Introduction

Information Sources

Precontact History of the Vuntut Gwitchin

History of Contact

International Boundary Survey 1909-1912 

Community of Old Crow

Non-Gwitchin Trapping

Inuvialuit Use

Euro-Canadian Exploration and Research

History of Conservation

Resource Evaluation

Table of Place Names

Bibliography

THE INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY SURVEY 1909-1912

Between 1909 and 1912, the International Boundary Commission surveyed, marked and cleared the international boundary (141st meridian) between the Yukon River and the Porcupine River (1909-1910), and between the Porcupine River and the arctic coast (1911-1912). Specially constructed river boats ascended the Old Crow River as far as the boundary to supply materials to the survey parties (International Boundary Commission 1918). The survey's use of horses up to the arctic coast probably represents the northernmost use of horses as pack animals in Canada. With the exception of the Mackenzie River, the river boats on the Old Crow River also probably set a record; for the most northerly paddle-wheeled boats on freshwater in Canada. Boundary monuments, campsites, and triangulation sites established within what is now Vuntut National Park are a lasting legacy of this survey (see map Figure 2.4, showing caches, triangulation sites and trail routes).

i) The Work of 1911

Advance parties with supplies for the survey arrived in Rampart House in 1910. In 1911 one Canadian party continued working north from where they had halted in 1910 and proceeded north towards Rampart House, completing work as far north as the Salmontrout River (80 km directly south of Rampart House). The other Canadian and American parties arrived at Rampart House on the steamer Vidette on 6 June 1911, and pack horses and riverboats were soon leaving Rampart House (Figure 2.5). 


Figure 5a. Click on photo to enlarge


Figure 5b. Click on photo to enlarge.

 The U.S. launch, Midnight Sun, worked north up the Old Crow River and succeeded in landing about 20 tons of supplies "at a point a few miles below the line-crossing [where the international boundary line crosses the Old Crow River]." The smaller Canadian launch, Aurora, was used in June to attempt to get the "Chiefs of Party", American Thomas Riggs and Canadian J. D. Craig, up the Old Crow to the boundary line. However, the spring high water had subsided and "there were no practical results from the trip, except a first-hand knowledge of the Old Crow Flats."
The Boundary Survey had four launches and two poling boats on the Old Crow River in 1911 (Figure 2.6). Persis Kendi and Liza Malcolm, sisters who grew up in the Old Crow area, both said they saw their first white men along the [Old Crow?] River at their father's camp. "Six boats came, and we got blankets, grub, and clothes, and since then we have had all these things. I don't know the year....These were the first white people [we saw]" (McClellan 1987:234-235).


Figure 2.6 Click photo to enlarge and see other photos.
Despite the problems resulting from low water levels in 1911, the topography survey was carried out north to Joe Creek, a main tributary of the Firth River (in Ivvavik National Park), and the triangulation surveys just a few miles to the south. In late June 1911, work was hampered when "for five cloudless days the rear light was obscured by the smoke of a bush fire in the Old Crow Flats" (Riggs 1911).


Figure 2.7 Click photo to enlarge and see other photos.

Construction of the boundary monuments was completed as far as the Old Crow River, and the cutting of the line ("vista-cutting") as far as Joe Creek. A large temporary camp was established in the valley of the Firth River. A major winter camp of log buildings was started near the Old Crow River but in the end was not used (Figure 2.7).

The difficulties encountered by the survey parties in what is now Vuntut National Park included frequent heavy rains that raised the level of the streams making the crossing of the Old Crow River difficult, and the hordes of mosquitoes in the wetlands. Reports submitted by the crews reflect the problems; "The work through the infested swamps and brush had been wearisome" and "Horses laughed out loud when they got across those flats" (Riggs 1911).

The papers and reports of the International Boundary Survey provide a good early photographic record of the western part of Vuntut National Park and the Old Crow Flats Special Management Area, recording a variety of images including survey parties crossing the Old Crow River, setting up monuments, and establishing camps (Figure 2.7). 

Only a few images relating to the natural and cultural resources of this area are available (Figure 2.8), e.g., an "Indian Grave" on Potato Hill (location uncertain as at that time there was a Potato Hill on both sides of the boundary).


Figure 2.8 Click photo to enlarge and see other photos.

In 1911 a joint U.S.-Canadian geological survey was begun in connection with the International Boundary Commission work. U.S. geologist A. G. Maddren accompanied the survey party from Rampart House north to the Arctic Ocean in 1911 and 1912 (Maddren 1911, 1912). The Canadian party under D. D. Cairnes began a geological survey along the boundary south from the Porcupine River to the Yukon River (Cairnes 1914).

The activities of the survey were somewhat disrupted by the outbreak of smallpox in July 1911. A strict quarantine was imposed by the Commissioner of the Yukon and all residents, whites and natives, were vaccinated. Because of the quarantine, members of the survey parties were not permitted to return to Rampart House, and at the end of the season, they re-assembled at Camp Tittmann about 65 miles downstream from Rampart House (International Boundary Commission 1918).

 

ii) Completion of the Survey 1912

Plans were made to have part of the party overwinter at Rampart House, thus allowing the work of the Boundary Survey to go ahead in the early spring of 1912. The overwintering party of five Americans and two Canadians was kept busy with work related to the survey and the smallpox epidemic. During the winter, the American launch was overhauled, a large warehouse to store horse feed and supplies was built, and when weather permitted, supplies were distributed to locations up the line.

Early in April 1912 supplies were taken north along the boundary trail by horse pack-train as far as Surprise Creek. As soon as the Porcupine River opened up, the over-hauled American launch, Midnight Sun, was sent to the Old Crow River with 10 tons of supplies. As the Old Crow did not open up until a few days later, Midnight Sun was joined at the mouth of the river by the Canadian launch Aurora, which had been overhauled at Whitehorse. The two launches worked their way up the Old Crow and landed a "considerable quantity" of supplies near the boundary line (Figure 2.6). Later in the season Midnight Sun was successful in getting one load "some miles above the line-crossing" after a heavy rain raised the water level for a short period (International Boundary Commission 1918).

The establishment of the boundary line had a lasting impact on the Vuntut Gwitchin and others at Rampart House. The presence of the RNWMP post and the new customs regulations made hunting and trapping in the area of the international boundary more difficult. The International Boundary Survey party itself was seen by some as the source of the smallpox epidemic and many people stayed away after 1911 (International Boundary Commission 1918). Stephen Frost suggested that among the reasons why people left Rampart House for Old Crow was the problem of hunting around the newly marked border (Te'sek Gehtr'oonatun Zzeh College 1993).

Seven of the large concrete monuments that the survey established along the border to mark the location of the International Boundary are located along the western Boundary of Vuntut National Park. These represent a historic site and event that had a major impact on the people of the Old Crow area. They could be considered the most obvious and stable of the material historic resources of the Park. Monuments 26 to 32 are on the Park boundary and four triangulation site markers are within the Park (Figure 2.9).


Figure 2.9 Click a photo to enlarge and see other photos.

Clearing of the boundary line and the repair and maintenance of the monuments takes place from time to time under the direction of the International Boundary Commission. Monuments were repaired along the Vuntut National Park boundary in 1973 and the monument (# 32) on the north side of the Old Crow River (Figure 2.9) was moved back from its precarious position on the river bank (Popper 1973). The latest re-clearing of the boundary line was completed in 1983 and 1984 (Crabtree 1984).