Blewett Regional District of Central Kootenay, British Columbia

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. S side of West Arm Kootenay Lake, W of Nelson, Kootenay Land District

Mapped Location

Blewett: The mapped location is an approximation and should not be used for navigation or wayfinding.

 

Information

General information on Blewett

  • Feature Type: Place

 

Official, historical, colloquial and alternative toponyms for Blewett

A brief list of names that this geographic feature has been named

Name Description
Blewett Official

 

Origin Notes and History of Blewett

References to Blewett that document the origin of its place name

Blewett (Post Office) adopted 2 March 1948 on 82F/6, as identified in the 1930 BC Gazetteer. Form of name changed to Blewett (settlement) 5 March 1959 on 82F/SW; since changed to Blewett (community).

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

Blewett Post Office opened 1 May 1925, situated at SE corner Lot 5550; named after the postmaster. [Note that Belford Post Office had been located in the adjacent Lot 5079 until closing in 1918 following the death of the postmaster; when the new post office was opened in 1925 it was likely given the new name to avoid confusion with Balfour Post Office located only 20 miles east at the outlet of Kootenay Lake, now the mouth of West Arm Kootenay Lake. Blewett Post Office closed 10 May 1958.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

"I met W.J. Blewett for the first time about [1913].... a Cornishman, blacksmith by trade, who sharpened steel in the early days of the Silver King Mine on Toad Mountain. He also worked at mines in Rossland and other camps. He told me that he prospected in Montana and Idaho. He founded Blewett and later supervised the delivery of His Majesty's mail from the store.... His store burned down later.... he went home to Cornwall for a time for he was heir to a shoe store; he sold this and was in good financial standing for some time after. He retired to live in the Slocan valley. He died in Rossland, 25 April [1953], at the ripe of age of 83. Old time miners gave him the title BABPM; maybe it stood for Blewett, a Blacksmith and Post Master." (Nelson Daily News 1 May 1953, as written by historian R.G. Joy.)

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

 

Regional District of Central Kootenay

Political Boundaries

Last updated: 2023-09-27