Durand in Hamilton, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
John Rae, Arctic Explorer
Photographed By Tim Boyd, April 22, 2023
1. John Rae, Arctic Explorer Marker
This plaque marks the site where the residence of Dr. John Rae, MD, LL.D, FRS, FRCS used to stand.
Rae was born in the Orkney Islands on 30 September, 1813. Graduating in medicine from Edinburgh, he joined the Hudson's Bay Company in 1833, and spent ten years at Moose Factory.
From 1846 to 1854 he led, or was second in command of, four Arctic expeditions. He travelled in small boats and on foot over 13,000 miles, averaging over 25 miles a day, and charted 1,700 miles of unknown coastlines between the Mackenzie River and Hudson's Bay, Rae adopted many Inuit and Indian techniques for travel and survival. In 1854 he was the first European to bring back information about the fate of the Franklin Expedition.
Dr. Rae lived here from 1857 to 1860. He was a founding member and first Vice-President of the Hamilton Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art. In the winter of 1859 he is said to have snowshoed from Hamilton to Toronto in seven hours for a dinner engagement. Rae died in London, England on 22 July, 1893, and is buried in Kirkwall, Orkney.
Erected with the assistance of the Ontario Heritage Foundation
Erected by City of Hamilton, with the assistance of the Ontario Heritage Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is
this page online
Location. 43° 15.292′ N, 79° 52.521′ W. Marker is in Hamilton, Ontario. It is in Durand. Marker is at the intersection of Hunter Street West and Bay Street South, on the right when traveling west on Hunter Street West. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hamilton ON L8P 3H3, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Hamilton Central Public School (within shouting distance of this marker); The Hamilton Peace Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); Dedicated to the Irish Who Settled in Hamilton (within shouting distance of this marker); Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); Engineering Centennial Commemorative Plaque and Time Capsule (about 150 meters away); In Memory of the Victims of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda (about 180 meters away); Whitehern (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); a different marker also named Whitehern (approx. 0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hamilton.
Also see . . . The Hudson’s Bay Company - Dr. John Rae.
Dr. Rae first served as the Medical Officer at Moose Factory, located on an island at the mouth of the Moose River, often visiting the(Submitted on April 23, 2023, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario.)surrounding First Nations who needed his help. Immediately upon his arrival, he was deemed one of the best hunters around, and after only a few years, the best snowshoer on the continent. Moreover, the cold did not seem to affect him. Unlike most of his contemporaries, Rae kept an open mind towards the various Indigenous cultures he encountered. As a result, he adopted many of their habits in terms of clothing and travelling, each time improving his knowledge and well-being. He was a born Arctic explorer, seizing every opportunity and adapting every situation to his best advantage.Photographed By Tim Boyd, April 22, 20232. John Rae, Arctic Explorer Marker
1853
3. John Rae, 1853, portrait by Stephen Pearce
Source: wikimedia commons/ National Portrait Gallery, London (public domain)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 23, 2023, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 58 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 23, 2023, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
