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| Historic Sites In The Northwest Territories |  |
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Far north of much of the world, and indeed most of Canada itself, lies the Northwest Territories—a vast and enigmatic wilderness above the 60th parallel. Encompassing equal parts of wild arctic tundra, great rivers, dramatic mountain scenery and isolated communities, it is one of the country's last frontiers. Ironically then, it was also one of North America’s first frontiers to be explored. Even in name, the Northwest Territories has existed for centuries. From the earliest days of the fur trade in the 1600s, European explorers traversed its corners, which then (as the North-Western Territory) extended almost all the way to Lake Superior. Today, the province is only a fraction of its original size but is still a mind-boggling tract of some 1,000,000 sq km (385,000 sq mi). This immense landscape is best known for its arctic wildlife and dazzling night skies with Aurora Borealis, but scattered throughout the region are also remnants of its early inhabitants and explorers. These trading posts, church missions, mining sites and museums all offer insight into the survival, fearlessness and daring adventures of the people who shaped the province’s history. Getting there and around is an adventure in itself. Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, is 1,200 km (785 mi) north of Calgary and many of the province's communities and sites are accessible only by air. Once there, however, little has changed in its landscape since European’s first laid eyes on it and, even today, a visit is a step into the wild. A BRIEF HISTORY
In the early 1800s, Hudson's Bay established the post of Fort Norman at Tulit’a and in 1821 Yellowknife’s Dene Chief Akaitch heroically rescued starving survivors of an expedition to the Arctic coast led by Lt. John Franklin of the British Royal Navy. In the 1900s—two centuries after oil was first found in the region—mineral discoveries replaced the fur trade when highly-valuable radium was discovered at Great Bear Lake in 1930, followed by gold a few years later in Yellowknife and, more recently, diamonds. HISTORIC SITES AND ATTRACTIONS The Northwest Territories has many small towns with interesting histories but they are often relatively inaccessible or have only small physical remains of their history intact. What follows are the main centres in the region and their respective points of interest.
The capital of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife is located on the north shore of Great Slave Lake and provides a base from which to explore some of the region’s historic sites and attractions. The gold rush in the 1930s led to the town’s settlement but when gold deposits waned it turned its focus to being a government service centre. The discovery of diamonds in the 1990s once again made the town sparkle with mining expectations and it continues to do so. In addition to the sites listed below, visitors can take a walking tour of the old town area, which includes an example of early log construction at Fireweed Studio, a former Hudson’s Bay Warehouse and Ragged Ass Road, an eclectic mix of historic architectural styles. Prince of Wales Heritage Centre The Prince of Wales Heritage Centre celebrates the First Nations peoples of the region and offers visitors permanent, temporary and online exhibits of their, and the territory’s, history. There are northern artifacts on display such as a moose skin boat, clothing and implements, as well as relics from early explorations of the Arctic. There is also an exhibit depicting the life of pioneering bush pilots, including a Fox Moth airplane. The online section of the museum features journals and photographs of trappers, fur traders, past inhabitants of Kuukpak—an Inuvialuit place name—and the history of Old Fort Providence—one of area's first trading posts. Old Fort Reliance Old Fort Reliance, on the eastern arm of Great Slave Lake, is one of the best-preserved sites of early exploration in the Arctic. Erected in 1833, it served as winter headquarters for the Arctic Land Expedition and its remains include chimneys, storage pits and outlines of the log buildings in the earth, all of which are still being studied by Parks Canada. Bush Pilot’s Monument Located in Yellowknife’s Old Town, the Bush Pilot's Monument pays tribute to the skies in more ways than one. Situated atop what is known as “the Rock” and accessed by a climb up a set of steps, the memorial affords panoramic views of Yellowknife’s and Great Slave Lake’s striking scenery. Norman Wells
Canol Heritage Trail The Canol Heritage Trail is much more than an old pipeline route. Now a designated National Historic Site, the trail does indeed follow the pipeline that was one of Canada’s first large-scale projects but is known today as much for its fascinating landscapes as the rusting relics of the original project. The route, which winds its way 370 km (230 mi) from Norman Wells to the Yukon, follows the Mackenzie River Valley and passes over the Continental Divide. It can be walked independently or with guided services and is considered one of the toughest and most strenuous walks in the world. Fort Simpson Originating from an 1803 fur-trading site called Fort of the Forks, Fort Simpson is the main community in the Dehcho region of the Northwest Territories and is the gateway to the scenic and popular Nahanni National Park Reserve, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Fort Simpson itself, visitors can take self-guided or guided tours of the centre’s historic sites, including its Heritage Park and Albert Fraille’s Cabin. The latter includes an historic log cabin of a local prospector, as well as the boat he carried board by board around Virginia Falls while he prospected in the Nahanni Park for over 40 years.
This Heritage Park is an ongoing project with restorations of buildings currently underway. A log house dating from 1935 is being repaired, while the Sacred Heart Rectory, dating from 1911, is being moved to the park to serve as a museum, meeting place, tea house and art studio. No matter when tourists time their visit though, the park offers views of the town, the surrounding area and of Fort Simpson’s Papal Grounds—an historically important gathering place for First Nations tribes and where, more recently, Pope John Paul II celebrated mass in September 1987. Nahanni National Park Reserve Outdoor enthusiasts best know the Nahanni National Park Reserve for its exceptional scenery and world-class white water rapids, but the park is equally exciting to history buffs. Inhabited by the Dene people for several thousand years and hunted and fished by the Naha tribe—a mountain-dwelling people who raided settlements in the lowlands—the park became the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 and its visitor centre offers information on the history, culture and geography of the region. Access to the park is by air so most visitors see the park via all-inclusive tours. Independent travel is possible but requires visitors to register with park authorities. In addition to the legendary oral history of the park, which includes tales of dangerous mountain men and lost valleys, the Nahanni is also notable for Virginia Falls—almost twice as high as those at Niagara—and a couple of natural hot springs, which make for a good soak after a day of hiking, canoeing or chasing those mythical mountain men. Fort Smith Fort Smith sprouted on the Slave River where canoes and York boats were reloaded after a 25 km (16 mi) portage around some strong river rapids. Today, the town can be reached along Highway 5 and visitors to the area can enjoy historical highlights such as the Northern Life Museum and Fort Smith Mission Historic Park, as well as Wood Choppers and Slave River Monuments.
The Oblate Catholic Mission here originally covered 62 ha (151 acres) and is at the centre of the current town. From 1876 until the early 1980s, the Roman Catholic Church operated its mission to the entire western Arctic from here. Since there was no government school system at the time, the church opened and operated schools across the north. Today, the well-preserved site is open to the public and includes the 1911 Bishop’s residence, a hospital building that was built in 1952, a Cathedral and Grotto, and several carpentry and machine shops. Signs are located throughout the site for self-guided tours and provide visitors with the history and activities of the mission. Northern Life Museum The Northern Life Museum features the history and culture of the North’s First Nations peoples and includes a collection of cultural and natural artifacts from the area, known historically as Thebacha. Exhibits incorporate information about the traditional lifestyles of the original inhabitants of Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories and explain how exploration and development affected the region and its people. The museum has one of the original and restored copies of Treaty 8, an agreement first signed in 1899 between Queen Victoria of Great Britain and the region’s First Nations. Traditional arts and crafts are also on display and local artists often feature in exhibits that can include photography, painting, quilting, or carving. Whatever visitors choose to see in the Northwest Territories, the experience will be a unique one. Apart from its historic sites and museums, the very landscape and its remoteness imbue a sense of the lives and challenges faced by its First Nations inhabitants and early explorers. It remains today as vast and distant a land in the 21st century as it was centuries ago. PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
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