Canada’s North has a long history of exploration. For centuries, explorers have travelled by foot, dog-team, boat and canoe as they looked for the elusive Northwest Passage or a better fur-trade route. Some wanted to secure a spot in Western Canada while others attempted to map what was then new territory.

In a September 1958 article from Canadian Geographical Journal, F.J. Alcock delves into Canada’s exploration history and examines the great explorers who came here, including Martin Frobisher, Samuel Hearne, Alexander Mackenzie and Sir John Franklin.