While it’s been more than six decades, Pat Ellis can still cast her memory back to the Yukon visit by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in July 1959.

But what’s lingered in her mind most prominently, the longtime local author and historian told the Star this morning, was how unattractive Whitehorse was then as compared to now.

“The only thing I remember is what a dump it was,” she said with a laugh.

“We had just gotten plumbing downtown. All the streets were unpaved ... it was potholes and puddles. The only decent building downtown was Whitehorse Elementary School.

“I think it was kind of brave of the Queen to come to Whitehorse,” added Ellis, who was 24 years old with a year-old son during that week in 1959.

Commissioner Angélique Bernard recalled some of the royal visit highlights in a statement Thursday.

In Whitehorse, Bernard noted, the royal couple visited the MacBride Museum.

During their 25-minute stay, historian Bill MacBride explained the exhibits to the visitors, and told the Duke about Yukon wildlife and Indigenous artifacts, reported the Star of July 23, 1959.

MacBride’s spouse told the Queen about the late MP Martha Louise Black. The special visitors were sure to sign the museum’s guest book.

They also enjoyed a train ride from the White Pass and Yukon Route depot to McCrae, passing the Whitehorse Rapids, Miles Canyon and the then-new hydro dam.

As well, they watched First Nations cultural presentations and met with residents.

Whitehorse was dominated by military building and shacks for the most part. The Star was located in a ramshackle structure on Main Street.

The city had only been the territorial capital for six years.

The Duke (Prince Philip) visited Christ Church Cathedral and the Old Log Church in Whitehorse.

He then flew to Dawson City and Mayo on his own, as the Queen was suffering from morning sickness, as she was pregnant with Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. Reporters transmitted messages about the ailing monarch all around the globe from Whitehorse.

As the Star reported, organizers had to hustle to secure a convertible so the royal couple could tour through Whitehorse before admiring crowds.

“There was some pretty fast shuffling around to find an open car for the Queen’s tour of the city after a royal request for such a vehicle,” the columnist known as “The Stroller” reported in our July 23, 1959 edition.

“Half an hour after her arrival, RCMP had found a likely-looking vehicle, a 1959 Ford Fairlane convertible driven by Cassiar miner Vincenzo Caparelli.

“Fourteen minutes after police swooped down to ask for use of the car, the Army had it polished up and it was ready at the airbase to start the tour.

“Saturday night, Service Corps mechanics D.J. Leigh and R. Lawrie went to work replacing a speedometer cable and a taillight on the car, supplied by Whitehorse Motors spare parts department manager Slim Conoly. Driving the convertible for royal appearances was Staff Sgt. G. Vills.

“Northerners saw their first royal pilot when the Duke of Edinborough flew to Dawson and Mayo.

He took the four-engine de Haviland Heron on the tour originally scheduled for both himself and the Queen.

“According to a member of the royal household, the Prince owns a similar plane and is quite familiar with the Heron.

“He returned here late Sunday afternoon and taxied right up to the VIP house, while the Queen watched from a window.

“The Duke also took over as driver in the car which took the party fishing later that day.”

The VIP house was eventually moved from the escarpment side of the airport to Alexander Street, where it stands to this day.

The Stroller also reported on Her Majesty’s ensemble upon her arrival in Whitehorse.

“The Queen wore a Hartnell original, as are all the Queen’s gowns. Touched off by white accessories was a cherry and white printed silk dress with pleated skirt, worn under a cherry red wool coat.

“The Queen’s hat was white silk with pink rosettes and a white net veiling.”

Tour organizers had forgotten to send along the Duke’s personal standard, which must be flown from any car or plane he occupies.

However, by good luck, 19 Company Service Corps happened to have one his standards available. In the nick of time, it was unfurled to be placed on the royal car after church on the Sunday.

That evening’s dinner featured roast mountain sheep.

Ellis remembers how the royal couple had to go down Two Mile Hill and along Fourth Avenue.

“They had to go by all these old buildings left over the army,” she recalled. “There were big, ugly garages, old army trucks and a huge United Keno Hill Mines shop near where Whitehorse Elementary is.”

After the train with the royal couple aboard arrived at McCrae, the visitors met the crew before returning to the city by car.

Engineer Charlie Rapuzzi, with more than 50 years’ service with White Pass, was the first crew member to be presented.

“She is a fine lady and I want to give her the very best train ride I can,” he had said just before guiding the train out of the White Pass depot.

From McCrae, members of the media accepted a White Pass invitation to continue on to Carcross, where a buffet supper and refreshments had been arranged at the Caribou Hotel.

Times and attitudes were far different in that era, Ellis noted.

“I was thinking how innocent we were,” she said. “We would never consider criticizing anyone.

“Now, it’s an industry to drag everybody down ... it’s dreadful.”