territory of Canada, was once the end of the distribution line for many films. In 1978, a cache of more than 500 reels of nitrate film was discovered during the excavation of a vacant lot formerly the site of the Dawson Amateur Athletic Association, which had started showing films at their recreation center in 1903. Works by Pearl White, Helen Holmes, Grace Cunard, Lois Weber, Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks, and Lon Chaney, among others, were included, as well as many newsreels. The titles were stored at the local library until 1929 when the flammable nitrate was used as landfill in a condemned swimming pool. Having spent 50 years under the permafrost of the Yukon, the reels turned out to be extremely well preserved. Owing to its dangerous chemical volatility, the historical find was moved by military transport to Library and Archives Canada and the US Library of Congress for storage (and transfer to safety film). A documentary about the find, Dawson City: Frozen Time was released in 2016. See also :Category:Silent films :Category:Silent film actors African American women in the silent film era Classic Images Laurel and Hardy films List of film formats German Expressionism Kammerspielfilm List of silent films released on 8 mm or Super 8 mm film Lost films Melodrama Sound film Sound stage Tab show "At the Moving Picture Ball" (song about silent film stars) References Footnotes Bibliography Further reading External links The Internet Archive's Silent Film Archive Silents, Please!: Interesting Avenues in Silent Film History The Silent Film Channel: Free Archive of Silent Films Audiovisual introductions in 1894 Film Film genres 19th century in film 20th century in film