We can get pretty wordy around here, so w e’re going to switch things up this week. If a picture is worth a thousand words, than what’s the value in video?
We’re fortunate enough to be quite rich when it comes to film, so we’ll share some of that this week.
Earlier this year we were able to digitize some home video filmed by Whistler pioneers Florence and Andy Petersen. They provide a fascinating look at the resorts early days, from the 1950s-70s. Several short videos have been uploaded to our YouTube account, but this week we’ll highlight a single clip from 1974.
It opens with a quick pan across Alta Lake to Mount Currie, Wedge Mountain, and Weart Mountain glowing in the winter sun. It then cuts to a slow drive past Creekside, Whistler’s original ski resort base. One is able to spot the Gondola Barn, the Skier’s Chapel. the original Gulf gas station, and several other modest wooden structures.
Though Creekside certainly has its charms, it is a far cry from the thoroughly planned and meticulously maintained Whistler Village. Though short, the clip allows you to understand the lay of the land much better than words or photos.
Since we’re quite well-endowed in the photo department as well, we’ll include a lovely photo of Florence swimming in an alpine tarn (perhaps Harmony Lake) in August 1958.
Usually, we don’t think about ice very often, unless there’s none in the freezer. The cold, slippery truth is that our local ice deserves more consideration than that. Wrap up warm, and we’ll take you back to the times when the ice harvest was a hard, but fun, event in our valley.
Cutting ice was a big event at Alta Lake. The Photograph shows Sewall Tapley (Myrtle Philip’s father) in foreground together with Rainbow Lodge guests. Whistler Museum, Philip collection, 1920s
Since amenities were few before the 1960s, ice was one of the only ways to keep things cool and food from spoiling. Ice blocks were cut out of the frozen Alta Lake during February, when the ice was thickest. In the 1920s, it would take Myrtle and Alex Philip, the owners of Rainbow Lodge (Whistler’s first resort lodge), about two weeks to get enough ice to last the summer. The ice cutting was very hard work – as one can imagine due to fact that our early settlers had no modern tools. “They cut the ice with an ice saw… like a big crosscut saw” noted Myrtle on the back of her photos. Blocks were cut out of the chilled Alta Lake, loaded onto a sled, and pulled to an ice house where the blocks were kept to provide refrigeration through the summer months.
A chore for every winter until Hydro came in: Alex Philip with an ice saw cutting blocks of ice out of Alta Lake. They were stored in sawdust in an ice house for summer use. Whistler Museum, Philip collection, 1920s
A couple of small ice houses dotted the valley’s landscape at this time. Ice houses were double-walled, tightly insulated structures packed with sawdust, capable of keeping large amounts of ice through the warm months. At first, Myrtle and Alex built their ice house near Rainbow Lodge. It was later moved closer to Alta Lake to cut down on the distance that the ice needed to be hauled.
The early Rainbow Lodge with the ice house close by. It was later moved closer to Alta Lake to cut down on the distance that the ice needed to be hauled, Whistler Museum, Philip collection, 1919
Of course, the hard work had to be duly celebrated. In her book Whistler Reflections, Florence Petersen, founder of the Whistler Museum, remembers that after the ice-cutting work Alta Lake locals like Alex Philip would gather at the cabin of Bill MacDermott, an American who settled on the south end of Alta Lake in 1919: “His jugs of homebrew would be brought out from under the floorboards to help celebrate.”
For most of the summer, the empty lot between the museum and the public library has been a fairly heavy duty construction zone. There has been a steady hive of activity as RMOW staff and various contractors have been busy transforming the dusty, under-utilized space into a verdant work of art. The work is nearly done, and we couldn’t be more excited to share the finished product with you.
This Wednesday, August 28th at 2pm you are invited to join RMOW & Museum staff, Her Worship Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, friends and family of the Petersen family for the official unveiling ceremony for Florence Petersen Park.
The landscaping work is still in progress, but already the park is a beautiful and welcoming space.
Florence, a cherished and influential resident of the Whistler Valley for more than five decades, and the founder of the Whistler Museum, passed away on August 28th last year. It is fitting that this public space dedicated in her honour be located right next to the building that is such an important part of her legacy, and that the unveiling ceremony occur on the 1-year anniversary of her passing.
The park acts as a natural extension of the Museum itself. The open lawn provides the perfect space for outdoor talks, children’s crafts, and other activities when the summer weather permits. There will be a large memorial plaque for Florence surrounded by flowers symbolic of her long-time role as local marriage commissioner; at least two of the staff who helped construct the park were personally wed by Florence.
The gentle slope creates a wonderful natural ampitheatre effect.
The bright green lawn perfectly complements the wonderful mural painted last year by local artist Kris Kupskay, making the vibrant colours pop that much more. New trails link the park with the pre-existing Village Park, with its historical logging stumps and fascinating nurse trees.
This western redcedar tree grew straight out of an old logging stump. Coastal forests are fertility and regeneration defined.
As well, an original Red Chair has been installed, for those who find the picnic tables lacking historical gravitas. With all these elements (and a few more still to come), Florence Petersen Park immediately becomes one of the best picnic/lunch spots in Whistler Village.
Not your average bench.
We’re thrilled for this beautiful park, and the fitting memorial it provides for our dear friend. We hope you have a chance to join us for the park’s unveiling ceremony and that this modest green space becomes a cherished rest spot for all tourists and visitors alike.
As many know by now, Florence Petersen, who founded the Whistler Museum & Archives Society more than 25 years ago, passed away two evenings ago at her home on Alta Lake. While we have lost a pillar of our community and an irreplaceable store of knowledge about our community, a brief look at her life reveals much to celebrate.
At the time of her passing, Florence was the longest-tenured living resident of the Whistler Valley. In the summer of 1955, more than a decade before ski lifts began operating on Whistler Mountain, a youthful Florence Strachan and four school-teacher friends purchased a modest cabin called “Witsend” on the west side of Alta Lake.
The cabin quickly became a cherished summer and weekend retreat, and the five young women were welcomed into the tight-knit Alta Lake community. It was here that Florence met and soon married the charming Danish carpenter, Andy Petersen.
Florence (top left) and friends at Witsend, 1950s.
All the while, Florence’s professional life remained focused on her work as a teacher in Burnaby, not to mention athletic pursuits which even landed her a spot on Canada’s national women’s field hockey team and took her to Melbourne, Australia as an ambassador.
Upon retirement from teaching in 1983, Florence moved to Alta Lake full time. Retirement is a misleading term, however, because she immediately set upon fulfilling a promise she had made years previously to Alta Lake pioneers Myrtle Philip and Dick Fairhurst. Florence would ensure that the memory of their quiet lakeside community would not be overwhelmed and forgotten during the valley’s reinvention as a global destination resort.
She began collecting photographs and artifacts, speaking to the “old-timers,” gathering their stories, and on February 12, 1987 the Whistler Museum & Archives society was formed. For her efforts Florence was named Whistler’s Citizen of the Year.
Florence and her baby.
Florence became the ultimate source on the history of Alta Lake, authoring The History of Alta Lake Road, Whistler Reflections, and a third book, First Tracks: Whistler’s Early History which is set to be published shortly. Of course, her breadth of knowledge extended far beyond whatever made it to the written page, and her knack for story-telling made for an enriching experience.
Meanwhile, Florence also became the district marriage commissioner. In the days since Florence’s passing, we have heard from many people with fond memories of having Florence oversee their weddings. For anyone who knew Florence it is clear she was just the woman for the job, possessing the poise to ensure the ceremony was seamless and dignified, but with an unwavering optimism that perfectly complemented the joyous nature of the occasion.
For all these major, measurable contributions that Florence made to Whistler, however, from preserving our past to helping so many couples as they embark on their future (aside from new births, is there a more optimistic, forward-looking event than a wedding?) it was the warmth of her presence that was perhaps her greatest gift.
Florence sharing a laugh with long-time neighbour and close friend Myrtle Philip.
While technically she has not been an employee or board member of the Museum for several years, Florence remained our leader emerita, her and Andy stopping in regularly with much-welcomed words of advice, encouragement, and fresh-baked cookies. Countless others in the community have similar stories of such ever-pleasant encounters.
While the Museum currently feels a little rudderless without the prospect of any more of Florence’s cookies, and the kind words that always accompanied them, we are left with the substantial legacy of her tireless efforts and the inspirational model by which she lived.
Thank you Florence.
The Museum has a book of condolences on-site. Feel free to stop by and share a thought for Florence and her loving husband, Andy. We are open 7 days a week 11am-5pm.
