Fort Resolution

Fort Resolution is a reserve on the south end of Great Slave Lake. It is on Hwy 6 and 150km from Hay River.

First located at the mouth of the Slave River, Fort Resolution (pop 499) was moved to its present location in 1796. The first settlers were Cree-Metis. By 1852, Oblate priests had arrived to establish a mission and school. Treaty 8 with the Chipewyan, was signed here in 1900. Fort Resolution was a major medical and educational centre until the 1950s. This community is the oldest continuously occupied modern settlement in the NWT. Fort Resolution, population 412, is located on the south shore of Great Slave Lake where it meets the Slave River on Resolution Bay. The oldest Chipewyan and Métis town in NWT and is located at the confluence of the Slave River and Great Slave Lake. The town was founded in 1791 by the Hudson's Bay Company post as the earliest fur trading post on Great Slave Lake. Trapping remains the key industry along with commercial fishing and timber harvesting.

Traditionally known as Deninu Kúé or "moose Island place", it also serves as the headquarters of the Deninu Kúé First Nation. The beach here is a gorgeous spot for swimming, birds watching and fishing but this year the locals said the lake has dropped more than 2 feet. There is an airport but it only services charter and medevac flights. The fishermen use Fort Resolution as the main launching point when heading out into the east arm of Great Slave Lake.

It is in the middle of no where and there is basically nothing there. We did find a grocery store with a 'restaurant' in the back. We went to the band office to ask where the golf course was. There was an awesome chair made from Moose Horns with carvings.

We found the golf course, which is basically a cow pasture with no cows, but did not golf. They have some campgrounds there along with some beautiful cabins to stay in.

The town is in the middle of getting ready for the 'Hand Games' in 2 weeks. People are coming from miles around. The town is expecting up to 800 people. I have never heard of these games so I had to google it. Here is a link that explains the game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgznW43DLbg Its a 'tricksters' game. I would love to see them as they look like a lot of fun.

On the way back, we stopped at the ghost town of Pine Point. Pine Point was built in 1964 by Cominco Ltd. but the open-pit lead-zinc mine shut down when the value of lead plummeted in 1987. Once one of the biggest mining towns in the North, Pine Point is now an eerie network of paved roads and sidewalks being overtaken by the wilderness. Many of the buildings we sold and moved to Fort Resolution, including the hockey arena. Steve's Dad was working in the area at that time (1963-64). The shares were penny stock but they had no money to invest. Within months, the stocks split and split again. People who invested $1000 or $5000, walked away a few years later millionaires.

We checked out little Buffalo River Crossing Territorial Park Campsite. There was a forest fire near by, so there were no campers. Normally, the campsite would be full with Mennonite families from Le Crete, Alberta, fishing for northern Pike and Walleye.

Katlodeeche First Nation Reserve. This is directly across the river from the town of Hay River, but you have to drive over the highway bridge & turn off and drive in 12km. Commonly known as the Hay River Reserve, the Katldeeche Dene Reserve is 1 of only 2 reserves in the NWT.

The church is the Anglican Church. The gazebo has the official apology from the Anglican Church for the schools and treatment of the people. I took a photo of it but the photo was too blurred to add.

Photos of one of the cemeteries. Of interest, is that NO grave has a name attached to it. I asked why at the Visitors Info Centre and they were surprised. But ..the girls working there were still in school and this was their summer job so I didn't expect them to know. I will have to ask at the local pub in Hay River ..everybody in there knows everything ;) wink wink

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