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Event

Beaver Gems summer operation, 1973

Also 1973 Beaver Gems shop

Draft — sources verified, prose evolving

Locator map: Beaver Island highlighted within the Beaver Island archipelago
Took place at Beaver IslandLocator plate © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0); depths NOAA; names USGS GNIS. How the plates are drawn.
TypeEvent
Datescirca 1973-07 – circa 1973-09
WithinBeaver Island
ErasModern era
On this page
Locator map: Beaver Island highlighted within the Beaver Island archipelago
Took place at Beaver IslandLocator plate © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0); depths NOAA; names USGS GNIS. How the plates are drawn.
Event
Dates
circa 1973-07 – circa 1973-09
Kind
Business
Where
Beaver Island
Carried out by
Beaver Gems
Eras
Modern era
Concepts
economytourismcommunity
Within
Beaver Island

Summary

Beaver Gems operated during the 1973 summer season, with Robert Gillespie running the shop and Gail Gatliff tending it during the day. The July notice describes driftwood and shipwreck-derived articles.

Evidence and limits

The report is a seasonal business notice, not a registration or complete inventory.

Sources

  1. Reports Robert Gillespie operating Beaver Gems, with Gail Gatliff tending the shop during the day, and says the shop offered articles made from driftwood and shipwrecks; it does not provide a business registration, inventory, or exact season dates.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1973-07_Beaver-Beacon
  2. The held eleven-page issue scan is paired with the OCR source and confirms the published notice or report; it does not expand the source-specific identity, event, or outcome claims.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1973-07_Beaver-Beacon
  3. Barbara Pierson recalls attempting to sell shipwreck furniture at Robert Gillespie’s Beaver Gems during the 1973 summer; the letter does not provide an inventory or business record.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1973-09_Beaver-Beacon
  4. The held eleven-page issue scan is paired with the OCR source and confirms the combined September–October publication; it does not expand the published source-specific identity, event, or outcome claims.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1973-09_Beaver-Beacon

Added 1 August 2026 · revised 3 August 2026. Recent changes

Cite this article

Beaver Island Archive, “Beaver Gems summer operation, 1973”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/events/beaver-gems-summer-operation-1973/, accessed [date], citing Beaver Beacon, July 1973, “Businesses Open for the Summer.” (and 3 further sources listed on the page).

Last revised 2026-08-03. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.

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