Northwest Passage Territorial Park

The Northwest Passage Territorial Park is located at Gjoa Haven, on King William Island, Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut, Canada. The park consists of six areas that show in part the history of the exploration of the Northwest Passage and the first successful passage by Roald Amundsen in the Gjøa.

The park begins at the George Porter Hamlet Centre in Gjoa Haven where there is a museum. The centre contains a replica of the Gjøa, along with examples of traditional Inuit tools and clothing and a history of the Netsilik Inuit

The next site is a shelter where Amundsen made observations on the North Magnetic Pole, which was about 90 km (56 mi) north of Gjoa Haven. This site is followed by another shelter that Amundsen used to house his instruments. This includes a marble slab that he used to support his instruments along with a cairn dedicated to George Von Neumayer, Amundsen's teacher.

The next area is Gjoa Haven proper. Amundsen entered "the finest little harbor in the world" on 9 September 1903 and spent the winter there. Along with the observations, he also spent time learning survival skills from the local Inuit who called the area Uqsuqtuuq (lots of blubber). The fifth area is a grave site that is believed to be one of places that members of John Franklin's crew were buried.

The final area is the former Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) site. This is where the HBC and the Canalaska Trading Company moved to in 1927. The buildings are still in use today by The North West Company.

See also

• List of Nunavut parks

External links

• Nunavut Parks - North West Passage
• North West Passage Territorial Park at Hamlet of Gjoa Haven website

Coordinates: 68°37′52″N 095°53′03″W / 68.63111°N 95.88417°W / 68.63111; -95.88417 (Amundsen Cairn, North West Passage Territorial Park)