Adopted in the 15th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 31 March 1917, as labelled on Geological Survey sheet 33A, Nanaimo, 1915.

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

One of two Indians wanted for murder was captured at this river after a long 'chase'.

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

"In the winter of 1852-53, two young natives, a Cowichan and a Nanaimo Indian, wantonly shot and killed Peter Brown, a Scottish shepherd, at Lake hill (sic).....Much dificulty was experienced in arresting the Nanaimo Indian, who, when he heard that the governor with an armed force was after him, left his village at Nanaimo and took to the woods. A few inches of snow had fallen and his footmarks were traced, he was chased in fact, to a river since named from this incident Chase River..." (See Walbran for additional information). Also Gallows Point, named from the same incident.

Source: Walbran, John T; British Columbia Coast Names, 1592-1906: their origin and history; Ottawa, 1909 (republished for the Vancouver Public Library by J.J. Douglas Ltd, Vancouver, 1971)

Indian name is "Kulwulton" (B.W. Pearse, "Country Around Nanaimo", April 1959, contained in Field Book 4/59 ph 1)

Source: included with note

Headwaters at 49 08 - 124 02 on 92F/1.

Source: Canadian Geographical Names Database, Ottawa