After William Powers, (1866-1922), a good natured young Englishman who came here from Montana in 1888 and pre-empted in 1890, but later abandoned, what is now Gellatly. Carried mail on horseback, Kelowna to Grand Forks, 1891. Operated saw-mills at Kettle River points, 1893-1922. The creek is shown as "R. Creuse" (Deep) on A. C. Anderson's Map, 1867, and as "Deep R." on J. W. Trutch's Map, 1871. [Indigenous] name, Spil - kuk - a - nilh' means "Eagle Nest Creek." (12th Report of the Okanagan Historical Society, 1948, citing Gallatly, 45-46, 80; Dawson, Shuswap, 44)



Sixteen miles long. Named after William Powers (1866-1922) an Englishman from Montana in 1888 who pre-empted in 1892, but later abandoned, what is now Gellatly. Carried mail on horseback, Kelowna to Grand Forks, 1891. Operated saw-millsat Kettle River points 1893-1922. The creek is shown as "R. Creuse" (Deep) on A.C. Anderson's Map, 1867 and as "Deep River" on J.W. Trutch's Map, 1871. [Indigenous] name Spil-kuk-a-nilh - "Eagle Nest Creek". (Dawson Shelswan,44) Okanagan Historical Society Papers, 1948. File 82E/NW.

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