New Exhibits for 2007: new exhibits; a new look

Rare Photos of Doukhobor History

Our exhibit in 2007 features select images of settlement and archival history of the Doukhobors in Canada, and particularly in BC, which have not been publicly displayed before. These have been selected to cover the total range of the Doukhobor presence, including communal life, industry, recreation and education.

More specifically, the exhibit focuses on the key events of the Doukhobor history; the immigration, assistance of Lev Tolstoy and others, and the leadership of Peter V. Verigin.

This exhibit is an all encompassing display and another milestone in our archival work as a museum and as a research center.

Over the last several years at the Doukhobor Discovery Center, we have logged archival photographs on display. Additionally, we now have 217 autochromes, approximately 1100 slides, and a few hundred more 'independent' photos.

 

Florence Chernoff Lymburner, who graced our opening with her presence, poses with her painting depicting women ploughing the prairie. Appropriately titled ‘Spring 1899’, this is just one of the outstanding images seen in the 2007 Exhibit.

We have acquired these 'independent' photos by going through available sources and almost on a weekly basis, discovering new 'old' photos that we have not classified. Many were obtained as a result of donations, many were found between papers or documents, and others were donated by Doukhobors from across Canada whose elders have passed on.


A rare and restored photo of Lev Tolstoy posing at Yasnaya Polyana in 1908 (also found in the new 2008 calendar).

  
Another rare image found in the '08 calendar and in the 2007 Exhibit is this photo of early building in Ooteshenie, BC using horses to haul the logs.

During the last three years we have undertaken to scan/digitize this collection, and categorize, number and name the individual images in the collection. Some have been digitally restored for presentation and exhibit purposes while others require further work.

With the advent of the Internet, a researcher can now summon images and facts easily from around the world. As we put our rare images on exhibit we will also make them available on our website, essentially forming a photo archive library on line.

Our eventual goal is to have this collection in high resolution format so that documentary producers, book publishers and authors, and various other organizations could make use of the collection and our position as a reference and research center will be further enhanced through such a development.

People who request materials from our growing library originate from as far away as Japan, to the UK - from authors to producers at the BBC and other network television outlets. Our library also acts as a service provided for other museums who are enhancing their own collections.

 
A new 2008 calendar has been produced from twelve select images from our 2007 Exhibit. The calendar is on sale at the Doukhobor Discovery Centre for $25 and makes a treasured gift for 2008 and beyond.

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