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Rod LeMay: Master Photographer

Rodolphe "Rod" Lemay ( 1875-1949 )
Master Photographer

​Rod LeMay was born in St. Louis de Lotbinière in Quebec on January 11, 1875 and when he was 16 he was an “Artiste Apprentice” in Montreal.

A story of heartbreak seems to have led him to the then remote area of Powell River at the age of 27. He lived on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation and appears to have worked in a logging camp. The first image we have by LeMay is that of the Michigan Puget Sound logging train in 1907. His first studio was located in what was called Lutzville at the time (where the old golf course in Townsite was located behind the hulks). 

In 1909 rumblings were heard that a pulp and paper mill was to start along Powell River and in 1910 construction of the mill and the town that grew up around it started. It is assumed that the Powell River Company allowed LeMay to document both the industry’s growth and that of the newly burgeoning Townsite.

LeMay did amazing work, all the more remarkable because of the cumbersome materials that were required for his images. His work faithfully reflects the growth of the Powell River community and its citizens, including a tragedy that befell the Tla'amin First Nations in 1918 when it lost a major village to a devastating forest fire.

The LeMay collection of images inspire awe in both visitors and researchers alike. His glass plate negatives and the prints made from them are pristine, elegant in their depiction of people in their work and at play. LeMay used a Romera view camera with a 6.5 lens. His ingenuity made it a magical instrument. He rigged up a process to use flash and to capture wide angle shots. He not only created technical innovations, his artistic eye produced lasting images that rank among the finest from early photographers.

The quality of his black-and-white original prints remained intense for decades due to a secret that he used in the dark room. The glass negatives he left behind produce images as sharp and detailed as the day he made them. The combination of his innovative technical expertise and his artistry have created a priceless legacy documenting the beginnings of the community.

We do not know why LeMay stopped taking photographs but in 1923 he sold his studio to Maud Lane. He remained in Powell River until 1947 and died in Vancouver in 1949.
Picture
Portrait of Rod LeMay, c. 1900-1915. (ID P05300)
Picture
Rod LeMay and the first boat built on Powell Lake, 1908 (ID PH003676)

Here is a sample from the collection, which contains over 1000 photographs. 

1967.1. 56, Brooks Scanlon and O'Brien Stillwater logging camp on lake.
1967.1.1, Building church (tent) chapel, 1908
1967.1.10, Animals wolves (pelts), two hunters booty, 1910
1967.1.13, Fishing trout catch and fishermen, c.1912
1967.1.15, Home interior of trapper's house, 1917
1967.1.16, Sliammon fire aftermath showing statue still standing, 1918
1967.1.19, Michigan Landing (Willingdon Beach) shore and wharf looking north toward mill site
1967.1.23, Organizations Boy Scout troop group portrait, 1914
1967.1.27, Home tent of Rod LeMay, 1908
1967.1.29, Beach breakwater bath house looking North with man coaxing deer, 1920
1967.1.32, Music Powell River orchestra portrait musicians, Central Building, Liebenschel, Ernie, third from left, 1919
1967.1.34, Sliammon residents after fire, 1918
1967.1.35, Group portrait Powell River residents standing in front of huge fir tree, 1912
1967.1.37, Disasters; boat wreck beached from which Charles Phipps and Ralph Faro drowned. Herman Roesch was the only survivor. Accident happened on April 23, 1911. , 1911
1967.1.43, Sliammon fire aftermath shore front looking south, 1918
1967.1.46, group portrait 8 men including 2 soldiers in uniform lounge in front of a fence, 1916
1967.1.55, Logging Brooks Scanlon and O'Brien Stillwater donkey engine yarder and crew in woods, nd
1967.1.56, wild cat, 1914
1967.1.179, Mill, sawmill, filing room, 1913
1967.1.181, Townsite, Dam, construction workers, 1911
1967.1.183, Sport, Baseball team, pats 2nd team, 1913
1967.1.195-2, Barber shop scene, c.1920
1967.1.197, Mill, waterfront, wharf, trucking paper on 2 wheel truck, 1915
1967.1.210, Townsite, railway crossing 2nd(Ash) Street, logging train on the way to Michigan Landing, 1915
1967.1.215, Mill, western section, looking North from the top Jenson Towers, 1915
1967.1.219, Townsite, railway crossing, Ocean View and 1st Street, marine and ash, 1915
1967.1.237, Mill, beater stone construction, 1915
1967.1.242, Townsite, western section railway laying track , 1916
1967.1.282, Mill, machine room #1, crew with covered Porter-Bar, 1916
1967.1.284, Machine room #1 crew many in bare feet are changing a wire. Assembling a machine, 1916
1967.1.301, Mill, sulphite digester, 1916
1967.1.418, Henderson School, 1916
1967.1.421, Townsite, China Block, showing southwest corner of Avenue Lodge. This block housed the following businesses Star Restaurant, Sing Lee Co, 1916
1967.1.523, Mill, machine room, calender stack, pope reel
1967.1.539, Tug Chemainus, c.1918
1967.1.541, Sailing ship Cardinia at mill wharf, c.1918
1967.1.545. Boat, Iphis on Powell Lake, c.1918
1967.1.557, Boats, Fulton loading paper at mill wharf., c.1918
1967.1.561, Landscapes, Powell Lake, view from Valentine Mountain, c.1918
1967.1.563, Powell Lake, c.1918
1967.1.604, Townsite, 2nd Street (Ash St.), Gymnasium, Bank of Commerce, Theatre, Rodmay Hotel, c.1923
1967.1.613, Townsite, southern section, home construction, 1923
1967.1.637, feeding deer at bathhouse, 1923
1967.1.638, Powell River, falls below dam, 1923
1967.1.641, Employee of Powell River company Mill. Electrical room
1967.1.648, Powell Lake, wakeboarding, Sally Lang , c.1918
1967.1.650, Portrait, Picnic and preparation for a boat race., 1914
1967.1.662, Lund with Lund Hotel, and Malaspina Hotel
1967.1.664, Portrait, Man & Women, Masonic Lodge, and Ladies Orange Benevolent Assoc., nd
1967.1.715, Business,Central Building, Novelty Department. Central building used as store from 1913 until Powell Stores built in 1941, c.1920
1967.1.881, 220 Maple, now sycamore, 1912
1967.1.1795, Townsite, an aerial view. Possibly taken from top of Jenssen Tower, 1916
1991.81.5773, Rodmay Hotel, nd
1998.10.2, Foot Ball L-R Back Row 1. Bob Southcott 2. Jack Loukes Jr. Middle 1. Arthur Dunn 2. Walter Patrick SNR Front 3. Arthur Richards, 1918
2007.50.4, Mill, view of penstock canal looking down river, 1911
2007.50.17, Portion of dam and intake to canal, 1911
2007.50.21, mill generator room, 1913
2007.50.25, Mill, Paper Machine room and crew , 1914
2007.50.28, Townsite, clubs, White City gun club, 1916
2007.50.48, baths behind company store, nd
2007.50.55, Portrait, group of men looking down on Powell Lake., nd
2007.50.58, Portrait, group of hikers above Powell Lake, 1918
2007.50.69, Dr. Henderson bathing a dog., nd
2007.50.71, Float Cabin and boat on Powell Lake, nd
2007.50.74, Portrait, man in Military uniform fishing Powell Lake, c.1918
2007.50.91, Man water skiing on Powell Lake, c.1918
2007.50.103, Portrait, Unidentified group at float cabin KilKare up Powell Lake, c1918
2007.50.111, portrait of a baby, c.1918
2007.50.114, townsite fawn, nd
2007.50.119, Portrait, interior of house with fireplace, nd
2007.50.120, Townsite, promenade in front of old Drugstore, Central Building, nd
2007.50.123a, Photo depicts a cat sitting in the window of a Powell River's house., c.1918
2007.50.141, Burning debris from log jam at Powell Lake, 1910
2007.50.145,Camp scene with feeding animals, jim springer, 1908
2007.50.147, Wildlife, deer in native haunts, 1910
2007.50.05586, Photo depicts the house that was used as the Provincial Police office in Powell River., c.1930
2007.50.05603, Photo depicts a bunch of youngsters gathered into a sandbox for a group photo, c.1923
2007.50.05636, early mill, c.1913
2007.50.05643,workers inside the number 3 and 4 paper-machines building at the Powell River mill, c.1917
2007.50.05647, Photo depicts Powell River's Myrtle Point showing the railway and station., 1919
2007.50.11145, The Powell River Band; each member holds his respective instrument, 1914
2007.50.11203, first rolls of newsprint ever produced in Powell River - and in British Columbia, 1912
2007.50.11426, powell river mill looking north, australian ship loading paper, 1914
2007.50.11496, Photo depicts a view of the Powell River mill and Townsite. Shown is the log-haul going to the sawmill. Number 3 and 4 paper machine building is behind the log-haul. The acid t
2007.50.12040, Photo depicts the Michigan and Puget Sound logging railroad from Powell Lake to the waterfront at the future mill site., 1908
2007.50.13221, Photo depicts a crowd sitting at a July 1st celebration in Powell River. Mr. Manson, M.L.A., is addressing the crowd., 1914
2007.50.13936, Photo depicts a view of the Powell River mill and town site., 1910
2007.50.13945, Photo depicts men constructing the Powell River dam, 1912
2007.50.13967, Photo depicts construction of early buildings, c.1910
2007.50.13968, Photo depicts four workers grubbing, or gathering dirt, close to what is now the intersection of Third and Maple streets in Powell River's townsite. Left to right McCloud, Koenig, c. 1910
2007.50.14195, powell river village 1910
2007.50.14575, Photo depicts the first pleasure party leaving Powell River's Lutzville. The party is riding on the back of a train headed for Michigan Beach., 1912
2007.50.16430, Photo depicts Oak Street in Powell River's townsite, lined with houses and oak trees, nd
2007.50.16436-1, powell river and riverside community, c.1930
2007.50.164361, dam spillway open, c.1930
nd002178, Townsite, Riverside Homes, Balkan Village looking north, 1916
p00169, Photo depicts men sitting atop rolls of differently-wrapped newsprint., 1920
p04740, Photo depicts Dr. Henderson standing with two nurses in Powell River. The nurse at the right is Margaret Henderson. All of them are wearing masks over their faces., c.1918
pc000155, Canadian Puget Sound Logging Company camp after a snow storm in Lutzville, which was situated on the site of the old Townsite golf course, 1911-1912.
2007.50.13698, Photo depicts a worker at the Powell River mill, nd
Rod Lemay photograph: “Sunshine and Storm” Taken in 1912 featuring the Willingdon Beach shoreline and Texada Island in the background. (ID 1967.1.176)
Picture
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© 2023 qathet Museum & Archives
​Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of material on this website. Dates and times are subject to change. 
Territorial Acknowledgement 
The qathet Museum & Archives is located on the traditional territories of the Tla’amin Nation. The Museum is committed to collaborating with all Indigenous peoples of this province including the Tla'amin Nation. We acknowledge the harms of the past, are committed to improving relationships in the spirit of reconciliation, and we extend our appreciation for the opportunity to live and learn on this territory. ​Emote!
  • Exhibits
    • Current Exhibits
    • Forestry Building
    • Virtual Exhibits >
      • Riveting Women
      • Symphonies of the Sunshine Coast
      • Capturing Mountains
      • Story of Cedar
      • Powell River Firsts
      • Rod LeMay Collection
  • Collections
    • Objects
    • Archives >
      • Research Requests
      • Indexes & Finding Aids
      • Archival Descriptions
      • Powell River Digester
      • Phone Books & Directories
      • Good Citizen
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    • Local History Books
  • Programs
    • Public Programs Calendar >
      • Little Wonders
      • Remember When Club
      • Spring Speaker Series
      • Fall Speaker Series
      • Mini-Curators
      • Papermaking
      • Summer Camps
      • Museum In the Park
      • Archaeology Day
    • School Programs >
      • Exhibit Visits
      • Outreach Kits
      • Portal to the Past
      • Educator's Survey
    • Virtual Programs >
      • Virtual Portal To the Past
      • A Taste of qathet's History
      • The Crafty Corner
      • Dive Into the Archives
    • Tours
    • Memoirs
  • Learn
    • Indigenous History
    • Place Names
    • Forestry History
    • Memories of the Mill
    • Community History
    • Blast from the Past
    • The Coast Memoirs
    • Heritage Stops
    • Blog
  • Support
    • Membership
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • Careers
  • About
    • COVID-19 Updates
    • Name Change
    • Our Mandate
    • News & Reports
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