1789day.year
Alexander Mackenzie reaches the Mackenzie River delta.
Explorer Alexander Mackenzie becomes the first European to reach Canada’s Mackenzie River delta.
On July 10, 1789, Scottish-Canadian explorer Alexander Mackenzie arrived at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, reaching the Arctic Ocean delta. This journey marked the first recorded European crossing of North America north of Mexico. Mackenzie’s expedition, sponsored by the North West Company, aimed to find a transcontinental route to the Pacific. He navigated rapids, dense forests, and treacherous swamps, demonstrating remarkable endurance. His detailed journals provided valuable geographic and ethnographic information about Indigenous communities. Although he failed to reach the Pacific, Mackenzie’s achievement opened the way for further Arctic exploration. The Mackenzie River remains one of North America’s longest waterways. Mackenzie’s legacy endures in Canadian geography and exploration history.
1789
Alexander Mackenzie
Mackenzie River