A historic Gwich’in hamlet on the Dempster Highway, Fort McPherson (Teetł’it Zheh) sits at the headwaters of the Peel River and carries a deep northern legacy.

About the Community
Fort McPherson, traditional name Teetł’it Zheh (“place at the head of the waters”) is a Gwich’in community on the east bank of the Peel River, about 121 km south of Inuvik along the Dempster Highway in the Northwest Territories’ Inuvik Region.

History
The community began as a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post in 1840, originally called Peel River House, and was soon renamed for trader Murdoch McPherson. Because of its long role as a major trading and policing centre in the Mackenzie Delta, the townsite was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1969.

What the Co-op Provides
Fort McPherson’s Co-op supports everyday life by supplying essential groceries, household goods, and practical northern supplies, while helping provide local jobs and services in this highway-connected Arctic community.

Quick Facts
• Traditional name: Teetł’it Zheh (“place at the head of the waters”)
• Known for: One of the oldest trading-centre communities in the western Arctic; Gwich’in cultural heartland

Meanings & Phonetic Spelling
• Co-op Name Phonetic Pronunciation: Tet-lit
• Primary Indigenous Nation: Gwich’in
• Community Phonetic Pronunciation: TET-lit-chay