Celebrating Yellowknife's 75th Anniversary

The NWT Archives has an extensive photographic record of the development of Yellowknife. Below are a number of slide shows about various aspects of Yellowknife history. Many more photographs can be accessed through our
online databases.

Frontier Town
In 1934, two prospectors, John 'Yellowknife Johnny' Baker and Hughie Muir, discovered gold on the east shore of Yellowknife Bay.

This slide show features scenes from Yellowknife's early years.

Interested in the whole story of gold discovery? Visit our module on the NWT Historical Timeline.

Home and Community
This slide show features people and events in the 1950s and early 60s, as documented by Yellowknife's first professional photographer, Henry Busse.

For more on Busse see our online exhibit of his work.

Government Moves North
In 1967, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, the Honourable Arthur Laing, announced that Yellowknife would be the capital of the Northwest Territories.

This slide show features changes to Yellowknife, the new capital of the NWT.

Please enjoy the film Moving North (runs 28 min. 15 sec.), which chronicles the transfer of the territorial government from Ottawa to Yellowknife.

Interested in the whole story of Yellowknife becoming capital of the Northwest Territories? Visit our module on the NWT Historical Timeline.