~~Welcome to Yellowknife~~
When Samuel Hearne, an explorer for the Hudson's Bay Company, reach the shores of Great Slave Lake in 1771 he became the first white man to have reached the lake. Accompanying Hearne were several natives from the Yellowknife tribe, a band of Indians who frequented the north shores of Great Slave Lake. The city of Yellowknife was named after this tribe. Hearne called them the Copper Indians, but fur traders soon were referring to them simply as the band with yellow knives, or the Yellowknife tribe. The Yellowknife Indians were driven from the area by warring Dogribs around 1830, but their name remained.
During the Second World War, gold production slowed down, but started to increase steadily after the war and in the year 1848, Giant Mines began commercial gold production. The population grew and by 1947 an extensive building program had began that included hydro-electricity, water and sewer systems. In 1953 Yellowknife became a Municipal District and its first mayor was elected.
On May 1st, 1967 Yellowknife became the capital of the Northwest Territories. The commisioner of the NWT and his staff moved to Yellowknife in September 1967. Three years later on January 1st, 1970, Yellowknife became the first city in the Northwest Territories.
To learn about some of the activities and entertainment in Yellowknife please choose the next button.
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