| 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 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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"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 |
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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 |
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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 |