McLeod Lake Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, 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. N end of McLeod Lake, just S of S end Williston Lake, Cariboo Land District

Mapped Location

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

 

Information

General information on McLeod Lake

  • Feature Type: Place

 

Official, historical, colloquial and alternative toponyms for McLeod Lake

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

Name Description
McLeod Lake Official

 

Origin Notes and History of McLeod Lake

References to McLeod Lake that document the origin of its place name

McLeod Lake (Trading Post) adopted in the 1930 BC Gazetteer; not Fort McLeod as had been labelled on BC Lands' map 1G, 1916. Name changed to Fort McLeod (Post Office) 7 October 1948 on 93J. Name changed to McLeod Lake (Post Office), not McLeods Lake (Post Office) 3 July 1952 on 93J. Form of name changed to McLeod Lake (community) 31 January 1983 on 93J/14.

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

In 1806 Simon Fraser arrived at the post now called Fort McLeod. He found however, that he had been preceeded by James McDougall who had arrived the year previously, 1805, and had erected the building which was first called Trout Lake House, later La Malice Fort (after the French Canadian of that name whom Fraser left in charge), and then Fort McLeod in honour of Archibald Norman McLeod whose activities in the Peace River district [for the North West Company] had at that time reached their peak. (1948 notation on BC name card).

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

This is the Trout Lake where Simon Fraser established a post in 1805. Soon both the lake and the fort were renamed in honour of Archibald Norman McLeod, one of the most energetic officers of the North West Company.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; 1001 British Columbia Place Names; Discovery Press, Vancouver 1969, 1970, 1973.  |  Province of British Columbia

Fort McLeod Post Office was opened 5 June 1937. Changed to McLeods Lake Post Office 2 June 1952, and almost immediately adjusted to McLeod Lake Post Office.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards & correspondence, and/or research by BC Chief Geographer & Geographical Names Office staff.  |  Province of British Columbia

 

Regional District of Fraser-Fort George

Political Boundaries

Last updated: 2023-10-01