NEWS ARTICLE

By Steven Hill
The Whistler Question
July 24, 2001

Museum website showcases Whistler's past: Myrtle Philip photo collection hits the net

The life, times and photographs of Whistler's most renowned and respected female pioneer have hit the internet in a multi-media collection chronicling the early development of the resort.

Containing more than 900 photographs, Whistler pioneer photographs from the Myrtle Philip Collection was funded by Canada's Digital Collections (CDC), a showcase of 400 websites celebrating Canada's history, geography, and culture.

"I'm very happy with the site," said Pat Gemmill, curator/archivist for the Whistler Museum and Archives. "It's much better to have this collection accessible through the internet where people can get the information, and learn about Whistler's history without damaging the original prints."

Normally, historic photos of Whistler in the good old days would be locked away in a fireproof cabinet at the museum.

"Without this website, these photos would still be locked in that cabinet, accessible only to someone who made a special request," explained Gemmill.

"This is a great way to disseminate the information and show off the photos."

Produced by Vancouver's Pepper Sunlight Productions, the site contains less than half the photos at the museum and archives, but Gemmill said there are plans to greatly expand the site in the future.

"We have about 2,000 photos in all," he said.

"We definitely have plans to add to the site, using quicktime video and a more interactive aspect."

As it stands, the site features a comprehensive history of Myrtle Philip, pioneer life, and various areas of the Whistler resort, along with archival photos placed side by side with current pictures of the same areas as they look today.

In 1914, Myrtle Philip, an expatriate from the United States, opened Rainbow Lodge on Alta Lake with her husband Alexander.

A former school teacher, Myrtle set to work running the fishing resort for the tourists and sports people that were drawn to the pristine setting.

She became a driving force in the community, succeeding in establishing a post office, community club and a school for what was then just a remote village, accessible only by the Pacific Great Eastern Railway.

She remained a prominent figure in the developing community of Whistler until her death in 1986.

To access the website point your browser to: http://collections.ic.gc.ca/myrtlephilip/.