About the Archives

The NWT Archives’ mission is to identify, acquire, make accessible, and preserve records that document the history of the Northwest Territories.

The NWT Archives collects documents in many forms, including: correspondence, maps, charts, architectural plans, photographs, reports, audio recordings, films, videos, and newspapers. The NWT Archives also houses an extensive non-lending library of publications related to the history of the Northwest Territories.

Our collection contains records from the Government of the Northwest Territories as well as records of historical significance donated by private individuals and organizations. Established under the direction of the Archives Act, the NWT Archives makes accessible those records required for the long-term accountability of government and for historical purposes. The NWT Archives also acquires and preserves records created by individuals, organizations and businesses that have significantly impacted our history. This total archives approach endeavors to collect records on NWT history in which all cultures and people are represented.

Our holdings document the history of the NWT, including oral traditions and history of NWT Indigenous peoples, constitutional development in the NWT leading up to the creation of Nunavut, the activities of the Government of the Northwest Territories since 1967, environmental and wildlife management, Indigenous rights and self-governance, arts and culture, resource development, the fur trade, transportation, and tourism.

Since being established in 1979, our holdings have grown immensely. What once consisted of a handful of boxes has expanded to include more than one kilometre of text, over 600,000 photographs, many thousands of hours of sound recordings, video and films, and digital records. Our library features over 9,000 volumes and includes a world-class collection of rare books on the north. We are proud to make these resources accessible to the public and to ensure that the information they contain will be preserved for future generations.

The NWT Archives is pleased to share its Vision Statement. The NWT Archives Operational Manual documents the rules, procedures and authorities that guide operations and the associated management of archival records holdings.

Records of the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) shed light on government practices and policies, provide evidence of past activities, document the constitutional development of the Northwest Territories, and allow citizens to hold the government accountable for past decisions. Our governance records go as far back as 1888, but consist primarily of Council and Legislative records from 1921 to present day. 

From 1923 to 1971 the Northern Administration Branch, a division of the federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, played a strong role in administering the Northwest Territories. The NWT Archives has 44 metres of textual records created and accumulated by the branch and its various predecessors from 1923 to 1971. The majority of those files date between 1949 and 1967.

In 1967, the administrative offices moved from Ottawa to the newly established capital city of Yellowknife, creating the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT). In the following decades, functions performed by the Government of Canada have been devolved to the GNWT, starting for example with education, local government, and economic development, to the most recently devolved lands administration. 

NWT Archives holdings include extensive records of several bodies responsible for constitutional development from the 1950s to the 1990s, prior to division with Nunavut, including the Carrothers Commission, the Constitutional Alliance (Western Constitutional Forum and Nunavut Constitutional Forum), Commission for Constitutional Development (Bourque Commission), and Constitutional Development Steering Committee. 

The NWT Archives receives regular transfers of records generated by the departments and agencies of the GNWT, according to established records schedules. Please be advised that access to government records is governed by the Access to Information and Privacy Act. For more information, contact NWT Archives.

In addition to government records, the NWT Archives acquires records created by individuals, families, organizations and businesses in the Northwest Territories that shed light on the everyday life and activities of NWT citizens. These include community governments such as the City of Yellowknife, the Town of Hay River, and the town of Pine Point. The NWT Archives stewards the UNESCO Memory of the World recognized collection of the Gwich'in Tribal Council -Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute fonds. Private citizens have donated their records, such as politician and businessman Robert (Bobby) Porritt, trapper and musher Pi Kennedy, teacher Mary Saich, the Glick family, and research and academic Peter Usher, and lawyer and judge Mark de Weerdt. We hold records from former NWT Commissioners John Parker and Stuart Hodgson, as well as Deputy Commissioner Bob Pilot.

The archivists at the NWT Archives work to acquire materials from private sources that provide a rich representation of diverse cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. The records of a wide variety of private organizations involved in a range of activities such as arts, journalism, charitable organizations, advocacy, business and industry, social clubs, religious missions in the NWT have also been acquired by the NWT Archives.

There are over 600,000 photographs in our collection. While our photographs date from the turn of the 20th century until the 2000s, most were created between 1950 and 1990. Our largest collection is the Native Press - Native Communications folds, which holds over 200,000 photographs from the Native Press dating from 1971 to the 1990s. The GNWT government photographer collections contribute to a significant visual record of the territory. Photographer Henry Bsse and prospector Sam Otto provide thorough coverage of Yellowknife during the 1950 and early 1960s. Felix Labat, Robert C. Knight and Bern Will brown created photographs at a time of change during the 1950s and 1960s. Experienced and professional photographers James (Jim) Jerome, Erik Watt, Gerry Reimann, Dorothy (Chocolate) Carseen, Arthur Boutillier and Rene Fumuleau provide sensitive, unique and captivating perspectives of the north through their work. As well, hundreds of amateur photograpphers have donated thousands of photographs that have also been scanned and described by archivists for the public to enjoy in our online database.

The NWT Archives holds a variety of film and video collections from both professional and amateur filmmakers. A large portion of this collection comes from the GNWT's Radio and Television Services Division, including television programs such as The Tube, public service announcements, promotion and documentaries about government programs, and more. There are also documentaries from the private sector on a variety of topics, including mining, community life, traditional knowledge and skills, and transportation. Amateur film and video primarily consist of shots of community and family life, events, and activities on the land.

Oral history interviews play a significant part in the documentation of the history of the NWT, and often feature Indigenous languages. Our earliest oral history recordings were made in Fort Good Hope and feature Dene chants recorded in 1957. We have hundreds of recordings from the Committee for Original Peoples’ Entitlement (COPE) oral history project. Academics such as anthropologist June Helm and Robert Howren contributed ethnographic and linguistic recordings. The Métis Nation collection holds hundreds of oral histories and meeting recordings. Bill Addison's oral history work in the Nahanni is notable, as are Pat Braden's Musicians of the Midnight Sun projects.

Our holdings of maps and architectural records are steadily growing. There are numerous community planning and settlement maps, maps relating to division with Nunavut, tourism maps, Department of Interior maps predating 1930, maps related to the mining industry (e.g. claims), survey maps by John Anderson Thompson, a few aviation and marine navigational maps, and maps relation to land use and oral histories. Our holdings of architectural records are not extensive, but include plans for Inuvik's Grollier Hall Catholic student residence, Yellowknife's Museum of the North and Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Taurcanis Mines buildings, and standard housing units.

Please refer to our Documentation Framework for more information on the acquisition policy and objectives of the NWT Archives.