The Peawanuck Indian Settlement is located within the boundaries described in the 1929-1930 Adhesion to the James Bay Treaty of 1905 - Treaty No. 9. The band membbers of Weenusk First Nation formerly resided on Winisk Indian Reserve No. 90 located 6 kilometers from Hudson Bay on the Winisk River. The original location Winisk Indian Reserve had a radar station located within its boundaries. This radar station was a link in the "pine tree" radar line system. This radar system was built by the United States for early detection of Soviet bombers and missles during the Cold War. In 1986, the members of Weenusk First Nation moved 30 kilometers southwest to their present location due to spring flooding at the original site. The Peawanuck Indian Settlement is located upon the site where the Asheweig River drains into the Winisk River.

Archeologists have determined that Algonquian people lived here perhaps
1000 years ago. Their descendents are the present-day Cree who reside in
the coastal settlement of Winisk.

There is still evidence of the radar station, part of a former military
defence line that was abandoned here. It consists of squat metal buildings,
oil tanks, radio towers, and a few radar dishes and a landing airstrip.

Visitors to Peawanuck should be prepared for any eventuality. They should
bring at least one week's extra supplies in case their departure is delayed
due to bad weather. Tents should not rise any higher than necessary, due to
the possibility of strong winds.

Sub-arctic conditions prevail in the area, which is the domain of woodland
caribou, moose, marten, fox, beaver, goose, black bear, and polar bear.
Seals, walruses, beluga and white whales frequent coastal and esturial areas.
As many as 200 polar bears lumber through coastal areas at certain times.
The peak period is early November. In late spring, hundreds of species of
bird descend upon the region. White geese can be seen rising gracefully
above the sear barren.

Until roughly 4000 years ago, the mid-Silurian limestone bedrock (450
million years old) here was submerged beneath the Tyrrell Sea, a massive
body of water that has retreated into the present Hudson and James Bays.
Postglacial gravels and sands are overlain by a layer of sedimentary clay.

The land is basically flat with a few inland ridges that indicate the location of
former shorelines. It tends to flood when the ice breaks up in late spring. No
longer oppressed by the weight of mega-glaciers, the land is slowly rising at
a rate estimated at 1.2 m per century.

Thanks to the Polar Bear Park Service Guide for much of this information.