parents lived in California and Texas. After the death of his parents, Duncan returned to Missouri to live with his grandparents. Duncan trained as a photographer, returned to Texas to work and then decided to "go up into Canada fishing."

Duncan arrived in Salmon Arm in 1913 and opened a photography studio above the Kualt store. He was a widower at the time and sent for his daughter, Kathleen. Neighbours, the Reilly family, took care of the young girl at Tappen, while Duncan tried to make a living. To supplement his studio work, Duncan sold subscriptions to the Observer and bartered exchanges for his catches of fish.

The Salmon Arm Observer notes that Duncan was an experienced photographer when he arrived in the area. He specialized in railroad and newspaper photography, and had worked throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico.

The Salmon Arm Observer commissioned Duncan to take photographs of all parts of the Shuswap. Interestingly, on June 18, 1914 the editors note that Mr. Duncan had a hydroplane that he used on Shuswap Lake. Duncan later worked in Klamath Falls, Oregon before moving to Texas. He made homes in Presidio, Terlingua and, finally, Marfa in 1916. According to The Big Bend Sentinel, Duncan considered himself primarily a prospector, with photographic skills. He approached ranchers in Texas, asking to prospect, but was usually denied access to their land. Then, as a back up, Duncan offered to take portraits of the ranchers' families and landscapes of their ranches. The Marfa Presidio County Museum houses 2,200 of Duncan's glass and film negatives from the region. Duncan loved hunting, fishing and the outdoors. He died July 9, 1970 at Brownfield, Texas and was buried at Mt. Olive Cemetery in Big Spring, Texas. Duncan was 91.

MS 22 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Corporate body · 1921-1944

The Eagle Bay School Board built a log cabin school in July, 1921. The building was 30 by 20 feet. According to the minutes a second building was constructed in 1929 that measured 20 by 26 feet at a value of $1050. Both schools were attended by Jim Day, board chairman, of Eagle Bay.

In 1923, the Board moved to build a house for the school teacher. Each winter the board supplied five cords of wood and saw to the maintenance of the school and grounds.

Mary Lois Esau
MS 23 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Person · 1993

Mary Esau studied history of musical theatre in England and the United States prior to studying musical theatre in Canada. Mary Lois Esau earned a B.F.A. at the University of Lethbridge in 1990 and a Master of Arts degree in the Department of Theatre at the University of Victoria in 1993.

Esau discovered the name of Salmon Arm’s John Leonard in the Book History of Music in British Columbia: 1850-1950 by Dale McIntosh and began searching for Leonard’s operettas. Leonard was a writer of original operetta material and quite possibly British Columbia’s first composer of light opera. Leonard wrote works specifically to meet the needs and abilities of his singers and actors. Deciding Leonard was a subject worthy of further research, Esau set out to write her Master’s thesis on Leonard’s career in music, calling it John F. Leonard and His High School Operettas.

Ford (family)
MS 24 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Family · 1901-1990

Herbert Cyril Ford was born at Derbyshire, England, April 15, 1901. He married Ivy Colton in England February 17, 1925. They emigrated to Tappen in June of 1929 and made their home there. He had a one-man sawmill at the homestead. At the age of forty, Herb served overseas with the Canadian Forestry Corps and was always active in the Canadian Legion, and the Legion of Frontiersmen. In 1962, he was appointed Coroner for the area. Herb died at Salmon Arm March 12, 1985.

Ivy Ford was born in Danesmoor, Derbyshire, England, September 11, 1904. She emigrated to Canada with her husband in 1929 and settled in the Tappen area where her parents, George and Annie Colton were living. They had emigrated to Canada in April, 1928, first settling in Armstrong but moved to the Tappen area in January,1929. Ivy's two brothers, Cyril Colton and Eric Colton also emigrated to Canada. Ivy died in Salmon Arm December 8, 1990.

Even as a young girl in England, Ivy was very interested in music. She played piano for many concerts and dances, and even had her own dance orchestra from 1942 to 1962.

Ivy Ford was a member of the Women's Institute for 60 years and served as a director of the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada attending international conferences in Norway, Germany, Kenya and the U.S.A.

Ivy and Herbert Ford had two children, a daughter Ivy (Smidt) and a son Cyril.

Both Ivy and Herb Ford were very community minded, involved in various organizations, and were active in politics.

MS 25 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Person · 1837-1933

Henry Fraser was born in Ceylon and came to Canada in 1850. He settled in Salmon Arm, B.C. in 1885. He hunted and trapped, as well as carried on general farming and dairying. He married Alice Jirard in 1900 and had two children. He was one of the earliest settlers in the Salmon Arm area.

Fraser Basin Council
MS 26 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Corporate body · 2003-

The Fraser River is at the heart of British Columbia. This is the longest river within BC — stretching nearly 1,400 km from the Rockies to the Salish Sea.
One of the world’s most important salmon rivers, the Fraser has been impacted by over a century of population growth and development. By the 1980s, alarm bells were ringing over the fast pace of industrial activity, urbanization and pollution from various sources. The health of the river was in jeopardy. Although the situation seemed bleak, environmental management agencies believed the river could recover if steps were taken.

One “watershed moment” came when Gordon Campbell, then Mayor of Vancouver, and John Backhouse, then Mayor of Prince George, challenged each other to "clean up their parts of the river." The joint challenge reminded everyone of the efforts needed all along the Fraser River and across jurisdictional boundaries.

Fraser River Action Plan
In 1990 the Government of Canada identified the Fraser River Basin as a major freshwater system requiring priority action. From Canada's Green Plan came the Fraser River Action Plan (FRAP). Jointly sponsored by the federal Departments of the Environment and Fisheries and Oceans, FRAP was modelled on the Fraser River Estuary Management Program (FREMP), which was helping create inter-agency cooperation on estuary management.

FRAP made a good start on restoring the environmental health of the Fraser River and the Basin. The program encouraged collective stewardship and cooperative partnerships, and helped people understand how their actions could improve (or harm) watershed health. FRAP protected wild bird habitat, curtailed the release of toxic wood preservatives, and helped introduce some best management practices and pollution prevention plans for business and industry.

FBC’s Predecessor — Fraser Basin Management Board
The Fraser Basin Management Board was created in 1992 to address some of the river management issues identified in the Fraser River Action Plan. The FBMB was composed of representatives from the four orders of Canadian government (federal, provincial, municipal and First Nations), along with those from the private sector and civil society.
Over its five-year mandate, the FBMB demonstrated the value of leaders working together in collaboration on complex issues. In brief, FBMB:
• shared “who does what” in the Fraser Basin
• created stronger connections among agencies
• identified priority sustainability issues
• launched eight demonstration projects for watershed restoration with multi-interest bodies:
o Salmon River Watershed Roundtable (Thompson/Salmon Arm)
o Nicola Watershed Community Roundtable (Thompson/Merritt)
o Salmon River Watershed Management (Lower Fraser/Langley)
o Nahatlatch Integrated Resource Management Plan (Fraser Valley/Canyon)
o Prince George Riverfront Trails Project (Upper Fraser/Prince George)
o Williams Lake River Valley Corridor Project (Cariboo-Chilcotin/Williams Lake)
o Alouette River Watershed Project (Fraser Valley/Maple Ridge)
o Baker Creek Enhancement (Cariboo-Chilcotin/Quesnel).

In addition to these legacy projects, a key outcome was a strategic plan for the social, economic and environmental health of the Basin. This plan became the Charter for Sustainability. The principles of the Charter remain a cornerstone of FBC’s work today.

Vision
Social well-being supported by a vibrant economy and sustained by a healthy environment.

The Fraser Basin Council (FBC) is a charitable non-profit organization that brings people together to advance sustainability in the Fraser River Basin and throughout BC. Established in 1997, FBC is a collaboration of four orders of government (federal, provincial, local and First Nations) along with those from the private sector and civil society. We work with people in multiple sectors, helping them find collaborative solutions to today’s issues through a commitment to the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Our focus is on healthy water and watersheds, action on climate change and air quality and strong, resilient communities and regions.

Credit: https://www.fraserbasin.bc.ca/about_fbc_history.html

Gesell, Herman
MS 28 (Salmon Arm Museum) · Person · 1863-1939

Herman Gesell was born in Austria in 1863. He emigrated to the USA in 1882, but came to BC with the construction of the CPR in 1896. He filed a homestead on property five miles northwest of Sicamous. He received his patent in 1912. Gesell cleared forty acres of the 160 he filed on. After meeting his requirements, Gesell took time to continue his travels and record landscapes in his sketch books. He travelled to North Dakota, to Lake Pend D'Oreille to visit the first nation's people and to Argentina to visit with his brother Silvio. Herman Gesell succumbed to a kidney infection in 1939. His homestead was burned by authorities and neighbour Alex Woods was asked to take care of his effects, mostly paintings and books. According to John Tapson-Jones, the estate could not be sent to Germany because of the wartime restrictions.