Tasu (Post Office) adopted 5 March 1973 on 103C/16, in association with Tasu Sound. Form of name changed to Tasu (Community) 30 November 1982 on 103C/16. Form of name changed to Tasu (Abandoned Locality) 16 September 1996.

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

Tasu Post Office was opened 9 March 1966 "exactly in the middle of Gowing Island" (advice from postmaster, received April 1966). Date of PO closure not recorded here. Following closure of the nearby mine, this community was virtually abandoned by the 1990's, however a special land use permit is expected to be issued in 1995 that would allow a water bottling facility here with attendant shipping facilities. It is anticipated that activity would be year-round and employees would live here. 1996 information obtained from (Crown) Land Administration confirms that all remaining infrastructure has been removed from the site - only the concrete pilings from the wharf remain. See Tasu Sound for origin information. Description and photograph in BC Mines Report 1967, p.54-56.

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

The sound, known as Tasoo (or Tassoo) Hbr in the early days, apparently takes its name from a longer Haida phrase meaning “lake of plenty.” Early US fur traders knew it as Port Montgomery after Maj Gen Richard Montgomery, an Irish native, who was killed in the unsuccessful US attack on Que in 1775. There were many Haida habitation sites on Tasu Sd, including the large winter village of Singa on Lomgon Bay; ancient trails connected the sound to Kootenay Inlet farther N and to Sewell Inlet on the E side of Moresby I. The first prospectors arrived at Tasu about 1907, and more trails were built, to Crescent Inlet and Lockeport to the SE. Falconbridge Nickel Mines Ltd established the Wesfrob iron-ore operation on Tasu Mtn in 1962 and built a modern townsite on Gowing I, complete with indoor swimming pool and gymnasium. More than 400 people lived at Tasu until the huge open-pit mine closed in 1983. In the 1970s the Canadian government allowed Russian fishing vessels to use Tasu Sd as a base in return for staying out of the Vancouver I fishing grounds (the crews were not allowed ashore). Tasu Ck, which flows into the head of Newcombe Inlet, takes its name from the sound.

Source: Scott, Andrew; "The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names"; Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, 2009.