Criss Creek Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia

Locality - A named place or area, generally with a scattered population of 50 or less. On Criss Creek above Mow Creek, NW of Kamloops, Kamloops Division Yale Land District

Mapped Location

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

 

Information

General information on Criss Creek

  • Feature Type: Place

 

Official, historical, colloquial and alternative toponyms for Criss Creek

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

Name Description
Criss Creek Official

 

Origin Notes and History of Criss Creek

References to Criss Creek that document the origin of its place name

Criss Creek (Post Office) adopted 3 March 1955 on 92P, as labelled on BC map 2G, 1916 et seq, and as identified in the 1930 BC Gazetteer. Identified as Criss Creek (settlement) in the 1973 Supplement to the 1963 BC Gazetteer. Name rescinded 3 February 1976 on 92P. Criss Creek (locality) reinstated 19 December 1984 on 92P/2.

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

Criss Creek Post Office was opened 1 June 1914; closed 31 March 1968 (at the time of closing, was situated on NE 1/4 Sec 9, Tp 24, R 20, W6M.) Not listed in 1966 and 1971 census; no listings in 1973 phone book.

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

Named in association with the adjacent creek, in turn named after Christopher Pumpmaker, 1869. In his 1889 notebook, A. Driscoll, DLS, uses the spelling "Chris Creek". Later this became "Cris" (document not cited) and on a 1910 plan by Joseph E. Ross, DLS, it is spelled "Criss Creek", probably the latest plan used to establish the name of the post office.

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

"Mrs. Williams' ranch at the forks of Deadmans Creek and Criss Creek was taken up in the early '60s by a Hollander named Christopher Pumpmaker, an old packer. He was always spoken of as "old Chris" and the creek at his place was naturally called after him Chris Creek. But in latter days the government surveyors have changed it to Criss Creek.... Christopher Pumpmaker died in 1876 and Si Hemans bought the ranch, selling it to Tingley in 1884 who sold it to Williams....." (23 May 1919 advice from H.P. Christie, Government Agent, Ashcroft, conveyed by 26 May 1919 letter to Geographic Board of Canada, from Fleet Robertson, BC member on the Board) "It is unfortunate that the spelling of the name was not fixed before the Post Office was opened...." (29 May 1919 reply from R. Douglas, secretary, GBC, overruling BC's recommendation to change the spelling of the creek name)

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

 

Thompson-Nicola Regional District

Political Boundaries

Last updated: 2023-10-02