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Spotlight: Yellowknife
Frontier history meets modern culture on the Canadian Shield
Located 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle on the Canadian Shield, Yellowknife defies the stereotype of the isolated, lonely northern Canadian outpost. With a population close to 20,000, Yellowknife’s streets bustle with hip art galleries, scintillating restaurants and a robust aboriginal culture that influences many aspect of the community. The aurora borealis shimmers brightly in the town’s night skies, but the terrestrial festivals and celebrations pulse with an energy that is just as spectacular. Throughout the year, outdoor lovers use the town as a jumping-off point for boat trips, scenic hikes and hunting adventures.
Sitting on the northern shores of Great Slave Lake, Yellowknife traces its roots to the 19th century, when fur traders traversed the region by canoe or by foot. In the 1930s, prospectors in search of precious metals flocked to the town via float plane, boat or car over treacherous ice roads. Over the years, Yellowknife adopted modern conveniences and communications, but the city never lost its frontier spirit.
This is evident at the Wildcat Café, a restaurant that has been serving up great grub to customers since it became the city’s first eatery in 1937. The rough-hewn wooden beams and hand-carved signs help you imagine when it was like when early miners ordered a hot meal after a hard day in cold underground tunnels. Shop for clothes and souvenirs at Weaver & Devore Trading, Yellowknife’s oldest trading post in business since 1936.
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A Ragged Road
The quirkiness of frontier culture permeates many aspects of the town. Take a walk along Ragged Ass Road, a popular thoroughfare that was named by three drunken prospectors. The eclectic nature of the street inspired singer Tom Cochrane to name an album after the road. Visitors can purchase an official Ragged Ass Road sign from the Northern Frontier Visitor’s Centre gift shop, together with a wide variety of other Ragged Ass memorabilia.
Yellowknife’s culture isn’t limited to humorous street names. The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Center showcases historical relics and local artwork that document the history of 20th-century settlers as well as the First Nations people who made this area their home for centuries. At the Northern Arts Cultural Center, performances and art events pay homage to the unique local sensibilities. The Yellowknife Art Walk leads visitors to many of the galleries, sculptures and murals that have made the town a centerpiece of the region’s creative life.
Lovers of the outdoors will find endless recreation possibilities. These include hiking through the surrounding wilderness, boating on Great Slave Lake, and hunting for Alpine sheep, goats, moose and bison. During winter, intrepid visitors can enjoy cross-country skiing, ice fishing and dog sledding. And, of course, the Northern Lights glow in spectacular fashion during the cold months.