Place Names in Waterton Lakes National Park

PLACE NAMES

IN WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK

H. A. deVeber

AKAMINA, pass, 5,835 feet; Indian name meaning "high bench land", referring to the benches near the summit of South Kootenay pass; name used on International Boundary map, 1869, and probably obtained from Indian guides.

ALDERSON, mount, 8,833 feet, lake, 6,000 feet; after Lieutenant-General E. A. H. Alderson, K.C.B., who commanded the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France 1915-16.

ANDERSON, peak, about 8,700 feet; after Major S. Anderson, R.E., Chief Astronomer of the second British Boundary Commission (39th parallel, Lake of the Woods to the Rockies) and also a member of the first British Boundary Commission, Strait of Georgia to the Rockies.

BAUERMAN, mount, about 7,800 feet; creek; after H. Bauerman, Geologist, British Boundary Commission, Pacific to the Rockies.

BELLY, river; on Palliser map, 1865; Steemuk ske piskon signifying bull-head on David Thompson's map, 1814; after the Atsina, a detached branch of the Arapaho, now on a reserve in Montana; are known to the other Arapaho as Hitunena, "beggars" or "Spongers" whence the tribal sign, commonly, but incorrectly, rendered "belly people" or "big bellies" - the "Gros Ventres" of the French Canadians and now their vulgar name; the river was formerly called "Mokowanis, "also "Mokomans"; mokowanis is Blackfoot for "belly".

BLAKISTON, mount, 9,600 feet, brook; after Lieut. Thos. Blakiston, R.A., attached to the Palliser expedition as magnetic observer; examined the North Kootenay and South Kootenay passes; made an independent report.

BOSWELL, mount; after Mr. Boswell, Veterinary Surgeon, British Boundary Commission, Lake of the Woods to the Rockies.

CAMERON, lake, 5,445 feet, and creek, falls; after Major General D. R. Cameron, British Commissioner on International Boundary Commission, Lake of the Woods to the Rockies (1872-76).

CAMERONIAN, mountain, 8,499 feet; named after Major General D. R. Cameron, as above.

CARTHEW, mount, about 8,600 feet; lakes, 7,100 and 7,200 feet; creek; after William Morden Carthew, Dominion Land Surveyor; Lieutenant, 49th battalion C.E.F.; killed at Ypres 1 June 1916.

CRANDELL, mount, 7,812 feet; lake 5,000 feet; after E. H. Crandell, Calgary; the mountain lies east of the oil wells worked by Mr. Crandell.

DUNGARVAN, mountain, about 8,500 feet; after Dungarvan, seaport, County Waterford, Ireland.

GALWEY, mount, about 7,800 feet; after Lieut. Galwey, R.E., Assistant Astronomer, British Boundary Commission, Lake of the Woods to the Rockies.

GLENDOWAN, mountain, 8,771 feet; after Glendowan range, County Donegal, Ireland.

HAWKINS, mount, about 8,800 feet; after Lt.-Col. J. S. Hawkins, R.E., Commissioner, British Boundary Commission, Pacific to the Rockies, 1858-62.

LINEHAM, mount, 8,000 feet; creek; lakes about 6,900 and 7,100 feet; after John Lineham, in business as rancher; native of Perth, Ontario; went west in 1878; first returned to Legislative Assembly in 1888.

MASKINONGE, lake; a shallow lake in which northern pike are found.

MOKOWAN, butte, landmark with lofty escarpments of clay facing Belly River; on Arrowsmith's map of 1810, the Belly (q.v.) river is called Mokawans River; mokowanis is Blackfoot for "belly"; Belly River is named after the Atsina Indians, commonly known as the Gros Ventres or Big Belly Indians.

NEWMAN, peak, about 8,200 feet; named by Blakiston, 1858, after Edward Newman (1810-75) English naturalist.

RICHARDS, mount, about 7,700 feet; after Capt. (later Admiral) G. R. Richards, RN. second Commissioner, British Boundary Commission, Pacific to the Rockies; made hydrographic surveys of British Columbia coast, 1856-63.

ROWE, mount, 8,043 feet; lakes, about 6,200 and 7,100 feet; creek; after Lieut. Rowe, R.E., surveying officer, British Boundary Commission, Lake of the Woods to the Rockies.

RUBY, ridge, 7,993 feet; after the beds of bright red shale near its summit.

SAGE, pass; probably after the sage bush.

SOFA, mountain, 8,268 feet; descriptive of outline.

VIMY, peak, 7,825 feet; after the town and ridge in France where Canadian troops fought in April, 1915.

WATERTON, lakes, river; named by Blakiston, after Charles Waterton, naturalist (1782-1865); author of"Wanderings in South America, the North West of the United States and the Antilles in 1812, '16, '20 and '24."