Yellowknife's 75th Homecoming

A Klondike-bound prospector, E.A. Blakeney, made the first discovery of gold in the Yellowknife Bay area in the late 19th century but the announcement was viewed as unimportant as the romance of the Klondike Gold Rush had hit a fever pitch. It wasn’t until samples of uranium and silver were uncovered at Great Bear Lake, that prospectors began fanning across the shield country in search of mineral riches.

In 1933, two prospectors, Herb Dixon and Johnny Baker, canoed down the Yellowknife River from Great Bear Lake and found gold at Quyta and Homer Lake. Baker returned in 1934 and stumbled upon a rich gold vein on the east side of Yellowknife Bay at Burwash Point.  A small shaft was sunk and more gold claims were staked.  This flurry of activity led to the establishment of the permanent community of Yellowknife in 1938 surrounding the activity of the Con and then the Giant gold mines!

Aerial Photograph of Yellowknife Photo by Wop May 1930s
NWT Archives/N-1979-003-0107

Celebration events hosted by the community will include displays, tours, tournaments, festivals, dinners, dances, breakfasts, a fishing derby, parades, talent shows, races, performances...and lots more to be announced. Whether you are young or old, local or visiting we look forward to sharing with you our memorable past, our dynamic present and our bright future.

Main Street Yellowknife in the winter of 1941. RC Church in the background
NWT Archives/N-2004-018-0051