| Language of origin | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit, Na-Dene language family Tlingit language |
| Feature Type: | River - Watercourse of variable size, which has tributaries and flows into a body of water or a larger watercourse. |
| Status: | Official |
| Name Authority: | BC Geographical Names Office |
| Relative Location: | Flows SE across BC-Alaska boundary into Chilkat River, W of Skagway, Cassiar Land District |
| Tags: | Indigenous |
| Latitude-Longitude: | 59°26'42"N, 136°21'32"W at the approximate mouth of this feature. |
| Datum: | WGS84 |
| NTS Map: | 114P/8 |
| Related Maps: |
114P/10 114P/8 114P/9 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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Adopted in the 18th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 31 March 1924, as labelled on Geological Survey sheet 968, "Yukon and adjacent part of British Columbia" by G.M. Dawson, 1898, etc. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Headwaters above Mineral Mountain, then flows southeast then east 42 miles to confluence with Chilkat River at 59º24'45" 135º55'30" at Wells, Alaska (22mi. west of Skagway) Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Tlingit name "Kluheeny", meaning "queen salmon", reported by US Navy, 1880. Published as "T'lehini (or Kluhini) River" in US Coast Pilot, 1883 p.199. Labelled "Tlehini River" on 1883 map by A. Krause. Additional spelling variations: Klaheela, Kleheena, Kluheena, Kluheeny, Kluheny, Kluhini, Tlehini. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Klu- salmon/fish; hini- river (Interior Tlingit) - possibly the same as Coastal Tlingit? Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |