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Box Inventory
2000.1.4 · Series · 1950-1998
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

The Cassiar Asbestos Corporation and townsite records encompass a massive archival holding of approximately 1,600 bankers boxes. A box level inventory was created by student employees of the archives over a 15-year period. This inventory is provided here for access purposes only and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

In 1952 the Cassiar Asbestos Mining Corporation constructed an asbestos open-pit mine and mill and created a town site for its workers that became the town of Cassiar, British Columbia, 50 miles south of the Yukon border, and 80 miles north of Dease Lake. For 40 years Cassiar was a thriving asbestos mining town with a population at its peak of about 2500, with production statistics for 1989, recording over 60 million tonnes of ore mined, producing a billion dollars of new wealth. In 1989 Cassiar added an underground mine to the site, and despite attempts to run it profitably, in 1992 the entire mine closed partially due to the global market decline in the demand for asbestos, resulting in the closure of the town, and the move of its workers and families out of Cassiar. An auction was held to sell off all the mining equipment, townsite infrastructure, its buildings, people’s residences and the site was bull-dozed, with many houses burned to the ground. Today little remains in this remote area of Northern British Columbia to mark Cassiar’s industrial, economic or social history.

In 1992 the University of Northern British Columbia acquired the holdings of CAMC and the Cassiar townsite recognizing its potential for academic research, as the records could provide insight into natural resource industry extraction operations in Northern BC from mid to late 20th century, illustrative of ‘boom & bust’ industries, and to provide context to the development of the Cassiar Asbestos Mining Corporation and the history of the ‘life’ of a one-industry company town. The holdings document mining operations by CAMC and of the town site of Cassiar, originally consisting of the equivalent of 1800+ bankers’ boxes, including records on construction, engineering, operations, administration of CAMC, tallies of extractions, labour and union activities, corporate events and visits by dignitaries (including Prime Minister Trudeau who visited CAMC’s northern operations unit in Clinton Creek in 1968 and M.P. Iona Campagnolo in 1978). As CAMC was owner of both the mine and the Cassiar town, the company provided municipal services (i.e. sewer, water, and electricity) for its workers and their families. The archived municipal records document townsite construction, including the creation of health, education and community services such as Cassiar’s private hospital, school, library, community centre, hockey arena, and retail store. The holdings also include extensive visual documentation of natural and man-man landscapes within this remote and scenic area of Northern British Columbia. The formats of the archival holdings are diverse consisting of textual, photographic, cartographic materials, electronic records, films, promotional video-recordings, and a near complete run of the Cassiar community’s print newspaper.

2000.1.1.3.24 · File · 1952 - 1992
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds
  • File contains photographs done to item level description, depicting miscellaneous people and locations at or around Cassiar, B.C. This includes a photograph of renowned prospector William (“Bill”) Storie, Bill Pratt with a fox, a community gathering in a someone's home, and a hockey game.
  • Also included but not to item level is a photo of "David Madore" as part of his application to Cassiar, photo of "William Field" a local hire maintenance mechanic, and photos of a RNWMP Post sign (Royal North West Mounted Police) that depicts annotations "Indian grave" , "Miners Cabin" , "Road House" , "Customs House" , "St. James Church" , "Swansons Store" etc., and 15 negatives of various individuals at what appears to be someone's home.
  • Also included is cabin at Boya Lake, which used to be named Chain lake, located off the Stewart-Cassiar highway. This land of this cabin may have been involved legal issues , which was related to people at Cassiar.
2000.1.1.3.24.05 · Item · [ca. 1955]
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts unidentified individual and cars on street in foreground, snow banks, trees, and power poles on either side. Buildings can be seen on far right, mountains visible in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "townsite Looking East".

Community Award Night
2000.1.1.3.23 · File · [ca. 1955-1960]
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

File contains photographs depicting an award night that took place in the late 1950s or early 1960s in the old panabode Recreation Centre at Cassiar B.C.. Photos feature groups of people posed with trophies, a family posed together, a large group on stage, the audience, and musicians including individuals with a trumpet, saxophone, guitar and violin. Fred Murray (early Cassiar staff member) is featured in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th photograph.

Publications
2000.1.3 · Series · 1956-1991
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

The Publications series consists of news bulletins and newspapers documenting the community and work life of the residents of Cassiar, BC. Content includes text and photographs, as well as jokes, comics and games.

On March 7, 1956 the Cassiar Reporters Guild published one issue of an untitled newspaper simply titled “The Cassiar?” (vol.1, no.1) along with a “name that newspaper” contest call out to the local community. It is believed that no other issue of this first volume was published until December 7, 1957 when The Asbestos Sheet (vol.2, no.1) was published. The Asbestos Sheet, was generally published twice a month and ran from December 1957 to September 1976; after which time both its name and its format changed: the 8-1/2 x 10” news bulletin changing to an 11 x 17” newspaper; and The Asbestos Sheet becoming the Cassiar Courier. The Courier was published monthly from fall 1976 until February 1991 when it stopped circulation shortly before the closure of both the mine and the company town.

The Asbestos Sheet
2000.1.3.1 · Subseries · 1956-1976
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

On March 7, 1956 the Cassiar Reporters Guild published one issue of an untitled newspaper simply titled "The Cassiar?" (vol.1, no.1) along with a "name that newspaper" contest call out to the local community. It is believed that no other issue of this first volume was published until December 7, 1957 when The Asbestos Sheet (vol.2, no.1) was published. The Asbestos Sheet, was generally published twice a month and ran from December 1957 to September 1976; after which time both its name and its format changed: the 8-1/2 x 10" news bulletin changing to an 11 x 17" newspaper; and The Asbestos Sheet becoming the Cassiar Courier. The Courier was published monthly from fall 1976 until February 1991 when it stopped circulation shortly before the closure of both the mine and the company town.

2000.1.1.4.4.1 · Item · 1963
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts three young women wearing "PRINCESS SILVER STAR" banners, standing to left of "CASSIAR ASBESTOS CORPORATION LTD" display table. Table features photos, rock samples possibly containing asbestos, and objects presumably made from asbestos fibre. Large snowflake symbol visible on wall in background. Photo speculated to have been taken at an event in Vernon, B.C. Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph: "1963".

2000.1.1.4.4.2 · Item · 1963
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts group of young boys observing "CASSIAR ASBESTOS CORPORATION LTD" display table. Table features photos existing in this archival collection (see items 2000.1.1.3.19.10 and 2000.1.1.3.19.11). Photo speculated to have been taken at an event in Vernon, B.C. Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph: "1963".

2000.1.1.3.19.043 · Item · 1965
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts two men purchasing items in foreground, facing away from photographer. Unknown woman stands at till behind counter in midground, wearing long white professional jacket. Stocked shelves on wall in background. Store appears to be stocked with groceries and general supplies.

2000.1.1.3.19.068 · Item · 1965
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts Hilde Voss in left foreground, kitchen supplies on either side. Unknown man sits across counter on right. Other individuals seated in background in front of door and windows. Handwritten annotations on recto of photograph: "WAITRESS - HIELDA[sic?] VOSS".

2000.1.1.3.19.069 · Item · 1965
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts Mrs. Navin (wife of Dr. Navin - see item 2000.1.1.3.19.47) standing across unknown woman seated at librarian's table covered with books. Bookshelves in background, unknown couple sitting at table in left midground. Handwritten annotations on recto of photograph: "RIGHT / MRS NAVIN".

2000.1.1.3.19.070 · Item · 1965
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts unknown men entering back of bus, second bus on left. Old Mine Dry Change House in right background; power lines, vehicles, and trees in left background. These buses transported workers from the plant to the mine. Small pickup trucks called "crummies" with cabin mounted in box were used when traveling on the steeper road to the South Peak.

2000.1.1.3.19.041 · Item · 1965
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts woman in right foreground with shopping cart, selecting an item from shelf. Unidentified men, women and child can be seen in background. Store appears to be stocked with groceries and general supplies. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "RIGHT MARG MCKENZIE".

2000.1.1.3.19.044 · Item · 1965
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts man, women, and young child in store, some pushing carts. Man believed to be Jack Nitti stands behind counter in right midground (see item 2000.1.1.3.19.40). Store appears to be stocked with groceries and general supplies. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "RIGHT JACK NITTI".

2000.1.1.3.19.060 · Item · 1965
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts woman holding infant, sitting next to man on couch. Ornamented coffee table in foreground; lamp, ornamented side tables, curtains, and painting in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "LEN SKAKUN / CAROL / BABY".

2000.1.1.3.19.040 · Item · 1965
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts women, men, and children standing in store, some pushing grocery carts. Two women stand near till, one wearing long white professional jacket. Young man named Lobbes stands behind counter on far right, wearing white shirt. Store appears to be stocked with groceries and general supplies. Handwritten annotation on recto of photograph: "RIGHT TOMMY LOBBES".

2000.1.1.3.19.061 · Item · 1965
Part of Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Ltd. fonds

Photograph depicts woman holding infant, sitting next to man on couch. Ornamented coffee table in foreground; lamp, ornamented side tables, curtains, and painting in background. Handwritten annotation on recto of similar photograph: "LEN SKAKUN / CAROL / BABY".