Author Archives: Swany

John Arrowsmith’s Aboriginal map of North America 1857

Aboriginal map of North America, denoting the boundaries and the locations of various Indian tribes. John Arrowsmith, 1857

Aboriginal map of North America, denoting the boundaries and the locations of various Indian tribes.
John Arrowsmith, 1857
Library and Archives Canada [accessed 10 February 2026]


Aboriginal map of North America [detail]

Aboriginal map of North America [detail]
Library and Archives Canada [accessed 10 February 2026]


Statement of the Indian Tribes of the Hudsons Bay Territories

Statement of the Indian Tribes of the Hudsons Bay Territories

Aboriginal map
of
North America,
denoting the boundaries
and the locations of various Indian tribes.
Select Committee … on the Hudson’s Bay Company.
Ordered by the House of Commons to be Printed 31st July & 11th August 1857.
John Arrowsmith, 1857

This map includes:
Lake Athabasca
Athabasca River [as “Athabasca or Elk R.”]
Canoe River
Columbia River
Fraser River
McLoud’s Fort [as “McLeod’s Ft.”]
Peace River

Tribes
Athapescow Indians [as “Athabascan or Chipewan
Ind.”]
Beaver Indians
Blackfoot Indians
Blood Indians
Carrier (Dakelh)
Chipewyan Indians [as “Athabascan or Chipewan
Ind.”]
Shuswap (Secwépemc) Indians [as “Shouahwap Ind.”]
Tacully Indians [as “Takall Ind.”]

1932 map Wallace Early Alberta Forts

Early Alberta Forts, by J. N. Wallace, Calgary
Map number 11 in Voorhis
This map includes:

References:

  • Wallace, James Nevin [1870–1941]. “Early Fur Trading Posts in Alberta.” Annual Report of the Alberta Land Surveyors Association, (1922):11-20
  • Voorhis, Ernest [1859–1933]. Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Régime and of the English Fur Trading Companies. Ottawa: Department of the Interior, 1930. University of British Columbia Library [accessed 3 January 2026]

1931 map Northwest Territories

Northwest Territories in “Conquest of Great Northwest” by Agnes C. Laut.
Map number 1 in Voorhis
This map includes:

References:

  • Laut, Agnes Christuna [1871–1936]. Conquest of Great Northwest. Being the Story of the Adventurers of England Known as the Hudson’s Bay Company. New Pages in the History of the Canadian Northwest and Western States. Two Volumes in One. New York: Moffat, Yard, 1914. Internet Archive [accessed 14 January 2026]
  • Voorhis, Ernest [1859–1933]. Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Régime and of the English Fur Trading Companies. Ottawa: Department of the Interior, 1930. University of British Columbia Library [accessed 3 January 2026]

1923 Topographical Survey map Mackenzie River

Mackenzie River, Topographical Survey, Department of the Interior 1923.
Map number 25 in Voorhis
This map includes:

References:

  • Voorhis, Ernest [1859–1933]. Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Régime and of the English Fur Trading Companies. Ottawa: Department of the Interior, 1930. University of British Columbia Library [accessed 3 January 2026]

Hudson’s Bay Company Territory 1900

Map of the Company’s Territory Willson 1900

Map of the Company’s Territory
Willson 1900
Internet Archive [accessed 28 October 2026]

Map of the Company’s Territory

From The Great Company. Being a History of the Honourable Company of Merchants-Adventurers Trading Into Hudson’s Bay by Henry Beckles Willson [1869–1942].

Cited as map number 6 in Voorhis [1].

References:

  • 1. Voorhis, Ernest [1859–1933]. Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Régime and of the English Fur Trading Companies. Ottawa: Department of the Interior, 1930. University of British Columbia Library [accessed 12 October 2026]

Northwestern part of Dominion of Canada 1898

General map of the northwestern part of the Dominion of Canada Department of the Interior, 1898

General map of the northwestern part of the Dominion of Canada
Department of the Interior, 1898
Internet Archive [accessed 27 October 2026]


General map of the northwestern part of the Dominion of Canada.Detail.

General map of the northwestern part of the Dominion of Canada.Detail.

General Map
of the Northwestern Part of the
Dominion of Canada
Compiled from observations & surveys by the Topographical Branch of the Dept of the Interior; Maps of the International Boundary Survey (Dept of the Interior); Maps of exploratory surveys by the Geological Survey Dept; Admiralty charts of polar regions; general chart of Alaska by U.S. Coast Survey (pub’d June 1897); official maps of British Columbia (pub’d in 1895) and other authentic documents.

Published by authority of The Hon. Clifford Sifton, Q.C. M.P., Minister of the Interior, December 1898

Map number 35 in Vooris [1].

References:

  • 1. Voorhis, Ernest [1859–1933]. Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Régime and of the English Fur Trading Companies. Ottawa: Department of the Interior, 1930. University of British Columbia Library [accessed 12 October 2026]

Rinfret map of Northwest Territories 1897

Title block of “Renfrit map” of 1897

Title block of “Renfrit map” of 1897
Internet Archive [accessed 27 October 2026]

Ernest Vooris [1] refers to a map called “Northwest Territories by G. Rinfret,” which appears in Volume III of Manuscript Journals of Alexander Henry, Fur Trader of the Northwest Company. And of David Thompson, Official Geographer and Explorer of the same Company, edited by Elliott Coues [1842–1899] [2].

The map appears on the list of maps in Volume III: “Three sections, and legend sheet, traced from David Thompson’s ms. map of the Northwest Territory, in pocket”. The images in the Internet Archive version do not include the places referenced below.

Voorhis says the map is by Gustave Rinfret but Rinfret is not mentioned on the map or in the volume.

References:

  • 1. Voorhis, Ernest [1859–1933]. Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Régime and of the English Fur Trading Companies. Ottawa: Department of the Interior, 1930, Map no. 3. University of British Columbia Library [accessed 12 October 2026]
  • 2. Henry, Alexander [1739–1824]; Thompson, David [1770–1857]; Coues, Elliott [1842–1899]. The Manuscript Journals of Alexander Henry, Fur Trader of the Northwest Company. And of David Thompson, Official Geographer and Explorer of the same Company, 1799-1814. Exploration and Adventure among the Indians on the Red, Saskatchewan, Missouri, and Columbia Rivers. Volume 3 (Index). 1897. Internet Archive [accessed 27 October 2026]

1895 Tyrrell map Athabasca

Country Between Lake Athabasca and Churchill River, to accompany report of Tyrrell

Country Between Lake Athabasca and Churchill River, to accompany report of Tyrrell
Internet Archive [accessed 27 October 2026]

Geological Survey of Canada
GEORGE M. DAWSON, C.M.G, LL.D, F.R.S. &c., DIRECTOR
MAP of the
COUNTRY BETWEEN LAKE ATHABASCA AND CHURCHILL RIVER
To accompany Report of J. Burr Tyrrell, M.A.
Accompanying Part D. Annual Report Vol: VII, 1895

The map accompanies Report on the country between Athabasca Lake and Churchill River by Joseph Burr Tyrrell [1858–1957]
[1].
Map number 41 in Vooris [2].

This map includes:
Fort Chipewyan
References:

  • 1. Tyrrell, Joseph Burr [1858–1957]. Report on the country between Athabasca Lake and Churchill River: With notes on two routes travelled between the Churchill and Saskatchewan rivers. Ottawa: Geological Survey of Canada, 1896. Internet Archive [accessed 26 October 2026]
  • 2. Voorhis, Ernest [1859–1933]. Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Régime and of the English Fur Trading Companies. Ottawa: Department of the Interior, 1930. University of British Columbia Library [accessed 12 October 2026]

Tyrrell map Northern Alberta 1887

Map showing wooded and prairie tracts etc. in part of Northern Alberta and portions of the Districts of Assiniboia and Saskatchewan, North West Territory, 1887

Map showing wooded and prairie tracts etc. in part of Northern Alberta and portions of the Districts of Assiniboia and Saskatchewan, North West Territory, 1887
Library and Archives Canada [accessed 25 October 2026]

Geological and Natural History Survey of Canada
Alfred R. C. Selwyn, C.M.G, LLD F.R.S, Director
Map
showing wooded and prairie tracts etc.
in part of
Northern Alberta
and portions of the Districts of
Assiniboia and Saskatchewan,
North West Territory
by
J. B. Tyrrell, B.A., F.G.S.
1887

Joseph Burr Tyrrell [1858–1957] was a Canadian geologist, cartographer, mining consultant and historian. He discovered dinosaur bones in Alberta’s Badlands and coal around Drumheller in 1884.

Map number 36 in Vooris [1].

This map includes:
Rocky Mountain House
References:

  • 1. Voorhis, Ernest [1859–1933]. Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Régime and of the English Fur Trading Companies. Ottawa: Department of the Interior, 1930. University of British Columbia Library [accessed 12 October 2026]