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Northern People, Northern Knowledge - 
The Story Of The Canadian Arctic Expedition 1913 - 1918
Mapping the North
 
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Mapping


The Canadian Arctic Expedition (CAE) redrew the map of northern Canada.

Stefansson and his Northern Party not only discovered four new islands which were added to Canada's territory, but also discovered and re-mapped significant errors in the maps previously available, some of which were based on British Expeditions of the 1850s that were part of the search for Sir John Franklin. Maps of Banks and Victoria Islands were clarified, Lougheed Island was delineated as one of the Findlay Islands, and many rivers were described for the first time. During the ice trips Expedition members made many sounding of the ocean floor, and carried out the first tidal observations in this area.

The Southern Party completed the detailed mapping of the Arctic coast from Alaska to Bathurst Inlet, a job started with Hearne's trip down the Coppermine River to the coast in 1771. They also mapped the East Channel of the Mackenzie River, the area where Inuvik is now located. Mapping the extent of the copper deposits in the Bathurst Inlet area was a major objective of the Expedition. Another more local map created was a chart of the harbour at Bernard Harbour based on a survey by Cox with the assistance of Patsy Klengenberg.

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Video:
CAE sleds leaving Collinson Point for Yukon; note the measuring wheel at the back of the sled

 

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CMC CD96-651-010

Cox, Chipman, and Pedersen, posed alongside their loaded sled, with distance-measuring wheel attached, before continuing on to Herschel Island from Barter Island, northern Alaska. March 17, 1914. GHW 50766. Source: Canadian Museum of Civilization


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K.G. Chipman with a plane table and Patsy Klengenberg with a stadia rod mapping the harbour, Bernard Harbour, Nunavut. July 18, 1915. GHW 51632. Source: Canadian Museum of Civilization


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K.G. Chipman, standing with a plane table alongside a tent, Bernard Harbour, Nunavut. July 18, 1915. GHW 51633. Source: Canadian Museum of Civilization


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CMC CD95-937-005

K.G. Chipman, CAE geographer, taking solar observations, netting around his hat to protect him from mosquitos, Bernard Harbour, Nunavut. July 20, 1915. RMA 38746. Source: Canadian Museum of Civilization


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CMC CD96-604-029

J.R. Cox taking latitude with a sextant at the harbour at Cape Barrow, Dr. R.M. Anderson examining the canoe behind him, umiak in the water beyond, Coronation Gulf, Nunavut. August 14, 1915. KGC 43279. Source: Canadian Museum of Civilization


Establishing Connections

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CMC CD96-659-004

John Cox leaving a small stone monument at Cape Parry, along with RNWMP Corporal W.V. Bruce and Patsy Klengenberg, as seen from CGS Alaska, July 24, 1916. GHW 51308. Source: Canadian Museum of Civilization


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CMC CD2000-17-007

J.R. Cox, CAE geographer, adjusting his sighting instrument, Canada-U.S.A. International Boundary near Demarcation Point, northern Alaska. August 4, 1916. RMA 39339. Source: Canadian Museum of Civilization

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Video:
Cox and Chipman taking sights at Collinson Point

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Chart of Alaska/B.C. waters with original pencil markings showing the schooner Alaska's track. Source: Canadian Museum of Nature


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Canadian Museum of Nature Archives 92-001 Box 17

Map of western Arctic with Inuit names and "tribal" groups. Source: Canadian Museum of Nature


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Canadian Museum of Nature Archives 92-001 Box 17

Map of Bernard Harbour. Source: Canadian Museum of Nature


Map showing all place names created by CAE, and features named in honour of members during and long after the expedition.

Map showing place names

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Map of Arctic Sound from R.M. Anderson's notebook. Source: Canadian Museum of Nature


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Map of CAE Southern Party travel routes and camps. Source: David Gray


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Map of CAE Southern Party travel routes and camps. Source: David Gray


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Map of southwestern Victoria Island, showing wanderings of Puivlik Inuit, 1915. Source: Canadian Museum of Nature