The people, nature and arts of the three nations have come to influence one another and this site will try to tell their histories and relationships. Each culture has an individual story to tell and collectively they have created one unique narrative as a result of the similar experiences that the mountains imposed. The collection includes not only written documentation, but also a significant number of photographs and artefacts that enable us to see the way in which they are connected. The three cultures have lived within the same environment and the simple isolation of the landscape has led to profound spiritual and physical relationships, both with one another and with the mountains that surround them. Whistler’s history is an ever changing entity. It is unusual to be able to watch the history of a town unfold before your eyes, with the descendants of the three nations still living and working within the community.

  • Whistler’s Evolution

    Alta Lake, as the Whistler area was once known, was a blank canvas when Myrtle and Alex Philip arrived. On their newly acquired ten acres of land they set up a fishing lodge and were ready for business by the … Continue

  • Perfect Peaks to Creeks

    The unique environment of Whistler is one of the principal elements linking the three nations who inhabit the area, all are unified over the simple isolation. It is this underlying commonality that has shaped the lives of those who live … Continue

  • Subsistence Living

    The early inhabitants of Alta Lake would have left many luxuries from their former lives behind, however, the knowledge that their materialistic sacrifices were required in order to ‘live the dream’ within the wilderness of the mountains must have been … Continue

  • Dressing Whistler Style

    Purchasing clothing or fabric must have been a struggle for the early pioneers due to the length of time it took to travel back to the stores of Squamish or the city of Vancouver. The three day journey over difficult … Continue

  • From Shacks to Chateaus

    The first home-builders in the Whistler valley were not short of supplies. Many inhabitants came to the area to work in the logging industry. Constructing a cabin out of the surplus amount of good timber was simply common sense. Perhaps … Continue

  • Whistler’s Roots

    The earliest explorers in the Whistler valley were the Hudson Bay Company’s employees, J.W.McKay and Major William Downie at the request of the chief factor James Douglas. The company wanted to facilitate a more efficient transportation system through the numerous … Continue

  • Living the Dream

    People enjoyed many outdoor pursuits in Whistler long before the rise of skiing drew crowds to the valley. Rainbow Lodge on Alta Lake was originally built to cater to keen fishermen during the summer months but the owners, Alex and … Continue