Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Philip Fonds
General material designation
- Graphic material
- Textual record
- Cartographic material
Parallel title
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Level of description
Fonds
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
~1700 photographs
201 postcards
78 cm of textual material
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Myrtle Frances Tapley was born to a family of New England seafarers on March 19th, 1891 in the eastern United States. She studied at Bluehill - George Stevens Academy to become a schoolteacher where she boarded with the Philip family. It was there that Myrtle met her future husband.
Alex was working on the West Coast of British Columbia with his father at the time but was returning home for the holidays when he and Myrtle literally ran into each other as he entered the front hall. They were inseparable for the week that he was home, going on hikes or having picnics together every day. For the next four years Alex and Myrtle corresponded faithfully by letter (Myrtle worked in teaching positions in the Brooksville schools) and in 1909 Alex sent for his bride-to-be. The two were married in 1910, St. Helen's, Oregon and decided to settle in British Columbia.
Myrtle Philip became Whistler Valley's most significant female pioneer, migrating to the west coast of British Columbia in her early twenties with her husband Alex. The young couple fell in love with British Columbia's Coast Mountains and decided to carry out their dream of building a holiday retreat. With the guidance of John Millar, who worked as a trapper and fur trader, the Philips travelled north of Vancouver up the Pemberton Trail to a place called Alta Lake - the perfect wilderness setting for a fishing lodge. Adventurous hiking, plentiful fish stocks and healthy mountain air soon made the Lodge the most popular resort destination west of the Rocky Mountains. Guests were warmly welcomed by Myrtle, Alex and the Lodge staff, and invited to participate in a number of outdoor activities such as horseback riding, swimming, boating, hunting, skiing and skating. Myrtle was an avid contributor to the spirit of the growing Alta Lake community. She started the Alta Lake Community Club and played an integral role in the development of the Valley's first school. Although Rainbow Lodge was sold in 1948, Myrtle continued to be a prominent figure in the Whistler Valley until her death in 1986. Mrs. Philip's extensive contribution to the development of this unique resort town is still evident today. She was a member of the Alta Lake District Ratepayers Society for many years. For some years she served as the Secretary for ALDRA.
In 1983 Myrtle moved to Hilltop House Senior Home in Squamish. She is buried in Whistler.
Custodial history
Scope and content
The fonds consists of personal papers of Myrtle Philip, including education documents, journals, diaries, banking records, certificates and passports, legal and property records, correspondence, birthday and recipe books, postcards of the Alta Lake/Whistler area, scrapbooks, reference material, and photographs. The photographs depict the Philip family, people (including guests at Rainbow Lodge), events, and scenes of the Whistler area. The fonds includes Alex Philip's manuscripts, as well as records relating to his estate. The fonds also includes records of Rainbow Lodge, including guest registers (1915-1947), a cashbook (1928-1952), employee records (1941-1948), invoices, and receipts.
Notes area
Physical condition
Poor-Good (December 2016)
Immediate source of acquisition
Donated by Florence Petersen on behalf of the deceased Myrtle Philip.
Arrangement
Arranged according to original order.
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
All inquiries regarding use, reproduction, and publication should be addressed to museum staff.
Finding aids
Associated materials
Accruals
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number area
Standard number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Philip, Myrtle (Subject)
- Philip, Alex (Subject)
Genre access points
Control area
Description record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules or conventions
RAD, July 2008 version. Canadian Council of Archives.
Status
Final
Level of detail
Partial