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Sims Family collection.
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Harvey J. Sims : Chicopee

Records relating to the Harvey J. Sims' development of Chicopee, a 45-acre estate near Kitchener, Ont., where he built a home designed by Forsey Page and Steele, Architects, and designed and landscaped the grounds with the help of Carl Borgstrom of Carl Borgstrom and H.M.S. Carver, Landscape Architects. He was instrumental in the reforestation of the contiguous properties in Chicopee Hills, and in only a few years planted on his property more than 700 varieties of trees and shrubs.
Includes correspondence to and from architects, landscape planners, nurseries, and government agencies concerning the development of Harvey's house and grounds, also the reforestation of the surrounding area, dated 1927 to 1941. The correspondence files described in this series are together as found. Harvey's Personal Business Files in Series 8 contain a great deal of supplementary material in the way of correspondence, invoices, lists, time sheets, etc., with seed houses, nurseries, companies, and individuals supplying material and furnishings for the home and grounds, from water heaters and wiring to billiard table lights.
Harvey was particularly interested in collecting as many native species of trees and shrubs as would grow in this climate and his collecting activities are documented by correspondence with arboreta, university horticulture departments, government nurseries, and government officials and employees who were at that time developing botanical garden plans in Hamilton and Niagara.

Sims family

Correspondence 1929-1930.

Correspondence to and from Harvey J. Sims (carbons), tenders, agreements, invoices and other material relating to work being planned and carried out at Chicopee, including landscape features, nursery stock, concrete bridge, bubbling tanks, dry stone walls, also to a Workmen's Compensation case. Correspondents include Ball Bros., Dunker Brothers, Herbert Johnston, Civil Engineer, Forsey Page & Steele, architects, Fess Oil Burners of Canada Ltd., Thomas Rennie, Ontario Agricultural College, Carl A. Borgstrom (of Wilson, Bunnell & Borgstrom Ltd., also of Lorne Park Nurseries) landscape architect.

Sims family

Correspondence 1931.

Correspondence to and from Harvey J. Sims (carbons), relating to ongoing work at Chicopee, such as the pergola, log cabin, frog fountains, plantings, trees, and shrubs, and problems with wiring for road lights and flood lights. Includes detailed lists of nursery stock. Correspondents include Carl A. Borgstrom, Ball Brothers, Lorne Park Nurseries, A.H. Tomlinson (Department of Horticulture, University of Guelph), and the Mattell & Bierwagen Electric Company.

Sims family

Correspondence 1931-1933.

Correspondence to and from Harvey J. Sims and Carl A. Borgstrom of Carl Borgstrom & H.S.M. Carver, Landscape Architects and Town Planners, relating to nursery stock supplied through Lorne Park Nurseries. Includes a hand-drawn orchard plan.

Sims family

Correspondence with the Ontario Agricultural College.

Correspondence concerning soil samples and pest remedies, as well as handwritten notes by Harvey Sims about chemicals and types of pests. Includes two letters from A.H. Tomlinson, Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture, one of which is accompanied by a list of ornamental flowering shrubs and a list of deciduous trees, and both of which have pencilled checkmarks, presumably made by Harvey.

Sims family

Correspondence 1934-1941

Correspondence to and from Harvey J. Sims and Carl A. Borgstrom, landscape architect mostly concerning trees and shrubs for Harvey's property.

Sims family

Correspondence with the Dominion of Canada Department of Agriculture.

Letters from Harvey J. Sims to horticulturists at the Department of Agriculture Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, with replies from M.B. Davis, Dominion Horticulturist, T.F. Ritchie, Chief Assistant, and R.W. Oliver, Assistant (ornamental horticulture) as well as to Leonard S. McLaine at the Destructive Pest and Insect Advisory Board. The correspondence relates primarily to Harvey's collection of shrubs and trees, and his pursuit of adding more species to his collection. He mentions that he has collected 76 of the 82 native trees listed in Forest trees of Ontario, also that he has between 500 and 600 different varieties of trees and shrubs. He requests specimens for testing hardiness, also sends an unknown specimen for identification, and requests information on permits necessary to import nursery specimens from the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plains, New York.

Sims family

Correspondence 1928.

Correspondence relating to Chicopee: recommendation from William Rennie Seed Co., Nov. 1, 1928, that Harvey contact Arthur E.K. Bunnell of Wilson Bunnell & Borgstrom, Landscape Architects for designing his grounds, and Lt. Col. Sandford F. Smith "would be better to consult regarding your house."
Includes two letters from Forsey Page & Steele, December 14 and 29, regarding drawing up plans for the house, and one submission from Bell Telephone for supplying telephone service.

Sims family

Tree lists.

Includes one list of trees planted at the North Western entrance to Hamilton, otherwise contains lists of Harvey J. Sims' collection of trees and shrubs dated 1931, 1936, and 1939, with many marks and annotations by Harvey. The 1936 list is labelled "Lorne Park" and has attached many invoices for stock supplied by Lorne Park Nurseries (started by Carl Borgstrom). Two envelopes contain leaf specimens, labelled "Rock Elm" and "White Elm."

Sims family

Correspondence with Col. H.D. Smith.

Correspondence from and to Harvey J. Sims and H.D. Smith, K.C., R.A. McLaren, and Charles C. Bell in Chatham, Ont. about sourcing and procuring seedlings of specific native trees and shrubs found at Rondeau Park and vicinity.

Sims family

Correspondence with Mr. Alfred Rehder.

Correspondence from and to Harvey J. Sims and Alfred Rehder, Curator of the Herbarium at The Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plains, New York, attempting to identify specimens Harvey is sending.

Sims family

Correspondence with the Niagara Parks Commission.

Correspondence from and to C. Ellison Kaumeyer, General Manager of the Niagara Parks Commission, and K.M. Broman, Superintendent of Arboriculture at the Niagara Parks Commission, relating to acquiring more specimens for Harvey J. Sims' collection of trees and shrubs, also requesting labels to be made for attaching to his specimens. Includes many lists annotated in pencil by Harvey, also many pencilled lists in his handwriting, as well as some mention of swans and ducks. Included in this folder are several letters to and from the Minister of Highways, T.B. McQuesten, regarding establishing a botanical garden in Hamilton.

Sims family

Correspondence with A.H. Richardson.

Correspondence from and to Harvey Sims and Arthur Herbert Richardson at the Ontario Department of Lands and Forest concerning reforestation efforts at Chicopee. In 1940, Harvey writes that he has more than 700 varieties of trees and shrubs, including all but 5 of the 82 native forest trees listed by J.H. White in Forest Trees of Ontario. In 1930, he writes that the Boy Scouts and Rotarians propose helping him plant 3500 more trees on Chicopee heights to complete the work started in 1929.

Sims family

Correspondence with the Forestry Branch, Department of Lands and Forests, Ontario.

Correspondence from and to Harvey J. Sims and the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests, Forestry Branch concerning applications for forest trees from Government nurseries. Includes letters between Harvey and F.S. Newman, Head Forester at the St. Williams Government Nursery, lists of trees and shrubs, and application forms for government nursery stock. Also includes correspondence between Harvey and A.H. Richardson, also a clipping and letter describing the 1928 tree planting done at Chicopee by the Boy Scouts and Rotarians.

Sims family

Harvey J. Sims : Library

Records relating to Harvey J. Sims' development of a library of books at his Chicopee home, in which he was aided by Adam Strohm, Librarian at the Detroit Public Library and Charles R. Sanderson, Chief Librarian of the Toronto Public Library. Harvey turned his planned billiard room into a library instead and set about filling it with books. Although this series contains only two files, it represents a significant activity in Harvey's life.

Sims family

Newman, F.S. Newman to Harvey J. Sims.

Correspondence from F.S. Newman at the Department of Lands and Forests, Forestry Branch in St. Williams, Ontario to Harvey J. Sims regarding Harvey's requests for seedlings, also purchase orders made on his behalf from Herbst Brothers in New York. Includes lists and invoices, as well as a hand-drawn planting plan for evergreens at the south fence line of Chicopee.

Sims family

Correspondence with nurseries and seed houses.

Correspondence from and to Harvey J. Sims and various nurseries and seed and plant suppliers relating to plants, trees, and shrubs for his property. Includes catalogues, lists and invoices. Suppliers include The Brampton Nursery, Cedarvale Tree Experts, Depuys and Ferguson (Montreal), Dominion Seed House, Endean Nurseries (Richmond Hill), Herbst Brothers (New York). More suppliers can be found in Series 8, Harvey J. Sims : Personal Business.

Sims family

Correspondence with J.H. White.

Correspondence from and to Harvey J. Sims and J.H. White, University of Toronto, author of Forest Trees of Ontario. Includes pencil notes and lists by Harvey, information about Tree Tanglefoot and an envelope labelled "Address – Forest Trees" containing pencilled notes by Harvey for a speech about the importance of forest trees.

Sims family

Harvey J. Sims : personal business.

Files created and maintained by Harvey J. Sims in the course of daily household business relating to household expenses, personal expenses, and expenses incurred in planning and maintaining his property at Chicopee. These files were also used by Harvey for his personal interests and activities, such as clubs, memberships, investments, and circular letters. They contain correspondence, invoices, receipts, ephemera, and hand-written notes. Many invoices from nurseries or seed suppliers present here relate to those in series 6.

Sims family

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