Misplaced Pages

Tatshenshini River: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 23:31, 10 August 2009 editBuffalo Robert (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users21,187 edits History← Previous edit Revision as of 23:32, 10 August 2009 edit undoBuffalo Robert (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users21,187 edits HistoryNext edit →
Line 16: Line 16:


==History== ==History==
Although this river was used as a vital trade route by First Nations, in particular the coastal ] people, the first Europeans to travel the Tatshenshini River were ] and ] in 1890, accompanied by two native guides. Prior to 1891, the present-day Tatshenshini River was considered to be part of the Alsek River. In or about 1891, the present-day Tatshenshini River was given the name ''Tatshenshini'', and the lower part of the Kaskawulsh River became the upper Alsek River. Afterwards, Dalton established a trading post near the location where the Tatshenini begins to flow westward. This trading post flourished during the ]. Although this river was used as a vital trade route by First Nations, in particular the coastal ] people, the first Europeans to travel the Tatshenshini River were ] and ] in 1890, accompanied by two native guides. Prior to 1891, the present-day Tatshenshini River was considered to be part of the Alsek River. In or about 1891, the present-day Tatshenshini River was given the name ''Tatshenshini'', and the lower part of the Kaskawulsh River became the upper Alsek River. Afterwards, Dalton established a trading post near the location where the present-day Tatshenini begins to flow westward. This trading post flourished during the ].


It was designated a ] in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/Tatshenshini/Tatshenshini_e.htm|title=Tatshenshini River|author=Canadian Heritage River|authorlink=Canadian Heritage River|accessdate=2008-03-03}}</ref> It was designated a ] in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/Tatshenshini/Tatshenshini_e.htm|title=Tatshenshini River|author=Canadian Heritage River|authorlink=Canadian Heritage River|accessdate=2008-03-03}}</ref>

Revision as of 23:32, 10 August 2009

River
Tatshenshini River
Physical characteristics
MouthAlsek River
59°28′44″N 137°45′56″W / 59.47894°N 137.76555°W / 59.47894; -137.76555 (Tatshenshini River mouth)
 • elevationTemplate:M to ft

The Tatshenshini River ("Shäwshe Chù" in Southern Tutchone) is a river in the southwestern Yukon and the northwestern corner of British Columbia. It originates in British Columbia, near Haines Highway. It flows north into Yukon, then it turns west and south before itreturns into British Columbia, where it flows through the Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Wilderness Park. There it joins the Alsek River, which then flows in the Pacific Ocean in Alaska. It is a very popular river for wilderness rafting trips.

History

Although this river was used as a vital trade route by First Nations, in particular the coastal Tlingit people, the first Europeans to travel the Tatshenshini River were Jack Dalton and Edward Glave in 1890, accompanied by two native guides. Prior to 1891, the present-day Tatshenshini River was considered to be part of the Alsek River. In or about 1891, the present-day Tatshenshini River was given the name Tatshenshini, and the lower part of the Kaskawulsh River became the upper Alsek River. Afterwards, Dalton established a trading post near the location where the present-day Tatshenini begins to flow westward. This trading post flourished during the Klondike Gold Rush.

It was designated a Canadian Heritage River in 2004.

Etymology

Prior to 1891, the name Tatshenshini did not apply to the present-day Tatshenshini River. Instead, the name applied to the present-day Blanchard River, which is a tributary of the present-day Tatshenshini River. In or about 1891, the Canadian government reassigned the name from the present-day Blanchard River to the present-day Tatshenshini River.

The name Tatshenshini is derived from a Tlingit phrase of unrecorded meaning. However, the original phrase appears to have been t’áchán shahéeni, meaning river with stinking chinook (king) salmon at its headwaters (t’á + chán + sha + héen + i ).

Chinook (king) salmon run up the present-day Tatshenshini River to the present-day Blanchard River (the original Tatshenshini River) and, thence, up the Blanchard River. At the headwaters (shahéen) of the Blanchard River, the salmon (t’á) die, and their carcasses stink (chán).

See also

References

  1. Canadian Heritage River. "Tatshenshini River". Retrieved 2008-03-03.
  2. Davidson, George (1995). The Kohklux Map. Yukon Historical & Museums Assn., at pp. 15, 18-19 (All-segh'; Ta-tchan-seena).
  3. Krause, Aurel (1956). The Tlingit Indians. University of Washington Press., at page 253 (Tatschants-hīni).
  4. Twitchell, Lance A. (2005). Lingít Dictionary. Troubled Raven Productions., at pp. i (i=possessed noun suffix), 1-6 (chán), 1-24 (héen), 1-40 (shá), 1-44 (t’á), 2-27 (head of), 2-46 (river), 2-47 (chinook salmon), 2-56 (stink). Since a stink (chán) is always created by something, no possessed noun suffix is needed for chán.
  5. Warning: Bears are known to patrol the Blanchard River for running salmon.

Stub icon

This article about a Yukon location is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

Stub icon

This article about a location in British Columbia, Canada is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

Categories: