Joseph Allen L'Orsa map and photograph collection
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- Date Range
- 1915-[1998?]
- Collection
- Joseph Allen L'Orsa map and photograph collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- GMD
- graphic material
- textual record
- cartographic material
- architectural drawing
- Scope and Content
- Records reflect Joe L’Orsa’s interest in mining, environmentalism, and local history. Records consist of maps (including Axel Elmsted’s hand drawn maps), architectural drawings, photographs, a report entitled “The Social Effects of Rapid Growth: A Northern Sickness,” and a written history of the Ba…
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Creator
- Joseph L'Orsa
- Fonds No.
- C7
- Accession No.
- 2018.24
- 2000.45
- Physical Description
- 66+ photographs, 49 maps, 4 architectural drawings, 5 cm textual records
- Date Range
- 1915-[1998?]
- History / Biographical
- Joseph (Joe) Allen L’Orsa (born March 4, 1939) was a prominent figure in the Bulkley Valley, best known for his environmental activism. He is credited with starting the area’s first environmental group, “Citizens Against Pollution,” which later became known as SPEC (Society for Pollution and Environmental Control). L’Orsa was instrumental in establishing Babine Mountains Provincial Park, and recorded both settler and Witsuwit'en (Wet’suwet’en) histories of the mountain range. He was also active in the Farmer’s Institute, the Hospital Society, and the Smithers Community Services Association, and ran for a seat on the School Board in 1978. Every Christmas he organized and local Christmas musical event which eventually became known as the Joe L’Orsa Coffeehouse, or simply ‘The Joe.’ In his later years L’Orsa worked as a constituency assistant, first for Bill Goodacre and then for former MLA Jackie Pement. He passed away on April 20, 1999 in Smithers, B.C. The Joe L'Orsa Cabin in Babine Mountains Provincial Park was named after him. For more detailed information, see finding aid.
- Custodial History
- Maps and photographs were collected and created by Joe L’Orsa and eventually passed down to his daughter, Nicole L’Orsa. She donated them to the Bulkley Valley Museum in 2018.
- Scope and Content
- Records reflect Joe L’Orsa’s interest in mining, environmentalism, and local history. Records consist of maps (including Axel Elmsted’s hand drawn maps), architectural drawings, photographs, a report entitled “The Social Effects of Rapid Growth: A Northern Sickness,” and a written history of the Babine Mountains recreation area. They have been arranged in three series: Maps and architectural drawings (S1), textual records (S2), and Photographs (S3).
- Geographic Access
- Smithers, B.C.
- Bulkley Valley
- Type of Record
- Archival Description