The story of Yellowknife stretches from time immemorial through eras of exploration, gold discovery, Indigenous stewardship, and modern development. 

This page highlights key moments in the region’s history and the heritage sites that preserve its past.

The story of Yellowknife cannot be captured in a single burst, but in a series of fiddle strokes, carvings, multi-beaded hues, and fish scales – the rest has yet to be written.

Mukluks
Ben Weiland/NWTT

Early History & Indigenous Stewardship

  • Before a city was erected, the Wiiliideh Yellowknives Dene lived in harmony with the land.
  • Hunting, trapping, fishing, gathering berries, and wood have been a way of life since time immemorial.
  • European settlers named the river “Yellowknife” after the copper tools carried by the Dene in the 1700s.
  • The Dene translation for Yellowknife River means “toothless fish river.”

Exploration Era (1700s – 1800s)

  • In 1770, Hudson’s Bay Company explorer Samuel Hearne visited the area.

    Peter Pond (1786) and Alexander Mackenzie (1789) followed.

  • The Northwest Company established Fort Providence near Wool Bay, south of present-day Yellowknife.
  • Over the following century, new relationships formed between the Dene, settlers, and Métis communities around Great Slave Lake.

Gold Mining & Rapid Growth (1930s – 1950s)

  • The 1930s brought a wave of exploration, leading to the discovery of gold.
  • By 1938, three gold mines were operating, and hundreds of new settlers had arrived.
  • Yellowknife grew from small shacks, log cabins, and tents into a fast-growing settlement.

Becoming a City (1953 – 1970)

  • In 1953, Yellowknife became a Municipal District.
  • It was recognized as a city on January 1, 1970.
  • Yellowknife was formally established as the capital of the Northwest Territories in 1967.

Modern Era

  • Today, diamonds are mined from the Canadian Shield.
  • Ice roads and northern aviation (including vintage aircraft) continue to support surrounding communities.
  • The ongoing story of Yellowknife lives in its culture, art, traditions, and the people who shape its future.