Bear Lake
Feature Type:Community - An unincorporated populated place, generally with a population of 50 or more, and having a recognized central area that might contain a post office, store and/or community hall, etc, intended for the use of the general public in the region.
Status: Official
Name Authority: BC Geographical Names Office
Relative Location: NE side Bear Lake, N of Fort Babine, Cassiar Land District
Latitude-Longitude: 56°11'59"N, 126°51'05"W at the approximate population centre of this feature.
Datum: WGS84
NTS Map: 94D/2
Origin Notes and History:

"Bear Lake (Fort Connelly) Settlement" adopted 23 April 1940 on Geological Survey sheet 622A, McDonnell Creek; form of name changed to Bear Lake (Settlement) 2 November 1964 on 94D/2, as labelled on BC Lands' map 5A, 1917 (file B.1.64). Since changed to Bear Lake (community).

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Fort Connolly (also spelled Connelly) was established in 1826 by James Douglas for the Hudson's Bay Company, and so-named by him for his father-in-law.

Source: Canadian Geographical Names Database, Ottawa

F.C. Swannell, BCLS, reported that Sekani Indians had told him the Fort was situated on the island in Tsaytut Bay. However, according to long-time guide-outfitter Tommy Walker in "Spatsizi" (p.120), Fort Connolly was located at the north end of Bear Lake; in any event, there is nothing left of HBC's Fort Connelly and that name is no longer used.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office