The dock at McDonald's Landing
In 1894, Duncan A. McDonald filed a pre–emption for some land at Six Mile on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake. The landing named for him is located near the east end of Lower Six Mile Road. It is one of the few along the lakeshore which was built and maintained by the government (another one, now long gone, was Fraser’s Landing).
I have used McDonald’s Landing many times starting in the 1940s when I would travel from it to Camp Koolaree. The landing has remained under the control of Fisheries and Oceans until, apparently, this year at which time it will come under the local control of the RDCK.
I read of the pending transfer in a story in The Nelson Daily, that at the time of this posting, began its story as illustrated to the right.
The story contains two distinctly odd features. First, it includes an aerial view of Balfour but incongruously implies that it is the Landing (which is not visible in the picture and many kilometres away). Second, the story goes on to discuss someplace called Camp Coolery (since the original posting, this has been corrected).
All in all, not one of the editor’s better days.
Incidentally, I have been unable to learn the proper spelling of the landing. I have seen the mac with and without an a, and the s with and without an apostrophe. With any luck, the RDCK will standardize it, preferably without the a and with the apostrophe.
The origin of the name Koolaree remains a mystery to me, although it dates from at least 1906. It is often pronounced KOOL-a-ree, although apparently the correct pronunciation is/was kool-AR-ee.
What is the context for the 1906 reference? I notice that the website for Camp Koolaree provides no guidance on either the history or pronunciation of the name. When I was a child, it was pronounced koo-LAR-ee, but with one exception. In the camp’s version of the school or theme song, the first line was, “KOO-lar-ee I love you”. Presumably this was done for reasons of cadence.
I’ll look it up at home later today. Meanwhile, a Google Books search reveals a village in India named Koolaree ca. 1859; a reference to a “travelling Mug merchant of the name of Koolaree” in an 1853 volume on the first Burmese war; and a fish called Koolarie by the Tamil fishermen of Madras. All of which may or may not be coincidental.
The name ‘Koolaree’ originates from the original intent of the camp….Kootenay Lake Religious Education (with an extra ‘e’ at the end to make it sound a bit better!). The name originated in 1931 when the camp was started; this year marks the 80th anniversary of the camp….look for the celebration announcement! As for the name of the landing…our documention from DFO states it is ‘McDonald’s Landing’.
I have no doubt Kandy is correct about the etymology.
I found my source was Kootenay Outlet Reflections, p. 20, wherein Paul Munch wrote: “The branch line between Nelson and Procter had five stations and two flag stops, as shown on the timetable … Two stops on the route were Koolaree and Atbara …”
But I am at a loss to understand why I ascribed a date of 1906. The timetable is not reproduced in the book. In any event, I have no examples of the name prior to the 1930s.
Good information, thanks. I’m just now putting together the management plan for McDonalds Landing and any info I can get about it helps. We are just now finalizing the acquisition process and the renos.