Cape Fullerton facts for kids
Cape Fullerton (also called Qatiktalik in the Inuktitut language) is a piece of land that sticks out into the water. It's located in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut, Canada. You can find it on the northwest side of Hudson Bay, near a place called Roes Welcome Sound. Fullerton Harbour is also part of this area. Today, Cape Fullerton is a part of Ukkusiksalik National Park.
For a long time, different groups of Inuit people, like the Aivilingmiut and the Qaernermiut (who were also known as Caribou Inuit), lived in and around Cape Fullerton. They would move around the area. However, there are no permanent homes there today. The closest town is Chesterfield Inlet, which is about 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) away to the southwest.
Contents
A Hub for Whalers and Traders
In the early 1900s, Fullerton Harbour was a very busy place, especially in winter. It was a popular spot for whaling ships from the U.S. and Scotland to stay during the cold months. It was also an important meeting point where the Inuit people and the whalers from the south would trade goods.
The North-West Mounted Police Arrive
In September 1903, something new happened at Cape Fullerton. The first outpost (a small station) of the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) was set up there. This was done for a few important reasons:
- To show that Canada had control over the land (this is called establishing sovereignty).
- To manage special permits for whaling ships.
- To collect taxes on goods (customs).
- To control alcohol.
- To keep things orderly and peaceful.
The NWMP outpost at Cape Fullerton closed down around 1914.
Trading Posts and Famous Explorers
After the police left, other businesses came to Cape Fullerton.
- From 1915 to 1919, a man named Captain George Cleveland ran a trading post at Fullerton Harbour. He worked for a company called F. N. Monjo from New York City, which dealt with furs.
- In 1919, a very well-known company called the Hudson's Bay Company took over the trading post. Captain Cleveland then moved it to Repulse Bay.
- Also in 1919, a famous Arctic explorer named Captain George Comer had his ship, a schooner called the Finback, get stuck at Cape Fullerton. This was his last trip to the Arctic.
Later Years
In 1924, some old buildings from the former Cape Fullerton Outpost were taken apart. The wood from these buildings was then sent to Chesterfield Inlet to be used there. Even in the winter of 1940–41, the old police barracks at Fullerton Harbour were still useful. Travelers would use them as a safe place to stay during their journeys.
