The Wildcat Cafe facts for kids
The Wildcat Cafe is a very old log cabin in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. It looks like the buildings from Yellowknife's early days as a mining town. Today, it is a popular restaurant that opens in the summer.
The Wildcat Cafe is a special building. The City of Yellowknife officially named it a Heritage Building in 1992. This means it is an important part of the city's history. It is also one of Yellowknife's most visited places for tourists.
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A Look Back at the Wildcat Cafe's History
The Wildcat Cafe first opened its doors in 1937. It was started by two owners, Willie Wylie and Smokey Stout. This makes it the oldest restaurant in Yellowknife.
Who Owned the Cafe?
After Willie Wylie and Smokey Stout, other people owned the cafe.
- From 1939 to 1942, Carl and Dorothy Jensen ran the cafe.
- From 1942 to 1951, Mah Gow owned it. He was the first Chinese person recorded living in Yellowknife.
The cafe closed in 1951 because Mr. Gow became sick.
Saving the Wildcat Cafe
In the late 1950s, the old cabin was almost torn down. But a small group of people in Yellowknife worked hard to save it. They wanted it to be protected as a heritage site.
By 1970, the building was still empty and in bad shape. Then, a new group of people stepped up. They pushed for the cafe to be fixed and protected.
The cabin was finally renovated and reopened in 1979. It became a working restaurant again. The Old Stope Association, a group focused on history, helped run it in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, a group called the Wildcat Cafe Advisory Committee manages it.
In 1992, the city of Yellowknife took ownership of the cabin. They officially declared it a heritage site.
Modern Updates for an Old Building
In 2011, the city of Yellowknife decided to give the log cabin a full renovation. The building had sunk into the ground over time. It was also leaning in different directions, which made it unsafe.
Rick Muyres, a top log cabin builder in the Northwest Territories, was hired to lead the project. The work began on May 11, 2011. Workers carefully took the building apart. They numbered each piece to make sure it could be put back together correctly.
Rebuilding and repairs continued through the summer of 2012. There were some unexpected problems, which caused delays. But the Wildcat Cafe finally reopened on June 22, 2013.
The Wildcat Cafe at a Museum
The Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, once had a copy of the Wildcat Cafe cabin. This replica was part of the museum's Canada Hall. However, the museum is making changes, and this replica is now being removed.
