Forward
Spring has arrived at the qathet Museum and Archives, and we’re busy preparing for the summer season! Keep an eye out for updates on our new hours. Join us on May 16 for International Museum Day as we celebrate with an open house and a special Night at the Museum event.
Looking ahead, our Annual General Meeting will take place on June 14 at 10:30 AM in the Centennial Building at 4790 Marine Avenue, Powell River.
To stay up to date, follow us @qathetMuseum on
Lutzville wasn’t just home to loggers it was also the residence of one of Powell River’s earliest photographers, Rodolphe “Rod” LeMay. Born in 1875 in St. Louis de Lotbinière, Quebec, LeMay studied carving and sculpture at the Academy of Rome. He eventually made his way to Vancouver in the early 1900s, and not long after, moved to Powell River. Tragically, after relocating west, he lost both his wife and son.
Up until the early 1920s, LeMay operated a photography studio in Lutzville. He documented life in the region, capturing images of the mill constructions, residents, and everyday moments. After Lutzville declined, he moved to a home in Wildwood, where he lived up until his health failed him. By the time of his death in 1949, he had created a priceless collection of historical photographs. His work offers a rare and invaluable glimpse into the early days of Powell River, preserving the spirit of a settlement that might otherwise have faded into obscurity.
Tank Farm at Lutzville, 1916 | ND002260
Article Sources
Powell River Company Digester 1929
Powell River First 50 years
Powell River News, Jan 26 1949 th
1993.48.1
Poem found in Poems and Thoughts Written by W.W. Johnson in the 1950s.
“The Humming Bird”
“The humming bird is one of the Most beautiful and most speedy Of our feathered friends, The only bird that can fly backwards Notice it as it seems to stand still On the wing and dips into its long bill Into the flower sipping the nectar From flower, the brighter the flower Is the more frequent it will visit. I think it the smallest of our Feathered friends no larger than a Mans thumb the nest that it makes Is the smallest that man has come Across in his search for nests, Its bright colour fascinates you As you gaze upon it, and its perfect Shape you cannot overlook Its wonderful plummage of bright colours. It and the swallows are the swiftest Birds that fly in the air.”
By Museum Manager, Ava Hansen
Staff are working hard behind the scenes, continuing to organize artifacts on the mobile shelving installed in May 2024.
Already, staff are noticing that it is easier to locate artifacts for exhibits and programs.
Not only are the artifacts organized with permanent home locations, but they are also stored in a way that is safer for the artifacts themselves such as in acid-free storage boxes. We are eagerly awaiting acrylic shelf fronts to prevent artifacts from shifting or falling during earthquakes.
We can’t wait to show you all the work that’s been going on behind the scenes at the museum and welcome you to join us on May 16 for a Collections Room tour! th
Before or after the tour, peruse the museum or watch a historic short film.
This Night at the Museum event is our way of celebrating International Museum Day and is admission by donation.
2016.23.1 Three dishes excavated at Chinese and Japanese shingle bolt workers’ camps in the qathet Region. Thought to be used ca. 1920s-1942.