The Bonaparte River is a tributary of the

Thompson River The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches, the South Thompson River and the North Thompson River. The river ...

, joining it at the community of

Ashcroft, British Columbia Ashcroft ( 2016 population: 1,558) is a village in the Thompson Country of the Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It is downstream from the west end of Kamloops Lake, at the confluence of the Bonaparte and Thompson Rivers, and is in the Tho ...

. The river is about long, including the length of

Bonaparte Lake Bonaparte is an Italian surname. It derives from Italian ''bona'' (''buona'') 'good' and ''parte'' 'solution' or 'match' (a name bestowed as an expression of satisfaction at a newborn's arrival). Bonaparte may refer to: People *The House of Bo ...

. Rising on the Silwhoiakun Plateau to the northwest of

Kamloops Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the South flowing North Thompson River and the West flowing Thompson River, east of Kamloops Lake. It is located in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, w ...

, the Bonaparte River flows west and south to join the Thompson River. The river's name first appears on a map made in 1827 by

Archibald McDonald Archibald McDonald (3 February 1790 – 15 January 1853) was chief trader for the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Langley, Fort Nisqually and Fort Colvile and one-time deputy governor of the Red River Colony. Early life McDonald was born in Leech ...

of the

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...

. The name probably honors

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

, who died in 1821. The Secwepemc name for the river is Kluhtows, which means "gravelly river".

References

Rivers of the Cariboo Bonaparte Country Thompson Country {{BritishColumbiaInterior-river-stub

See also

References