Christina River (Alberta) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christina River |
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The Christine River in late Autumn, near its confluence with the Clearwater River.
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Christina Lake 55°37′21″N 110°52′42″W / 55.62250°N 110.87833°W, Wood Buffalo, Alberta, Canada |
| 2nd source | west |
| River mouth | Clearwater River |
The Christina River is a river in northeastern Alberta, Canada. It flows through the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. This river is a branch, or tributary, of the Clearwater River.
The Christina River was named after Christine Gordon. She was a very important person in the history of the Fort McMurray area. She was the first European woman to live there permanently.
Where Does the Christina River Flow?
The Christina River starts near Christina Lake. This is close to the town of Conklin. The lake and river are part of a large area called a drainage basin. This basin covers about 1,250 square kilometers (480 square miles).
Water from Christina Lake flows into the Christina River through a short river called the Jackfish River. The Jackfish River is about 11 kilometers (7 miles) long.
After that, the Christina River flows north for about 110 kilometers (68 miles). It then joins the Clearwater River. This meeting point is about 16 kilometers (10 miles) east of Fort McMurray. Eventually, the water from the Christina River travels a long way. It flows into the Athabasca River, then the Mackenzie River, and finally reaches the Arctic Ocean.
Who Was Christine Gordon?
The Christina River and Christina Lake are both named to honor Christine Gordon. She was originally from Scotland. Christine was the first European woman to live permanently in the Fort McMurray area. She lived there until she passed away in the 1940s.
Christine Gordon was highly respected by everyone in the community. This included the First Nations people and the Métis people. She was known for her skills in helping people who were sick or hurt. She learned a lot from a Scottish home nursing book.
Christine could help with many things. She knew how to splint a broken arm and how to lower a fever. She also mixed her own herbal remedies. By 1914, she even owned and ran her own trading post in Fort McMurray. She was a strong competitor to the well-known Hudson's Bay Company.
