Few people realize that important historic sites
from U.S. expeditions to the Arctic in the late 1800's and early
1900's still exist in the Canadian high Arctic. The sites are a
remarkable view into past history and represent extraordinary cultural
heritage from the Heroic Era of Arctic exploration. These important
structures and artifacts need to be preserved. Our current investigations
in cooperation with Parks Canada and Quttinirpaaq National Park
are assessing the deterioration taking place in the historic structures,
studying the microbes causing decay, monitoring environmental conditions
at the site and within the historic structures and providing information
for use in developing successful conservation plans for preservation.
The remains of Fort Conger and several huts built
by Robert Peary during his expeditions to the North Pole are located
on the shores of Lady Franklin Bay, northern Ellesmere Island in
Nunavut, Canada. Fort Conger was built in 1881 by the U.S. expedition
led by Adolphus Greely. This large wooden fort housed 25 men for
several years during their explorations and scientific studies of
the North Polar Region. The remains of Fort Conger and thousands
of artifacts can be found at the site. In 1900 Robert Peary with
Matthew Henson and others established a winter base at the site
during one of their expeditions to the North Pole. They built several
huts out of the wood from Fort Conger. Two of these huts are still
standing and the roofless remains of a third are at the site. Also
at this site are artifacts from The British Arctic Expedition of
1875-76 when the HMS Discovery wintered at the site.
The Peary huts and remains of Fort Conger are deteriorating.
Wood decay fungi are destroying the wooden structures and artifacts
causing serious concern. Salt deterioration and wind erosion is
also taking a toll on the exterior woods. Research investigations
have begun but funds are desperately needed to continue this work.
The extremely high cost of travel to Ellesmere Island and lack of
adequate research funding to support the scientific investigations
are hampering our efforts to get all of the work done. To help save
these unique examples of Arctic exploration and American heritage
we have begun efforts to raise funds for this project. If you have
an interest in helping to save these huts please visit the following
link at the University of Minnesota to contribute a tax deductible
At this link indicate on the space provided: “These
funds are for research by Professor Robert A. Blanchette, Department
of Plant Pathology for studying the deterioration of Fort Conger,
the Peary Huts and other historic wooden structures of the Arctic”.
Also see the Contribution and Fund Raising
Page on this web site.
|Huts built by Peary and Henson on the shore of Lady Franklin
Bay, Ellesmere Island, located about 500 miles south of the
|The wooden huts built during Peary and Henson's expedition
are treasures from the Heroic Era of Arctic exploration that
need to be preserved.
|Decay fungi, wind erosion and other forms of deterioration
are destroying the structures. Research is underway to help
conserve these historic huts but funds are needed to complete