Robert C. (Bob) Harris An Inventory of Material In the Special Collections Division University of British Columbia Library © Special Collections Division, University Of British Columbia Library Vancouver, BC Compiled by Melanie Hardbattle and John Horodyski, 2000 Updated by Sharon Walz, 2002 R.C. (Bob) Harris fonds NOTE: Cartographic materials: PDF pages 3 to 134, 181 to 186 Other archival materials: PDF pages 135 to 180 Folder/item numbers for cartographic materials referred to in finding aid are different from box/file numbers for archival materials in the second half of the finding aid. Please be sure to note down the correct folder/item number or box/file number when requesting materials. R. C. (Bob) Harris Map Collection Table of Contents Series 1 Old Maps – Central B. C. 5-10 Series 2 Old Maps – Eastern B. C. 10-17 Series 3 Old Maps – Miscellaneous 17-28 Series 4 Central British Columbia maps 28-39 Series 5 South-central British Columbia maps 39-50 Series 6 Okanagan maps 50-58 Series 7 Southern Interior maps 58-66 Series 8 Old Cariboo maps [i.e. Kootenay District] 66-75 Series 9 Additional Cariboo maps 75-77 Series 10 Cariboo Wagon Road maps 77-90 Series 11 Indian Reserve maps 90-99 Series 12 North-eastern British Columbia maps [i.e. North-western] 99-106 Series 13 BC Northern Interior maps 106-116 Series 14 West Central British Columbia maps 116-127 Series 15 Bella Coola and Chilcotin maps 127-130 Series 16 Series 16 - Lillooet maps 130-133 -2 - - Robert C. (Bob) Harris - Maps R.C. (Bob) Harris - Maps. - 1835 - 1992; (predominant 1880 - 1930) 1,865 maps Biographical Sketch Bob Harris was born in England in 1922. After he served with the Royal Engineers during World War II, he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of London in 1948. He was later married to Rita in July 1948 and sailed to Canada that same year. In 1950 Mr. Harris and his wife moved to Vancouver where he worked for 25 years for the Dominion Bridge Company. Then, in 1975 he moved to the Structural Engineering Company of Buckland & Taylor where he remained until his death in 1998. He was responsible for the design and/or erection of several bridges in the Vancouver area, namely Granville, Second Narrows, Oak Street and Port Mann Bridges. He was a member of the B.C. Mountaineering Club, North Shore Hikers, the Vancouver Naturalist Historical Society, and a volunteer Warden for Ecological Reserve Number 48. He was also commissioned to provide hiking trails (a total of 75) for B.C. Outdoors Magazine. R.C. (Bob) Harris was an engineer by profession but an historian at heart, who enjoyed the challenge of finding all the old trails in the field. He spent over 20 years visiting the Provincial Archives and the Department of Lands in Victoria, accumulating a large mass of maps, diaries and fieldbooks of the early explorers, surveyors and road builders, geologists and miners. Scope and Content Fonds consists of cartographic materials relating to reconnaissance trips taken by R.C. Harris incorporating old trails on current maps. While the inclusive dates of this collection are from 1835 - 1981, the majority of these maps were created from 1880 -1930. The items naturally fall into a classification system due to the organization of the maps through a personal classification system as maintained by R.C. Harris. The maps were sorted into trays of a map cabinet with small stickers on the outside of those trays indicating its contents. The decision has been made to honour this system and maintain the organization of this map collection. The collection is comprised of about 17 trays from map cabinet shelves containing maps, both historic and those drawn up by Mr. Harris for reconnaissance trips, incorporating old trails on current maps. The maps originate from his estate library that contains extensive research material on B.C. historical trails and events concerning the fur trade, gold rushes, Royal Engineers and early mining. There are also numerous 20t" century maps of B.C., mostly topographic, lands and mining of various series. There are numerous air photos, -3 - - microfilm mining records, and a number of partial maps, titled and untitled, but showing a catalogue number or Legal Surveys serial no. These partial copies of pre-emptions, and lots were used by Mr. Harris to locate the Brigade or Indian or other trail in his effort to find them on the ground today and to enter them on his own maps. There are also over 150 maps that Mr. Harris used for articles and lectures. It has been estimated that perhaps 10% of the collection is original material with the rest comprising copies. Intellectual access to the arrangement of the maps is provided by the series level descriptions in which there are a total of 16. Source of Supplied Title Title is based on contents of fonds. Custodial History Prior to the transfer to the University of British Columbia Special Collections, these series of maps remained with R.C. Harris at his residence. In January 2000, Mr. Bruce Ward, secretary of the Map Society of British Columbia, and friend of R.C. Harris, donated these maps to the University of British Columbia Special Collections Library. Accruals Other records documenting the work of R.C. Harris will be accrued at a later date by the Special Collections Division of the University of British Columbia Library. -4 - - Series 1 - Old maps - Central BC. Folder Item Series includes maps of East Kootenay, Selkirks, Purcells, Big # Bend. (86 items). 1877 - 1983; originals, copies, photocopies, and 1 photograph Map Showing Line of Route of the Red Mountain Ry from the 6 5 International Boundary Line to Red Mountain B. C. No. 582. E. J. Roberts, Chief Engineer, Mountain Railway Co. and Geo. R. Martin, Chief Commissioner of Lands & Works. 5 January 1895 (photocopy) Rossland Mining Camp. British Columbia. Geological Sheet. No. 3 14 1004. Canada. Department of Mines. Geological Survey Branch. 1909. (photocopy) Sketch Map showing certain properties, Duncan River and Hall 1 4 Creek. To accompany report of A.G. Langley, Resident Engineer. British Columbia. Department of Mines. 1919. (photocopy) Sketch Map showing certain properties, Duncan River and Hall 1 5 Creek. To accompany report of A.G. Langley, Resident Engineer. British Columbia. Department of Mines. 1919. (photocopy) [BC Exploration?] [1909?] - sheet 1 (photocopy) [BC Exploration?] [1909?] - sheet 2 (photocopy) 2 7 [BC Exploration?] [1909?] - sheet 3 (photocopy) 2 8 [BC Exploration?] [1909?] - sheet 4 (photocopy) 2 9 [BC Exploration?] [1909?] - sheet 5 (photocopy) 2 10 [BC Exploration?] [1909?] - sheet 6 (photocopy) 2 11 [BC Exploration?] [1909?] - sheet 7 (photocopy) 2 12 [BC Exploration?] [1909?] - sheet 8 (photocopy) 2 13 Plan of Proposed Wagon Road from Nelson to Sproat's Landing. 6 1 n.d. (photocopy). Reconnaissance Map of the Northern Selkirk Mountains and the Big 3 5 Bend of the Columbia River, British Columbia. Howard Palmer and Robert H. Chapman. 1915 - part 1 of 2. (photocopy) Reconnaissance Map of the Northern Selkirk Mountains and the Big 3 6 Bend of the Columbia River, British Columbia. Howard Palmer and Robert H. Chapman. 1915 - part 2 of 2. (photocopy) Sketch Map of Warm Springs Camp, Kootenay Lake B.C. 1889. 3 12 (photocopy). [British Columbia Land Registry map 12T8 Old Maps?] [1906?]. 2 25 -5 - - (photocopy) [British Columbia Land Registry] map 1T1 Similkameen, depicting 2 20 lot boundaries and trails. (section only) n.d. (photocopy) [British Columbia Land Registry map 2T108 Similkameen?], 2 4 depicting topography along Sheep Creek - sheet 1. n.d. (photocopy) [British Columbia Land Registry map 2T108 Similkameen?], 2 5 depicting topography along Sheep Creek - sheet 2. n.d. (photocopy) [British Columbia Land Registry map 2T108 Similkameen?], 2 6 depicting topography along Sheep Creek - sheet 3. n.d. (photocopy) Topographical Map of Part of West Kootenay District, 1896. British 4 1 Columbia. Land and Works Department. 1896. (original, colour) 1:62,360 Triangulation Survey of Portion of East Kootenay. Plan Shewing 6 4 Position of Mineral Monuments. n.d. (photocopy) Mineral Monument Survey of Portion of Nelson Div[ision]. Kootenay 3 4 District. J. Herrick McGregor, P.L.S. July 12, 1898. (photocopy) Coryell's Map of Portion of Kettle River Mining Division. British 3 13 Columbia. 1897. (photocopy) Map of the Kootenay District in British Columbia. 1885 or after. 5 16 (photocopy) [Donald Sheet. W of Fifth Meridian? Revised to 1913 Sep. 05?] 2 23 (section only) (photocopy) Kootenay. n.d. (photocopy) 6 3 [Mineral claims map?] 27 Kootenay, depicting lot boundaries and 2 16 mining claims. (section only) n.d. (photocopy) [British Columbia Land Registry map 48T2 Kootenay?], depicting 2 18 the Dewdney Tail north of Summit Creek. (section only) n.d. (photocopy) [British Columbia Land Registry map 48T2 Kootenay?], depicting 1 1 the Dewdney Tail north of Summit Creek. (section only) n.d. (photocopy) [British Columbia Land Registry map 16T17 Kootenay?], depicting 2 17 lot boundaries along sections of shore of Kootenay and Arrow Lakes. (section only) n.d. (photocopy) Guide Map of the West Fork of the Kettle River. B.C. J. Atwood. 5 15 1901. (photocopy) unidentified [mining claims?] map, depicting Providence Camp and 3 10 -6 - - Skylark Camp. (section only) n.d. (photocopy) [British Columbia Land Registry map 3T17 Kootenay?], depicting a 2 19 section of the Montana Trail. (section only) n.d. (photocopy) Kootenay Valleys Company. Profile of Proposed Canal to Connect 3 2 the Kootenay River with the Upper Columbia Lake. 1887 or after. (photocopy) Plan of Canal to Connect the Kootenay River with the Upper 5 14 Columbia Lake.