Bonpas Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bonpas Creek |
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|---|---|
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Richland County west of Olney, Illinois 38°44′36″N 87°58′44″W / 38.7433808°N 87.9789235°W |
| River mouth | Confluence with the Wabash River in Grayville, Illinois 361 ft (110 m) 38°15′28″N 87°59′23″W / 38.2578248°N 87.9897546°W |
| Length | 58 mi (93 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Bonpas Creek → Wabash → Ohio → Mississippi → Gulf of Mexico |
| GNIS ID | 404691 |
Bonpas Creek is a stream in Illinois that flows into the Wabash River. It starts near Olney in Richland County. As it flows south, it forms a natural border between Edwards and Wabash counties.
The creek is about 58 miles (93 kilometers) long. It meets the Wabash River close to Grayville, Illinois. Near its end, Bonpas Creek flows through what used to be a large curve of the Wabash River. This kind of curve is called an "oxbow bend." Because of this, the creek now also helps form part of the state border between White County, Illinois, and Gibson County, Indiana, as it passes Grayville.
The Name Bonpas Creek
The name "Bonpas" comes from early French settlers in the Illinois Country. It likely means "good steps" or "good path." Locally, people often say the name as "Bom Paw."
How Locals Say It
People in nearby towns like Bone Gap, Browns, and Bellmont often say the name as "Bum-paw." They put the stress on the "Bum" part. Even though this isn't exactly how the French would say it, it's still quite close to the original sound.
A Local Legend
There's a story about how the "Bum-paw" pronunciation came to be. Long ago, a pioneer father was trying to cross the creek in his wagon with his young son. Their wagon and horses got stuck in the water. As the father waded into the creek to pull the horses, his young son kept saying, "Bum-paw, Bum-paw!" This is how the legend says the local pronunciation started.
