Showing 97 results

Series consists of photographs acquired by the Dept. of Lands regarding Tweedsmuir Park and the 1937 visit of John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir and Governor General of Canada to the area. The photographs were probably collected in order to produce the souvenir brochure “Tweedsmuir Park, British Columbia, Canada” which was published by the Dept. of Lands in 1938 to commemorate the 1937 visit. The series also includes four negatives of Osoyoos and lake from Anarchist Mountain taken in 1955.

The series consists of ca. 4300 negatives and ca. 5000 photographic prints taken from forest lookouts between 1936 and 1993. Falling under the function of forest protection, "lookout photography" or "panoramic lookout photography" was first initiated in B.C. in 1936. It involved taking a set of eight large-format film images at 263 fire lookout sites.

The negatives were used to create 20 x 32 cm (7½ x 12¾" black and white photo prints, and a grid was photographically superimposed on each print, indicating the compass bearing from 0 to 360 degrees and vertical angle from +10 to -15 degrees from the horizontal. These prints were bound into book form, and kept on hand in the lookout and at the Ranger Station to aid in communicating the details of fire locations using visual references. They were also used to orient the fire finder in the lookout - a rotatable sighting device mounted over a map located in the centre of the building. The books list the date of the images and the location. Some books also contain notations on the photos. The series also contains 2 boxes of photographic proofs which contain information about the date and time that the image was taken and the weather conditions at that time.

In the photographing process, bearings were established with the use of a surveyor's transit and level, and an interchangeable camera. With the transit, the photographer determined the precise known bearing of a distant reference object (usually a mountain peak or another lookout, sometimes a topographic survey cairn). By lifting the transit off the mount and replacing it with the camera, they could then take their eight photographs at 45-degree horizontal intervals. Photographs from the lookout were taken in this order: shot #1, North; shot #2, 45 degrees; shot #3, East; shot #4, 135 degrees; shot #5, South; shot #6, 225 degrees; shot #7, West; shot #8, 315 degrees. A suitable camera was initially borrowed from another agency until one specially built by the National Research Council in Ottawa was obtained in the summer of 1945. One report from the late 1940s states that the eight views each included a horizontal angle of 50 degrees, so that the full panorama was completed with an overlap of 5 degrees per photograph. Photos were taken on infrared film to maximize haze penetration, and a duplicate set of negatives were taken with panchromatic.

Most lookouts were photographed at least once; some were photographed two or three times. This “rephotography” was deemed necessary when there were appreciable changes, over time, in a view from a lookout. Changes in view were caused by various factors: elimination of vegetative cover due to wildfires or logging; the erecting, rebuilding or relocation of a tower; construction of dams; or the change in view caused by tree clearing at the mountain summit. Most lookouts were sites that had established structures; however, some were undeveloped sites.

The photography was sometimes carried out by a two-man crew consisting of UBC forestry students. In time, "visibility mapping" to evaluate potential new lookout sites was combined with lookout photography at existing sites; in some years a two-man crew would do both. Access to lookout sites by helicopter was used by 1960. The same crews sometimes also took photographs on behalf of the National Parks Service for parks lookouts located in B.C. For some years there was limited or no field work undertaken in either lookout photography or visibility mapping. The last photos were taken by professional surveyors on a contract basis as a pilot project.

The majority of the lookout structures were built by the B.C. Forest Service; however, several had been built by the federal government to fulfill their obligation to protect timber from wildfire within the Railway Belt. In 1930 the Railway Belt and its lookout structures were turned over to the Province of B.C.

The number of lookouts that were staffed declined in the late 1970s and early 1980s as other means of fire detection became more efficient, notably, aircraft patrols and public reporting. In addition, the electronic lightning location system that began in 1980 indicated where lightning activity had occurred, and computer models then predicted the likely location and number of new lighting-caused and people-caused fires. The decline in fire lookouts was due to technological changes, and cost-benefit analyses probably showed that some lookouts were no longer good investments. Lookout photography was given up as lookouts declined in value.

The photographs are a resource for studying landscape change. Old harvesting, regeneration, and the impacts of wildfire and urban expansion may be observed in many of the photograph sets.

This series consists of Appraisal Reports of reverted government lands for the Lillooet Land District, 1932. The reports are arranged numerically by report number. Information may include assessment district registry office, legal description, land plan number, acreage, date of forfeiture, soil, water suitability, improvements, accessibility, supply, irrigation or dyking, nearest settlement or Post Office, nearest school, topography, and assessed and appraised value. The report usually contains a sketch map of the property, and this volume contains a sketch map of Lillooet townsite plus the lots across the Fraser River. The volume is indexed by report numbers to the legal land description.

This series consists of the report of the Committee of Investigation on Garibaldi Park and contiguous area for the Honourable the Minister of Lands (79 pp.), appendix (24 pp.), maps and photographs, 1932-1934.

The series contains a collection of maps used as reference in office of the Integrated Land Management Bureau and its predecessors from various ministries responsible for lands. These particular maps were transferred from the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Lower Mainland office in Surrey, B.C. The maps were produced by the surveys and mapping branch of the Ministry or its predecessors and cover a variety of areas in British Columbia.
The maps detail many features including roads, trails, railways, powerlines, reserved lands, surveyed lands, boundaries, campgrounds, mines, historic monuments, lighthouses, survey control stations, Forest Service lookouts, communications towers, customs offices, airports and airstrips, heliports, seaplane landings, buildings, elevations, dykes, contour swamp/marsh, intermittent lake/seasonal inundation, mud, sand, gravel, glaciers and icefields. Some maps also detail telephone lines, wells, falls, rapids, dams, cliffs, mile posts, orchards and even land lots.
The dates the maps were published do not necessarily coincide with when the data was collected to create those maps. Usually this information is present in the publication information at the bottom or top of each map. The maps would have held important reference information to Ministry workers and were probably consulted frequently. Several maps have annotations marking plots of land, new features, and other notes. Many of the maps are part of composites which can be placed next to each other to create larger maps. It is for this reason that it is believed that some duplications of the maps in this series exist. Most of the maps are topographical; however there are a few maps detailing lots and land registration as well as a few water source maps from the Water Management Division. Maps are printed on paper except for a few which are on Mylar. Maps do not appear to be arranged in any discernable order.

Maps of the following cities and areas are included in this series:
Alert Bay (1956, 1965, 1976)
Ashcroft (1966, 1975)
Boston Bar (1957)
Bowen Island
Bridge River (1970, 1979)
Bute Inlet (1960, 1970, 1991)
Buttle Lake (1977)
Campbell River (1981)
Cheakamus River (1969)
Chilliwack (1959)
Chilliwack Lake (1983, 1986, 1995)
Comox (1956)
Elko (1962)
Haslam Lake (1967)
Hope (1957, 1968)
Kamloops (1979,
Kamloops Lake (1979, 1995)
Kennedy Lake (1975)
Langley (1967, 1978, 1979)
Lardeau (1973)
Lillooet River (1979
Lytton (1968, 1979)
Manning Park (1960)
Merritt (1980)
Mount Urquhart (1955, 1960)
Mount Waddington (1968)
Nootka Sound (1960)
Pemberton (1951, 1972)
Pitt River (1973)
Port Alberni (1976)
Princeton (1980, 1995)
Revelstoke (1932)
Scuzzy Mountain (1956)
Shuswap Lake (1968)
Skagit (1960)
Spuzzum (1957, 1967)
Squamish (1952, 1972, 1982)
Sugar Lake (1956)
Texada Island (1950)
Toba Inlet (1979)
Tulameen (1958, 1978, 1986, 1995)
Vancouver (1959, 1975)
Victoria (1968)
Whistler (1993)
Yale (1966, 1976, 1979, 1995)

The series consists of appraisal reports of reverted lands from the New Westminster land district, 1931 to 1932. These reports are in two volumes and are divided into arbitrary land areas labeled "F", "E", "G", and "H". Reports are arranged numerically by report number. Information may include assessment district, land registry office, legal description, date of forfeiture, plan number, acreage, suitability, improvements, soil, water supply, irrigation or diking, 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 information is indexed by District Lot number to report number.

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.

This series contains the Lands Service records relating to the University Endowment Lands [UEL] adjacent to the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. They contain ledgers of lot sales which show purchase payment, improvement tax schedules, and interest charges. Boxes have nominal indexes. Box 5 is oversized. For related records, see GR-1068.

Series includes correspondence relating to proposed grant of land to the Point Grey School Board (0.1 cm).

Correspondence relating to an application for settlers' free use permit for cutting cordwood in the vicinity of Greenwood (0.2 cm). From file 031642.

This series consists of two Similkameen Division of Yale Land District town lot subdivision registers of District Lot 2450S, Block B and Block A, lots 1-271F, and 280-348. The records relate to irrigated lands in the southern Okanagan. Earliest entries from 1921 and bother volumes were superseded in 1923 (i.e. no further entries were made after 1923).

The records are arranged numerically, and record the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchase etc.), within the Southern Okanagan Irrigation Project at Oliver (B.C.) Information may include the name of purchaser, dates and numbers of certificates (including Crown Grant), dates and amounts of payments, and reference numbers to correspondence files, and water agreements, There is an alphabetical name index in each volume.

This series contains correspondence with Gerald Grattan McGeer, Member of the Legislative Assembly, relating to an inquiry about properties at Point Grey.

The series consists of records created by the Department of Lands between 1919 and 1923. It contains two volumes of Coast Land District, Range 5, subdivision lot registers for Smithers. The records are arranged numerically by lots within blocks, and record the alienation of land from the Crown. Information may include the name of 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 index of names in volume 1.

This series contains a record book of land examinations and miscellaneous applications, Cariboo district. Includes pre-emption cancellations (1922-1924), pre-emption examinations and inspections (1922-1925), record of application for certificates of improvement (1921-1924), applications to lease pending examination (1919-1924), applications to purchase pending examination (1919-1924), and lease cancellations (1922).

Correspondence relating to cancellation of pre-emption applications. Includes file 1, cancellation of H. Kroeger's application at Fort Fraser, file 2, pre-emption cancellation in Kootenay District; file 3, pre-emptions on timber licences in Similkameen District.

This series consists of Cariboo Land District assessment rolls of reverted lands for lots 1-10025, plus Quesnelle Forks and Barkerville Townships. The records date 1918-1948. The lots are listed numerically, and record tax sales and reverted lands. Information includes the name of the assessed owner at the date of forfeiture, legal description of the property, acreage, land district, assessment district, date of tax sale, date of forfeiture, assessed value at date of forfeiture, classification at date of forfeiture, taxes due at date of tax sale, annual taxes, upset price, and reserves. No name index is available.

This series contains correspondence containing mainly requests for information and maps. From file 27900 (1912 Series).

Series contains copies of correspondence between the British Columbia Minister of Public Works and the Dominion Deputy Minister of the Interior relating to the Banff-Windermere road and to jurisdiction within Dominion parks.

This series contains a list of lands resumed by the Crown under B.C. Soldiers' Homestead Act, 1916. Includes legal description and file references. Also contains an undated letter of John William McIntosh, Member of the Legislative Assembly, to the Deputy Minister of Lands regarding moneys owed on land by a wounded veteran.

This series contains a record book of resumed lands under the Soldiers' Homestead Act, 1916. The information is arranged by Land District. The records list pre-emptions and land purchase applications canceled or resumed by the Crown during the Great War (1914-1918). The reverted lands were to be used for returned soldiers' homesteads.

This series contains records relating to Whalen Pulp and Paper Mills Ltd. Records include copies of leases and legal documents filed against the company's licences and leases, including wood pulp, booming ground, and quarry leases. Filed with the Minister of Lands.

This series consists of New Westminster Land District forfeiture certificates of lands reverted to the Crown from 1915-1957. Records relate to the Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and Matsqui Dyking Districts. The certificates are arranged chronologically without regard to Dyking District. Information may include the legal description of the land, the plan number, the date it was subject to forfeiture, the date of the end of the period of grace, and the date of forfeiture. Certificates are indexed alphabetically by owners name, and numerically by plan to folio numbers.

Coquitlam Dyking District lies within the limits of the City of Port Coquitlam, and the Municipality of Coquitlam.

Pitt Meadows No.2 Dyking District lies within the defined boundaries of the Municipality of Pitt Meadows, and is situated 1 1/2 miles north of the Dewdney Trunk Road at the confluence of the Pitt and Alouette Rivers.

Maple RIdge Dyking District lies within the boundaries of the Municipalities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, including the Townsite of Hammond.

Series contains two booklets relating to a Government Auction Sale of property at Prince George, Fort George, and South Fort George to be held at Vancouver, Dominion Hall, May 19, 20, and 21, 1914, Victoria, Connaught Hall, May 26 and 27, 1914, and Prince George, June 9, 10, and 11, 1914. Lists of lots with handwritten notes of purchaser and price.

This series consists of New Westminster Land District tax rolls for West Nicomen Dyking District from 1914-1917. Information may include the names and address of the registered owner and applicant to register, the legal description of the land, acreage, amounts payable and payment records. Auditors' reports are also included.

This series consists of Cariboo Land District town lot and townsite registers. This includes subdivision lot registers for Fort George, Summit Lake, Red Pass, and a McBride townsite register with a list of reverted lots offered for sale by public auction in 1923. Earliest entries dated 1914 and all volumes were superseded by 1949 (i.e. no further entries were made after 1949).

The registers list lots in numerical order and record the alienation of land from the Crown (by purchase, auction, etc.). Information may include name of purchaser, dates and numbers of certificates issued (including Crown Grants), dates and amounts of payments, and references to correspondence files and field books. Upset prices are also listed. There is an alphabetical name index in each volume.

This series consists of Cariboo Land District, auctioneer's agreements, subdivision lots 11385, at Fort George from 1914. The lots were subdivided from District Lots 343, 933, 934, 936, 938, and 1429, and are arranged randomly by lot and sublot, but numerically by certificate number, in each volume. Information may include date of sale, name and address of highest bidder and amount bid, deposit, and terms of sale. No index is available.

The series includes two volumes. Volume 1 includes entries for certificates 1-721, and volume 2 is 722-1385.

Records relating to surveys and surveyors field books. Consists of a register of surveyors' field books on Vancouver Island, especially Victoria district; an alphabetical street index to surveyors' field books for the City of Victoria, and miscellaneous correspondence pertaining to surveys. Includes record of surveys done since 1858.

This series consists of one Cariboo Land District township register, for Townships 21 and 39-42.The earliest entries begin in 1913 and the volume was superseded by 1956 (i.e. no further entries were made after 1956). The registers list land in numerical order by Sections within Townships and record 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. There is an alphabetical name index in the volume.

This series consists of auctioneers records for 1913 auction sales of Crown land in the New Westminster Land District. Sales include Hastings townsite, lots 1-138; Kitsilano, District Lot 540 G.1, Lots 1-101; and Point Grey, District Lots 538 and 176 G.1. Information may include date of sale, name and address of highest bidder and amount bid, deposit, and terms of sale. No index is available.