Adopted in the 3rd Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 30 June 1901, as labelled on Palliser's 1865 map of British North America. Re-approved as "Blaeberry (not Blueberry) River" in 12th Report, 30 June 1913. Re-approved 8 September 1932 on 82N/SW.

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

Mis-identified as "Blackberry River" in A.O. Wheeler's "The Selkirk Range", vol I, p.123, published 1905.

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

J. Finlay had been here in 1806, but seemingly did not name it. Is this the watercourse David Thompson called "Portage Creek" ? (Journal.... 25 June 1807). Called "Blaeberry Torrent" by Alexander Henry the Younger, fur trader, who travelled this region in 1811 (Canadian Alpine Journal, 1944-45, p.37). Name refers to the abundance of blueberries on its banks; "blae"is an old form of "blue".

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

"...Blaeberry or Blueberry (as we call it)....." (September 1858, Journal of the Palliser Expedition by Dr. James Hector, p.152).

Source: Provincial Archives of BC "Place Names File" compiled 1945-1950 by A.G. Harvey from various sources, with subsequent additions

David Thompson's "Portage Creek". One of the earliest routes for explorers entering BC from the east was through Howse Pass, and down the Blaeberry to the Columbia River. In 1859 James Hector named this river Blaeberry or Blueberry because of the abundance of berries in its valley. His 'blaeberries' were probably our huckleberries.

Source: Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; British Columbia Place Names; Sono Nis Press, Victoria 1986 /or University of British Columbia Press 1997

Headwaters at 51 48 - 116 45 on 82N/15.

Source: Canadian Geographical Names Database, Ottawa