Yellowknife Historical Society

The Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame honours and recognizes people in the Yellowknife region for their accomplishments. Submitting to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame is simple! 

1. Become a Member
2. Send in a 100-150 word write up and a photo of you Hall of Famer to info@yellowknifehistory.com
3. Review and approve our Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame plaque — we cover printing the plaque to hang in the Yellowknife Historical Museum and publish on our website!

Frequently asked questions:

Can I submit an entry for a family member?

• Yes. In fact, most of our entries are people submitting their parents to the Hall of Fame

Can I submit an entry for more than one person?

• Yes. You can nominate couples and local groups. 

Can I submit more than one entry?

• Yes. If you have multiple different people or couples to nominate, send in a few entries.

Check out or share our info poster: 

Rev. Gordon and Ruth Bailey met at a Pentecostal church camp in Manitoba in 1931, and were married in 1941. They spent the following 16 years ministering on the Prairies. In 1958, the Bailey's moved North to Fort Resolution, and five years later arrived in Yellowknife.

They began the Pentecostal Mission church in Old Town and were soon opening their home to homeless men. The Bailey's were well-known for their love of each other and their compassion and care for the less fortunate. They never turned anyone away. It is said that at times there were 18 'Bailey Boys' sleeping on their living room floor.

The Bailey's kindness and compassion were recognized through several awards, including a 1978 Citizen of the Year Award, a 1983 Canadian Volunteer Award, and the 1989 Citation for Citizenship Award in Ottawa. Bailey House in Yellowknife is named for Rev. Gordon and Ruth Bailey. The Bailey’s passed away in 1996.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Craig Yeo.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Bob Borden first came north in 1947 to work at the now infamous Beaulieu Gold Mine. Originally from England, Daphne’s adventure to Canada culminated in relocation to Yellowknife in 1950 after she and Bob were married.

Following a stint with Frobisher Explorations, Bob opened an accounting practice. A downturn in mining activity shifted Bob’s focus to the tourism industry, opening the first Tourist Agency in 1953. Bob helped establish the 24th Field Squadron and organized the first Dog Derby. He was president of the Board of Trade and was secretary of the first Museum Society. As Returning Officer, Bob traveled the entirety of the NWT for the 1962 and 1963 Federal elections. He was later an accountant at Giant Mines.

Daphne was active with the Daughters of the Midnight Sun, and her artistic interests were explored through the Yellowknife Guild of Arts and Crafts. Bob and Daphne retired to Courtenay, BC in 1976.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Mike Borden.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

There should be a course taught in the schools on Tom’s lessons on the value of salvaging, hard work, and frugal living. Tom was born in the Netherlands in 1891, emigrated to Canada in 1939 and arrived in Yellowknife in 1941.

He worked at the mine cookhouses briefly and then went to work for himself doing odd jobs: splitting wood and hauling pails of water in Old Town. He believed in saving money. He used it to buy properties and rented out shacks, providing much needed low cost housing.

Tom was a loner but had a sense of humour and liked watching the city grow. He was a nice fellow to talk with. He was famous for going into a restaurant to get a free bowl of hot water, which he turned into tomato soup by added ketchup. He also attended most meetings or social events in town, which offered free food. Tom was a colourful part of Yellowknife history.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Walt Humphries.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Albert arrived in Yellowknife in 1952 to work at Giant Mine. Hilya arrived in 1953 to work in the Giant cafeteria, met Albert, married and decided to raise their family in Yellowknife.

Both were active in the community: Albert played fastball and hockey, was an Elks member and President of the Yellowknife Anglers and Hunters for many years. He volunteered countless hours refereeing minor hockey. Hilya played fastball and was a long-time member of the Ladies of the Royal Purple. Both were members of the Town and Giant Curling Clubs. They volunteered for many community organizations and were two of the original organizers of the Yellowknife Reunion Picnic in Kelowna starting in 1987.

After Albert’s death in 2013 his family carried out his wish to give back to the community by establishing the Albert Hall Seniors Enhancement Fund through the Yellowknife Community Foundation. The fund is used to enhance recreational activities for seniors. Hall Crescent and Hall Court were named by the City in recognition of their contributions.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Ken Hall.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Eric, an engineer, and Eva, a registered nurse, arrived in Yellowknife in 1976 with two of their five children. In 1979, Eric left his government job and built a 7-bedroom house and started Eric Henderson Enterprises.

Eva worked casual at the Stanton Hospital and helped organize the Homecare Division of the GNWT Health Services. They would often be seen on the ice roads in the winter or camping in summer with their famous customized van including a home-made wood stove for heat and cooking.

In 1982, Eva and Eric Henderson’s Bed and Breakfast was started, the city’s second B&B. Over the next 32 years, they were instrumental in introducing hundreds of people to life in the NWT.

Famous for their welcoming inclusive manner of entertaining, storytelling and cooking, they became known for their northern hospitality. They were surrogate parents and grandparents to thousands.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Audrey and Carol Henderson.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Evelyn Sykes arrived in June of 1948. In Yellowknife, she developed her artistic abilities with pastels, India ink, water colours and oils. Her favourite subjects were Northern scenery and its people. She held art classes for children Saturday mornings. Her creativity often found her involved in making costumes for the annual Daughters of the Midnight Sun show and dance. Today, her art can be found in many households and galleries, including the Banff School of Fine Arts.

Bill Johnston arrived in Canada from Scotland in 1929 as a Hudson’s Bay Company recruit. In 1959, he left the life of an Arctic fur trader and transferred to Yellowknife as office manager for the H.B.C., and later as office manager for Wardair. Evelyn and Bill were married in 1961.

Bill was appointed the Commissioner of the Boy Scouts for Great Slave Lake region. At Rideau Hall in Ottawa, the Governor General awarded him with The Silver Wolf - the highest award given to a Scout leader. In 1977, he received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for his work in the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade. Bill and Ev retired to Comox, BC in 1978.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Penelope Shapperd.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Jacqueline McConnell moved to Yellowknife in the 1940's from Goldfields, Saskatchewan, with her mother Lily and step father Harry McConnell who were hired to work at the Con Mine rec hall and mine accounting office. Jackie and her sisters helped their mom out at the rec hall and did other work at the mines.

Shortly after completing high school in 1945, James McKay left Winnipeg and arrived in Yellowknife to work at the Negus Mine and soon became a member of the warehouse staff. Jackie met Jim shortly after he arrived and they started dating, leading to marriage in 1949. When the Negus Mine closed in 1952, they purchased one of the company houses and moved it to 55th street. Jim then worked at the Giant Mine warehouse and lived at the townsite, where they stayed until retirement in 1986. They raised two children: daughter Aubin and son Howard.

Jackie was active in the Elk’s Royal Purple, and was a Brownie and Girl Guide leader for a few years. Jim volunteered in various community organizations helping with the local fastball league, various curling programs at Giant and in town as well as minor sports. They loved camping, fishing and being engaged in various community events.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Howard McKay.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Jock was a prospector and mining engineer who arrived in 1935 as field man for the Burwash gold mine. He witnessed the evolution of Yellowknife from log cabin exploration camp, a bustling commercial centre around Old Town, to a post-war community with all the modern amenities.

The ‘power of the pen’ was strong with Jock, and he used the media to influence legislation and policy in the North. Jock’s forum for insights, ideas, and rants was through his newspaper, The Yellowknife Blade, which ran sporadically from 1940 to 1963 when he died. Jock criticized the dictator-like policies handed down from Ottawa and wrote in favour of representative government in the Northwest Territories.

His commentary on politics was an avenue for change and community maturity, and as an early player in Yellowknife’s gold camp, he was the town’s first chronicler.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Ryan Silke.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Bob & Frank O'Connor started Aero Arctic Helicopters in Yellowknife in 1969. A galloping polar bear across a red fuselage was a welcome sight to northerners.

It was the first licensed helicopter company in the NWT. Operating countless mercy flights, with map and compass flying, it soon became Canada's first fleet of GPS-equipped helicopters. They were honoured with investiture to the Order of Saint John Ambulance as Serving Brothers for hero-ship (1981).

The brothers were known for helicopter rides at Caribou Carnival fundraising for the Montessori School, and were founding members of the 825 Elks Royal Canadian Air Cadets (1972), and helped recover and restore the Fox Moth airplane now displayed at the PWNHC museum.

Bob was a Founding Director of the Northern Air Transport Association (1977) and Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation (1996). They are remembered for their expertise in Northern Aviation.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Colleen O’Connor.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Alice V. Payne spent her summers rambling over the rocks on Jolliffe Island where she lived with her parents, Tom and Olga Payne and her siblings in the 1940’s. She later became a respected exploration geologist, working for major companies and starting her own company, looking for minerals, oil and gas in Alberta and the NWT.

Alice was intent on giving back to the community where she was first inspired. She is our largest individual supporter of this museum, helping us complete this project in 2023.

Alice wrote a book titled “Quin Kola” about her father Tom Payne’s life as a prospector and businessman, in the NWT and Alberta. The book was re-published for the opening of this museum and copies are available in our gift shop. Photographs, Rycon Mine gold in quartz sample, Tom Payne’s claim post and other artifacts were donated to this museum by the Payne family.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Diane Baldwin.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Mike and Jean both came to Yellowknife following World War II. Mike was an RCAF veteran and Jean worked in aircraft repair. They quickly became community pillars. Mike co-founded the Chamber of Commerce, Spirit YK, Float Plane Fly In, and, with Roger Zarudski, the original Flying Club. Jean was active in curling, basketball and baseball as well as community clubs.

They were involved in several businesses including Frame & Perkins garage, bus franchise, the Ford dealership, and the Prospector Bar and Grill.

Both Mike and Jean were strong supporters of tourism, regaling visitors with the colourful history of the city. Beyond their numerous contributions, they were known for their humility and advocacy. Balancing business and family, they remained dedicated to their community.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Lorie Piro.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Fred (Gunter) Richinger arrived in Yellowknife in 1958 and started working at Con Mine. In 1960, he joined the Power Corporation and worked his way to superintendent. Along the way, my parents and their friends opened Eldonn Jewelry, Hansel and Gretel children’s clothing, Damoli’s Gift Shop, Arctic Ice Water, Bumper to Bumper, U-Haul and Great Northern Lumber. He was active in the Elks club, Chamber of Commerce, Public School Board and fundraised for the Polar Bear Swim Club.

Elaine was a hospital nurse, part of a group that formed the home care program, Avens Seniors Centre, and the NWT Nurses Association. She did costumes for theatre productions, sang in choirs and supported Fred's adventures. She was once awarded volunteer of the year.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Monica Davie.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Albert (Bing) Rivett came to Yellowknife in 1941 with the RCMP. Audrey followed in 1942 as a nurse to work at the Con Mine hospital. They were married in 1944. After completing 20 years of service with the RCMP, Yellowknife became their permanent home until retirement to Lantzville, BC in 1975.

Bing worked at Giant Mine as a hiring manager during that time. He was a Justice of the Peace in the NWT and very active in the Royal Canadian Legion, Masonic Lodge, Scouts, Senior and Minor Hockey, and the hospital board. Audrey devoted countless hours to the community welcoming newcomers and caring for sick friends. She was very involved with the Anglican Church and the Girl Guides. She was a founding member of the Handicraft Guild.

Bing and Audrey were among the early pioneers that helped make it a desirable place to live and raise a family.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Max & Denise Rivett.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Michel Sikyea, orphaned at three years of age, grew up at the Catholic mission at Fort Resolution. In 1923, he married Rose Benaya and together they lived mainly a traditional, land-based Dene lifestyle.

As a young adult, Michel worked at Con Mine and Giant Mine. In 1963, he moved to Ndilo where he and Rose lived for a number of years. During his time in Ndilǫ, Michel was a councillor and advisor. Michel was a witness to Treaty 11 and was committed to raising awareness about and asserting Indigenous Treaty rights.

In 1962, Michel was charged for shooting a duck out of season. He was fined $1 but the government had to pay over $1 million in court costs after Michel fought the charge. The NWT Legislative Assembly later recognized his work to bring attention to Treaty rights and his central role in securing Indigenous rights to hunt migratory birds. The Yellowknives Dene community of Ndilǫ also named a road after Sikyea. He died in 2002 at the age of 102.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by Lois Little.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

As a Northern Nurse, Jan Stirling contributed  to nursing and public health in both Yellowknife and the vast, remote Arctic. Affectionately known as "Grandma Jan', she had a special empathy for marginalized people including the homeless, street kids, and new immigrants.

After graduating from the St. John General Hospital School of Nursing, Jan enlisted in the Royal Medical Corps and was stationed in Kurie, Japan during the Korean War. Later, she obtained a BSN, University of Ottawa. As the Nurse in Charge of the Public Health Centre, Yellowknife, for over 25 years, her work included hundreds of medical evacuations from remote communities and the high Arctic.

Honours received: Northerner of the Year (1997), Lifetime membership in the NWT Nursing Association, Governor General's Caring Canadian Award (1999), Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), and the Order of the Northwest Territories (2016).

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by the Registered Nurses Association for the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

You can see Jan's Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Leona “Lee” Ramstad moved to Yellowknife in 1956 with her two young sons, Randy and David. Lee started a hair dressing business. When Lee sold the hair dressing shop, she worked at Sutherland Drugs at the cosmetic counter and helped many young girls and women with their cosmetic needs.

Roy Waddell moved to Yellowknife in 1957 and worked at Giant Mines as the assistant warehouse manager. Lee met Roy in 1958 and they married in 1961.

Lee and Roy were both avid curlers. Lee represented the Northwest Territories at the First Canadian Winter Games on a mixed curling team. Lee was a member of the Daughters of the Midnight Sun and she played softball. Roy was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Royal Canadian Legion. Roy also enjoyed fishing and camping.

They left Yellowknife in 1972 for Ontario and later the Yukon. They retired to Nelson, BC in 1982 where they became avid golfers and enjoyed the rest of their lives.

This Hall of Fame entry was submitted by David Waddell.

You can see this Hall of Fame entry by visiting the Yellowknife Historical Museum, located in Yellowknife by the Giant Mine Boat Launch.

To add your own entry to the Yellowknife Historical Hall of Fame, check out our Membership page. 

Banner Photo Credit: Jonny Vu / Yellowknife Historical Society / NWT Tourism