Kivitoo

Kivitoo is a former Inuit settlement located on Qikiqtaaluk Island (Baffin Island) in Nunavut, Canada. It is situated on the east coast of the island, near the mouth of Walker Arm.

History: Kivitoo was established as a Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line site in the mid-1950s as part of a joint Canada-United States initiative during the Cold War to detect Soviet aircraft approaching North America. The DEW Line station, designated FOX-1, played a crucial role in North American air defense. The construction and operation of the site significantly impacted the local Inuit population, disrupting traditional hunting practices and introducing wage labor.

With advancements in technology, the DEW Line station at Kivitoo became obsolete and was decommissioned in the early 1990s. The settlement was subsequently abandoned.

Present Day: Today, Kivitoo is a ghost town. The remnants of the DEW Line infrastructure remain, serving as a stark reminder of its past. Environmental remediation efforts have been undertaken to address contamination resulting from the former military operations. The area is largely uninhabited, though it may occasionally be visited by researchers or travelers interested in its history and remote Arctic location.

Significance: Kivitoo's history is intertwined with the Cold War, the development of Arctic infrastructure, and the impact of technological advancement on Indigenous communities. Its abandonment underscores the ephemeral nature of some settlements and the lasting legacy of military installations in the Arctic.