Culture 

The City of Yellowknife offers plenty of opportunities to experience the north's rich and diverse cultural heritage. Learn about Indigenous history off the north shore of Great Slave Lake, the fur-trading empire that stretched along the waterways of the 19th century, and the settlers that came to Yellowknife Bay in the mid-1930s in search of precious metals. 

Experience northern heritage in today's landscape, where old traditions mix with a modern way of life.

B.Dene Drummers Drumming
Tessa MacIntosh/Tessa MacIntosh Photography

Heritage 

The story of Yellowknife is a rich and colourful one. Established as the capital of the Northwest Territories in 1967, Yellowknife grew from a small collection of tents and wooden shacks to a diverse metropolitan city on the shore of Great Slave Lake. From its humble beginnings, Yellowknife has become an important cultural landmark in the territory and is a gateway city to the rest of Canada's North. The City invites you to explore our collective history by clicking on the links below. Should you have any further questions, be sure to contact the Planning and Development Department at @email.

Designated Heritage Sites

  1. Wildcat Café - Yellowknife’s oldest, most historic building
  2. Canadian Pacific Float Base - built in 1946 on the Old Town waterfront, was the city’s first permanent floatplane base.
  3. Weaver and Devore Store - established in 1936 remains the city’s oldest general store. Still operating today.
  4. Hudson's Bay Warehouse -  built in 1945 is the first HBC store in Yellowknife, serving miners during the gold rush.
  5. Back Bay Cemetery - also known as Pioneer Graveyard, this spot is recognized as Yellowknife’s first cemetery, serving residents from 1938 to 1946. The majority of gravesites in the cemetery are marked by wooden picket fences, which are typical of this period.
  6. Fireweed Studio - a historic cabin, operated by the Yellowknife Guild of Arts and Crafts seasonally in Somba K’e Civic Plaza near City Hall.
  7. Old Log School House - is the city’s first official school building. Built in 1937, it also served as a mining kitchen and bunkhouse.
  8. Bank of Toronto - this small log cabin served as a bank branch from 1944 to 1951 for miners and prospectors. Today, it is a private rental residence and is not open to the public for banking services.
  9. Yellowknife Post Office - was the first erected federal building.
  10. Bristol Freighter - is considered our “Welcome Monument”, as it's perched on a hill near Yellowknife Airport to greet visitors and locals alike. This historic landmark honours the bush pilots who travelled the North.

Recognized

  1. Back Bay
  2. McMeekan Causeway
  3. Peace River Flats
  4. Ragged Ass Road