Government of Yukon
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FOR RELEASE #06-181
August 2, 2006
Fort Selkirk Exhibit Opens
WHITEHORSE – A photography exhibit titled A Glimpse at Fort Selkirk: Examining the Structures from the 1890s to the Present Day, opens to the public at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4 at the Hougen Heritage Gallery.
The exhibit, which is presented and curated by the Department of Tourism and Culture and the MacBride Museum, will hang in the gallery until Oct. 23, 2006.
"This beautiful exhibit juxtaposes contemporary photos from Tourism and Culture’s collection with historical photos from the MacBride Museum," Tourism and Culture Minister Elaine Taylor said. "The photos highlight the extensive restoration work that has been carried out for nearly 24 years by the department’s Heritage Resources Unit, together with the Selkirk First Nation."
"Fort Selkirk is without a doubt one of Yukon’s most important historic sites. It is exceptional because of the excellent condition of its many buildings, and it provides a fascinating snapshot of the history of trade and settlement in the north," Taylor said.
Located at the confluence of the Yukon and Pelly rivers, Fort Selkirk is co-owned and co-managed by the Yukon government and the Selkirk First Nation. Since 1982, the two partners have worked together to preserve, develop and manage the town site.
David Johnny is a Selkirk First Nation councillor and is project manager of the Fort Selkirk Restoration Crew. He has worked on building restoration there for almost 12 years. "Many of our people were born, lived, and died at Fort Selkirk," Johnny said. “I’m very happy that we’ve been able to keep this part of our history alive”.
Fort Selkirk’s Euro-Canadian history began in 1852, when Robert Campbell established a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. In the early 1900s Fort Selkirk grew into a truly multi-cultural community with a population of more than 1,000. At the end of the sternwheeler era, in the early 1950’s, the settlement was abandoned, and the Selkirk First Nation people relocated to Pelly Crossing.
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| Contact: Peter Carr Cabinet Communications Advisor (867) 667-8688 peter.carr@gov.yk.ca |
Michael Edwards |