Yellowknife — March 11, 2024
Timothy (Tim) Garrish, a notable figure in Northern aviation, has donated a collection of over 900 pictures and other resources to the Northwest Territories (NWT) Archives. This invaluable collection can now be viewed online here.
The collection includes stunning photographs of aerial landscapes, bush planes, waterbombers, and firefighting operations. It also includes written records detailing Garrish's experiences as a pilot and owner of a small air charter service, as well as maps indicating water-scooping areas during wildfire seasons.
Garrish moved to Fort Simpson in 1973 to work for Arctic Air Ltd. and spent almost five decades in Northern aviation working for Wolverine Air Ltd, Avalon Aviation, Pacific Western Airlines, and Conair. For most of his career, Garrish was based in Fort Simpson, where he lived from 1978 to 1995. He continued working part-time in the community until 2010 and retired from aerial fire suppression work in 2022.
The NWT Archives worked closely with Garrish over several months to clearly describe each record. Great care has been taken to preserve and share this fascinating part of NWT history and celebrate his life's work and willingness to enrich the archival record. Tim’s initial donation of the photographs in 2018, followed by additional records between 2019 and 2021, has enriched the NWT Archives collection and our understanding of Northern aviation history.
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