Chester P. Lyons Collection
User Collection Public
The collection is comprised of selections from the archives of Chester P. Lyons and documents the career of Chester Peter Lyons (1915-1998). Lyons worked as a forest engineer with the British Columbia Forest Service; with the Parks Branch, where he helped establish the provincial parks system in British Columbia (including Manning, Tweedsmuir, Wells Gray, and Bowron Lakes) and human heritage initiatives (including the restoration and management of Barkerville and the Stop-Of-Interest plaque program adjacent to major highways in British Columbia).
Lyons also pursued many projects in nature interpretation as an author, lecturer, wildlife and travel filmmaker, television producer, and photographer. He also published fieldguides on the plants of British Columbia and Washington State, such as Trees, Shrubs, and Flowers to Know in BC (1952).
The collection includes Lyons' photographic materials and field notebooks, dating from 1932 to 1998.
Permalink: http://vault.library.uvic.ca/collections/1490617d-ecf0-440b-b663-a64f4a3ca757
Collection Details
- Items 362
- Last Updated 2025-07-03
Works (362)
151. Famous sign post forest on Alaska Highway
- Title:
- Famous sign post forest on Alaska Highway
- Description:
- A collection of signs pointing out the distance to people's home cities and towns. The sign post forest is a famous landmark along the Alaska Highway in Watson Lake in the Yukon. Photo's caption reads "Alaska Highway Famous signpost Lyons and Welsh Alaska Hwy..."
- Subject:
- Nature, BC Parks, Signs and signboards, Natural history, Roads, Historic sites, and British Columbia. Ministry of Forests
- Contributor:
- Lyons, C. P. (Chester Peter), 1915-
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 194X
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- Yukon--Watson Lake
- Coordinates:
- 60.063333, -128.714444
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- black-and-white photographs and photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.12.3
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-03
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif) by LG. Metadata by KD.
152. Group of skiers on Pump Peak in Mount Seymour Provincial Park
- Title:
- Group of skiers on Pump Peak in Mount Seymour Provincial Park
- Description:
- A group of skiers on a snowy mountain near a peak. The photo's caption indicates it is likely a group from the Alpine Club and that they have classy ski toggs and the caption on the verso states that they are on the face of Pump Peak from top of Brockton Gully.
- Subject:
- Nature, Snow, British Columbia. Ministry of Forests, Skis and skiing, Mountains, Cross-country skiing, BC Parks, Natural history, Landscapes, and Skiers
- Creator:
- Lyons, C. P. (Chester Peter), 1915-
- Contributor:
- Munday, Don
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 194X
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 17.5 x 12.5 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia--Mount Seymour Provincial Park--Pump Peak, British Columbia--Mount Seymour, and British Columbia--Mount Seymour Provincial Park
- Coordinates:
- 49.38718, -122.9413
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Verso stamped with "Don Munday 379 Tempe Crescent North Vancouver, B.C." and In a folder labelled "Parks books [ca.1930 - ca. 1970] [2]"
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- black-and-white photographs and photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.4
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-02-26/2025-02-28
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif LL). Metadata by KD.
153. John Naniak with an axe and burning pile of logs
- Title:
- John Naniak with an axe and burning pile of logs
- Description:
- A person holding an axe standing next to a burning pile of logs. Photo's caption reads "John Naniak - logger, cook, blacksmith, powderman, one-man road construction crew - was invaluable in the early park days of Mt. Seymour 1940 to road completion"
- Subject:
- Parks--Management, Parks, BC Parks, Parks--Employees, Trees, Parks--Maintenance, Natural history, Nature, and British Columbia. Ministry of Forests
- Contributor:
- Lyons, C. P. (Chester Peter), 1915-
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 194X
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 14.5 x 16.5 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia--Mount Seymour Provincial Park
- Coordinates:
- 49.39137, -122.91933
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- black-and-white photographs and photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.12.4
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-03
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif) by LG. Metadata by KD.
154. Model axes and peavies by Joe St. Pierre
- Title:
- Model axes and peavies by Joe St. Pierre
- Description:
- Dozens of miniature carved axes and peavies on stumps created by Joe St. Pierre. Photo's caption reads "Model axes and peavies - the whittling work of Joe St. Pierre. Joe was a French Canadian and expert with an axe and carving tools. He was making rustic signs in the late 1930's. Joe made park signs and furniture as a one man operation in the early 1940's"
- Subject:
- Parks--Maintenance, Wood sculpture, Parks--Management, British Columbia. Ministry of Forests, Nature, Wood-carving, Wood-carved figurines, Logging--Equipment and supplies, Natural history, BC Parks, and Parks
- Contributor:
- Lyons, C. P. (Chester Peter), 1915-
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 194X
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 12.5 x 18 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia
- Coordinates:
- 53.99983, -125.0032
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- photographs and black-and-white photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.12.4
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-03
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif) by LG. Metadata by KD.
155. Mount Seymour, late 1940's
- Title:
- Mount Seymour, late 1940's
- Description:
- A man, Lloyd, in cross-country skis on a snowy cliff with tree an snow covered mountains in the background.
- Subject:
- Natural history, Cross-country skiing, Nature, British Columbia. Ministry of Forests, Landscapes, Snow, Mountains, and BC Parks
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 194X
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 18 x 12.5 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia--Mount Seymour Provincial Park and British Columbia--Mount Seymour
- Coordinates:
- 49.39327, -122.94422
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- In a folder labelled "Parks books [ca.1930 - ca. 1970] [2]"
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- photographs and black-and-white photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.4
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-02-26/2025-02-28
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif LL). Metadata by KD.
156. North Bend to Boston Bar Aerial Car Ferry
- Title:
- North Bend to Boston Bar Aerial Car Ferry
- Description:
- A gondola used to ferry cars across the Fraser river between North Bend and Boston Bar. The North Bend Aerial Ferry was the only aerial ferry that carried cars and was opened to the public in North America. Installed in 1940, it ran until 1986 when it was replaced by a bridge.
- Subject:
- Motor vehicles, Transportation, British Columbia. Ministry of Forests, Nature, BC Parks, and Natural history
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1940/1941
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 12.5 x 18 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia--North Bend and British Columbia--Boston Bar
- Coordinates:
- 49.88303, -121.45256 and 49.87002, -121.44399
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- photographs and black-and-white photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.12.1
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-03
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif) by LL. Metadata by KD.
157. Ray Lowrey and large devil's club
- Title:
- Ray Lowrey and large devil's club
- Description:
- A person next to a Devil's club shrub with large palmate leaves. Photo's caption reads "Ray Lowrey and large devil's club late 1940's"
- Subject:
- Nature, Araliaceae, BC Parks, Shrubs, Natural history, British Columbia. Ministry of Forests, and Plants
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 194X
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 12.5 x 16 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia
- Coordinates:
- 53.99983, -125.0032
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- black-and-white photographs and photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.12.4
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-03
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif) by LG. Metadata by KD.
158. The Last Resort at Manning Park
- Title:
- The Last Resort at Manning Park
- Description:
- A resort building in Manning Park. Photo's caption reads "Manning Park 19? Noe a few small trees - the result of some 'after dinner' landscaping. This continued and is the forest of today."
- Subject:
- Parks--Maintenance, Recreation areas, British Columbia. Ministry of Forests, Parks--Management, BC Parks, Trees, Nature, Snow, Resorts, Natural history, Winter, Forests and forestry, and Parks
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 194X
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 13 x 18 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia--Manning Provincial Park
- Coordinates:
- 49.062889, -120.780069
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- black-and-white photographs and photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.12.3
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-03
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif) by LG. Metadata by KD.
159. Enquist Cabin, Mount Seymour Provincial Park
- Title:
- Enquist Cabin, Mount Seymour Provincial Park
- Description:
- Two people standing with skiis outside a log cabin with a deep snow pack. Photo's caption reads "Mt. Seymour - winter of 1940. One of the Equist cabins years of good snowfall but poor compared to late 1930's"
- Subject:
- Snow, Outdoor recreation, Natural history, British Columbia. Ministry of Forests, BC Parks, Parks, Skis and skiing, Log cabins, Winter, and Nature
- Contributor:
- Lyons, C. P. (Chester Peter), 1915-
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1940-24
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia--Mount Seymour Provincial Park
- Coordinates:
- 49.39137, -122.91933
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- photographs and black-and-white photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.12.3
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-03
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif) by LG. Metadata by KD.
160. Pioneer Guide Ted Helset with moose skull, Wells Gray Park
- Title:
- Pioneer Guide Ted Helset with moose skull, Wells Gray Park
- Description:
- A person standing at the edge of a body of water holding a moose skull. Photo's caption reads "Ted Helset Pioneer guide Wells Gray Park 1941"
- Subject:
- Natural history, British Columbia. Ministry of Forests, Lakes, Skull, BC Parks, Parks, Moose, Mountains, Nature, and Antlers
- Contributor:
- Lyons, C. P. (Chester Peter), 1915-
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1941
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- This item is under copyright and made available on this site for research and private study only. Commercial use is prohibited. For all other uses please contact UVic Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 photograph ; 12.5 x 18 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia--Wells Gray Park
- Coordinates:
- 52.33321, -120.00252
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Chester P. Lyons Collection
- Provenance:
- Fonds donated to UVic Archives by Lyons' daughter, Susan Lyons, in 2007.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- black-and-white photographs and photographs
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2007-039; Series: Photographic materials; Subseries: 03; File: 4.12.3
- Fonds Title:
- Chester P. Lyons fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- AR409
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/chester-p-lyons-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-03
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1300XL (600 DPI tif) by LG. Metadata by KD.