Cowichan Bay History

Cowichan Bay, from 1850 to now (give or take a few years)
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Cowichan
Bay
From
1850 to
now
(give or take a few years)
In the beginning...
file://///Server/server/Apache%20Group/Apache/htdocs/webbook/index.html (1 of 50)27/11/2004 4:27:17 AM

Early dates for Cowichan Bay start about 1850

when Captain Richards on board the HMS
Plumper started naming the area. The profile of
the British Admiralty has always been high in the
Gulf Islands and surrounding waters.
A lot of the activity actually went back to the slave

ships when Britain sent some of her best, most
modern vessels in an effort to stem the trade.
Slavery was not abolished until 1863, so the trade
off our coast was in full gear. There a was a lot of
concern about the growing influence of the
American colonies. Barkley and other Americans
were already surveying our island, so they were a
tad concerned.
As well, the Sveaborg and the Crimean War (1854-

55) prompted the British to send ships as close as
they could to the East Coast of Russia.
A good percentage of the names of landmarks and islands in the area are of British
boats and the sailors on them. Of course, the Native names remain, along those of
Spanish ships and Explorers. But, the mark of history in this area is definitely
British. And, we must not forget the influence the Hudsons Bay Company had in
most of the area. Heck, on August 12, 1856 Vancouver Island was declared a colony
of Britian. We almost missed being a country on that one.
Cowichan Bay, owes considerable debt to the Governor of the time. Governor
Douglas had a policy regarding the security of settlers. Quite simply, any hostile acts
by the Natives were dealt with rapidly and severely. September 1856 saw the
hanging of a local native for the murder of a settler. Douglas had the warship
Trincomalee towed up from Victoria by the Hudsons Bay steam vessel Otter. Over
400 able bodied seamen showed up in Cowichan Bay and demanded justice of the
local Indians. A number of cannon balls were fired into the nearby mountain to
intimidate the natives. As an aside, one of the balls was used to break up the stone
for the construction of the first church, another was found by a road crew. That, the
size of the ship, and the number of cannons; they were still not too eager to
surrender the murderer. That was a bloody big vessel, but the natives were still
adamant!

Governor Douglas himself

was on the Trincomalee
(sketch at right) and the
incident could have
resulted in a whole
chapter of history being
rewritten. He was almost
killed in the attempt to
arrest the Indian(s)
responsible. Were it not
for the fact that weapons
were unreliable and a gun
mis-fired he would have
been killed in Cowichan
Bay.
Eventually they surrendered the culprit. A trial was held and the fellow, named
Tath-La-Sut, was promptly hanged. A sturdy oak tree was the gallows. The location
of the oak tree is near St. Peters Church in Duncan. It survived for many years and
was simply known as "The Hanging Tree".
The Hudsons Bay Company

The original site of the Hudsons
Bay Company was the flats at
the top of Cowichan Bay. It is
possible that it was just a trading
post, some folk have mentioned a
fort. But I think it a fort is an
overstatement. In 1858 the
Hudsons Bay Company started
selling land in the area that
eventually became Cowichan
Bay . I am not sure if the
Colonist has archives that far
back, but the July 11, 1859 issue
supposedly has the list of all the investors in the what would ultimately be the
village. John Otty, who became the "Surveyor General" for British Columbia, was

contacted. Plans were drawn up for the town that even included a sheriffs office
and jail. Unfortunately, they were just that, plans. However, if we consider the date
of actual settlement, Cowichan Bay was the earliest development north of Victoria.
Settlers started coming here in the 1850s for the Hudsons Bay Company. That was
four years ahead of Nanaimo, the only other area of activity..
The location of the town dictated that it should have a strong tie to logging and the
benefits of a coastal harbour. Up the Cowichan River the town of Duncan would be
founded, but it would be farmers and trappers that set their theme. Loggers, and
eventually fishermen, pretty well set the theme of Cowichan Bay.
The original settlement was near the mouth of the Cowichan River where the
natives had a village there named Quamichan. One of the biggest obstacles to
settlement was the shallow water at that end of the bay. Goods brought to the
Hudsons Bay Company fort had to barged from boats anchored in the deeper
water. The natives had a bridge, but it was not sturdy enough for cattle, so, traffic
and commerce to the south was extremely difficult. That fact made the south shore
the most natural place for settlement and ultimate boat travel south to Victoria. It is
difficult to see in the small picture above, but the Stone Church mentioned many
times here, is under construction on the hill to the right of the tall tree.
Cowichan Bay or Harrisville...

Duncan almost missed being called "Alderlea", the name of the farm that was the
site of the town. History tells us that the farm was named due to the abundance of
Alder trees there. Similarly, Cowichan Bay just missed being called "Harrisville"
after Samuel Harris.
Samuel Harris came to the area

like most folk with dreams of
fortunes to be made. The former
British lifeguard built his home
and a small inn on one of the
sheltered areas of Cowichan Bay
around 1859. A lot of history
relates that he dispensed liquor,
groceries and "justice". He had
a hotel, bar, small dock and a
jail. Sam was our first (and only)
town constable, but it is also
rumoured that perhaps he might have been the best customer for his inn and his jail.

But, it is a fact that Sam Harris was the biggest single influence we have had in
history of the entire area. It was due to his vision that the entire area, not just
Cowichan Bay, was settled. He arranged for boats carrying settlers to come to the
area. These settlers spread out from Cowichan Bay to other areas in the Cowichan
Valley. A lot of them did not stay here thinking Harris and his town were a little too
"rough around the edges".
In 1862 the HMS Hecate arrived

with a boatload of settlers.
Records note that the standard
payment to the natives for
settlement land was two
blankets.
Most of the settlers went north

from here and a handful went
south. Mill Bay, Maple Bay,
Cobble Hill and Duncan all owe
their existence to those settlers.
Harris personal dream for a town almost became true. Others came and built
shacks near his wharf. The bar at "John Bulls" (the name of the Inn pictured
above) closed on Sunday for religious services. It is noted that he was a "Special
Constable" for the area. Unfortunately he never received full payments for his
services; nothing in the way of an official appointment could be found. He sort of
lost his enthusiasm for the dream and abandoned his plans for the town he wanted
to bear his name.
Harris sold his interests to Giovanni Baptiste Ordano, who owned a grocery store
down the road from Corfields property, and retired in rather poor health to
Victoria.
Samuel Corfield and his family had a farm up on the river near the top of The Bay.
They had a general store, and were the one time residence of Robert Service. He was
rumoured to have actually written a lot of his poetry while living and working in the
area.
The wagon road...

Cowichan Bay was the last stop south on

the trail from Nanaimo. Anyone
travelling took a boat from here to
Victoria. In 1861 the government cleared
enough land to put a trail, imaginatively
named "The Cowichan Trail", from
Goldstream to Cowichan Bay. The route
was from Langford (Sooke Lake area) to
north of Shawnigan Lake. Near what we
now refer to as Dougans Lake. From
there it went down the hill to the our
area. That road roughly followed an old
Indian trail in the area. The original trail
was less than 6 feetwide in places.
Around 1863 it was widened to allow
oxen to haul loads. It would be nearly 50
years before the Malahat Highway was
built to replace it.
At an average speed less than 5 MPH the

travelers needed food and
accommodation. So, a number of "Road
Houses" were developed to accommodate
them. Cowichan Bay was no exception,
and the present day Masthead owes its existence to it. In 1863 (there is some dispute
on that date) it was built by Giovanni Ordano as the Columbia Hotel. Very little has
happened to the structure since then, with the exception of a new foundation. Of
course, it has not been a hotel for a long time, being converted to a fine restaurant,
an upstairs apartment (an old sail loft in the attic) and a few businesses now in the
lower area. But, it pretty well qualifies as the oldest remaining building in town.
However, it is not the oldest roadhouse in the area. The Dougan family built a road
house up near the lake named after them that predates the Masthead. It was
converted to a residence a number of years ago.
Traffic to the north of us was still a problem. In 1864 a petition was forwarded to
Victoria for a bridge strong enough to sustain real traffic. It never happened till the
1870s.
At the other end of the trail we found The Goldstream Hotel, now Ma Millers
Neighborhood Pub. Built in 1864 it was on both the wagon road and the railway In
1966 it was renamed in honour of Ma Miller who was the innkeeper there for a
number of years. They still brag of having the oldest continuous liquor license in BC.

Keep in mind, the first car arrived in our area around 1911. Till then the wagon was
the king of the road.
The first school

Cowichan Bay has long been tied to areas south of us. Most settlement to the north
became rather independent So, it is natural that we should share some early history
with areas such as Cobble Hill. After all a distance of a couple of miles was quite a
journey!
The first school was built on land donated by a Cobble Hill pioneer named John
Nelson. Located on Bench Road it was a one room log building. At the time the
school was simply called Bench School as there was no official Bench Road. The
Bench Road area was so named as it was a natural bench, really a flat open area of
land, on the side of the hill overlooking Cowichan Bay. When the new school was
built a number of original students of the log school were still alive. Some in their
70s, were invited to the opening. It was quite an occasion, and a number of folk
remember the strong personalities these early folk had.
The telegraph
In 1879 the first telegraph lines from Victoria to Nanaimo came through Cowichan
Bay. The first operator was a fellow named Harry Good. The telegraph wires were
moved when the railway was built and the center of communications then shifted to
Cowichan Station. Telephone service came much, much later.
Fishing and logging...

Over the years fishing and logging figured pretty prominently. The logging has
more or less remained, but the fishing has been closed. The best stories are told
about the fishing times and folk. Famous people like Bing Crosby, Hopalong
Cassidy (William Boyd), Bob Hope, and John Wayne were here. They could all be
found at the Buena Vista Hotel. A super luxury hotel located at the corner of
Cowichan Bay Road and Wilmot Road. The location of the present Cowichan Bay
Arms.
Moby Dick in Cowichan Bay

We had a pet whale here. A gray whale lived in the bay for years and was so tame

that folk would scrub him with a mop. Probably hung around because the salmon
were as thick as fleas. We still get the odd pod of Killer Whales (Orcas), but the
visits they make are rare indeed.
The boat that wouldnt sink...

Then there is the story of "the boat that would not sink"... Seems that the
government in order to increase the fishing fleet offered considerable cash to anyone
building a fishing boat. One of the more "colourful" folk decided to build a boat,
purely for the cash value. So, it used the poorest materials, and was never intended
to actually be used. But, nevertheless it was built.
Of course the government expected that a fishing boat should go fishing. So, it was
decided to destroy it and claim the loss. The engine room was torched. Well, the
water came in and put out the fire. A hole was drilled in an attempt to sink it. The
bloody thing just sank into the water and refused to go under. Maybe some lessons
should have been taken from this one, perhaps it was a better design than anyone
ever intended.
Logging was king

Growth and development in
Cowichan Bay pretty well
evolved by the nature of the
area. The fact that it was a good
harbour dictated that logging
should be a part of it. Forests up
the Cowichan River were some
of the best anywhere.. Booming
logs down the river was tried,
but it ruined the banks and
caused all sorts of problems The
railway eventually solved that.
There was almost as much tug boat activity on Cowichan Lake as there was here at
one point. Logs were boomed on the lake by steam tugs, loaded on railcars and
brought directly to Cowichan Bay. Today there is still an active sawmill and
shipping facility for lumber.
My charts still show the rail line to the dock, but roads and trucking have taken
over. The rail line is long gone. The pilings and dolphins (moorage thingees, not fish)
have only recently been removed. Logs are no longer brought down from the lake,
but arrive by boom behind a tug boat every week.

Falt Towing tugboats have been here for 35 plus years working the area. Al Falt
recently told me the story of his early days when he was a deckhand working the
booms. A fellow, who identified himself as the movie character Hopalong Cassidy,
was down on the shore with a bunch of buddies. They were doing some home movies
and had watched Al working the booms. They requested that he fake a fall into
"The Chuck" for them. History here declines to record if he complied with the
request, but he has admitted that every time he fell in he shouted "Geronimo". A
fallback to his one time movie career?
Early logging figured prominently in all the surrounding areas. Mill Bay was the
location of a power generating station for Henry Shepards sawmill. An American
industrialist named W. Sayward turned the mill into one of the major industries in
the area. Cowichan Lake was too far into the wilderness to even count at that time.
But, eventually logging spread into those areas. The area of Mill Bay continued for a
number of years as the hub of industry. Logs had to be dragged by oxen. The
process was called "skidding".
As an aside, the city of Seattle is responsible for a phrase we use every day. It seems
there was a "skid road" (the road they used to drag logs to the water) right through
the town to Elliot Bay. Eventually it fell into decay and became an area where the
less desirable elements of society lived. Anyone living there was said to live on the
skid road. A phrase that eventually became "Skid Row".
Once railways were established Cowichan Bay skyrocketed. The railway did not just
go down island where the E&N was established. Rail lines were built far into the
Cowichan Lake area where a number of mills and logging concerns were operating.
The Mayo family built the original sawmills up there. There were actually two log
dumps on the spit where the present Wescan Terminals sit. They were quite
effective in dumping logs off moving rail "skeleton cars". The docks themselves
were tilted and a pusher pole shoved the logs as the cars were towed past. Ordano
had a single tug which was used to form the logs into booms around the dolphins
(still standing in the area). Eventually the fleet grew to what is now Falt Towings
little orange and white tugs.
The Government Dock...

Originally most Government

Docks were built by the
Provincial Government. These
docks were built all over British
Columbia to support the
shipping of goods up and down
the coast and to supply the
Missions which were established
on the west coast of British
Columbia. An entire fleet of
ships were maintained to serve
them. Some of these vessels still
exist to this day and are
magnificent old boats.
The increasing importance of commercial fisheries resulted in the docks being sold
or transferred to the Federal Government. By this time British Columbia had joined
the federation and the railway and industry had arrived on the West Coast. In April
1955 the Cowichan Bay Provincial Docks were transferred to Federal control. At
that time the main dock and the breakwater existed. It appears however that there
was only a small dock behind that, large enough to accommodate a handful of boats.
It was dredged to accommodate deep draft vessels in most tides. Some of the docks
and a boathouse to the west were removed at a later date and the Masthead dock
was completely re-structured. At that time all the property up the hill to the left
(where the Resort Hotel now sits) was 20 to 25 foot property land and water parcels.
What is now the pub was then the market and post office, the original site of the
dream of Harrisville. It was also the first "Real Estate" office in the area.
Moving down to the west, the Hotel had a sort of angled dock. It appears that the
smaller boats gravitated to this area. As well, there were a number of "float houses"
where the west section of the government dock now sits. My pictures from the 50s
show a large floating structure right next to the government dock behind the
Masthead. It was a floating chandlery, eventually to be dismantled for materials for
a float house that sits in almost the same position.
Ships and Shipyards...

Shipbuilding as mentioned earlier figured prominently in the history. So, the next
building to the Masthead would naturally be the only surviving shipbuilders. What
is now the Cowichan Shipyard is next to the Masthead. Pictures show two buildings,
the smaller of which is the original shipyard. It is based on a small boat building
venture started by Ordano. He never built the boats himself, but had an employee

who built the boats that would eventually be the fishing rental fleet. As well he
operated the first tug boat in the area.
Now the emphasis is on repair and

restoration. I rather enjoyed looking at some
of the interior. I appreciate old machines,
and a lot of the very old "tools of the trade"
are still in use today. All in fine working
shape. And that includes wooden hand tools
too! The owners, Grant and Melodie have
maintained not just a building but quite
inadvertently, an archive of the way we used
to do things. New does not always mean
better!
At one time deep sea vessels, both of a

commercial and a military nature came to
what we now refer to as "Cowichan Bay". As
mentioned in earlier chapters, here is a long
history of the Admiralty showing up here.
The British had a strong military presence
for many of our very early years. The mission boats were regulars, and in fact were
the main reason for the Government Docks being here. Commercial fishing came
later to the area.
In the 50s this was a major commercial refueling area on the West Coast. All the
major oil companies at the time, some by the same name (Shell Oil) and others by
names long gone (British American Petroleum) had refueling facilities. Few docks
have the same look as today from the water. But it was only one of a number of
places to fuel up for the "big boys". Docks existed that accommodated ships of
considerable draft. Some of the ways still exist, some are just memories and scrap
metal.
Maritime History
The early 1800s saw the first arrival of the British Admiralty. The Spanish are
recorded to have still been in the area as late as 1792. Cowichan Bay history seems
to all come together around 1859, but the Admiralty had been operational here since
roughly 1853, some 6 years earlier, mainly to stem the slave trade. As well a

presence was needed to keep the expanding American colonization from creeping
north.
We are not talking about wind driven ships like the Trincomalee, but modern and
fast "screw driven" frigates. Vessels like Vesuvius, Satellite, Thetis, Grappler and
Ganges (to name just a few) are remembered in name all around us. As well vessels
which came to grief are usually remembered on the rocks they usually sank on. The
Norwegian vessel Horda is a prime example, although a bit distant from Cowichan
Bay. Generally; we seem to have been a rather peaceful, uneventful harbour.
It is hard to believe that we were not directly touched by the Alaska Gold Rush. But,
unfortunately there seems to be no memorable incident of record. Certainly by our
proximity to Ladysmith (a coal stop) and Saltspring (apples) we must have had
some visitors. Perhaps the fact that our docks were pretty tiny at that time deterred
a lot of activity.
Then there were the days of Prohibition. I have not heard any stories of famous
"rum runner" ships from here. But, then, perhaps no one wants to admit that bit of
maritime history. I have found stories of old booze stills in the Mill Bay area, but to
the best of my knowledge we seem to have missed most of the excitement. Personally
I would like to think that "Whiskey Point" in Mill Bay commemorates that era.
We start an identity...
Cowichan Bay rapidly
established itself as a sort of
Resort. Logging and shipping
provided the economic base. The
towns actual territory goes from
the water up to where the main
highway is now. That included a
number of farms. Some of which
are still owned by the same
family.
Hills Indian Crafts was started

by Mrs. Hill, a local resident
who to this day is still alive. She virtually put the Cowichan Indian sweaters on the
map. I still meet folk from California who mention that they have one. A number of
ladies from the Cowichan Band still knit directly for this market. No patterns exist
for the real items, only traditional designs in the knitters memory are used.

The Dougan family still has a strong presence in the community. At one time they
were one of the major land owners in the area. Dougans Lake is named after them.
More on them in other chapters.
Older residents all relate the stories of community activities. The old fire hall was
the center of all the "fun and games". Dances and games were the order of the day.
Everyone knew everyone and the community spirit was alive and well.
As will be mentioned many times

in this book, fishing and logging
were part of the identity of
Cowichan Bay. In the old days
when fish were plentiful we were
the salmon capital the Pacific
Northwest. Campbell River was
a fair distance north, so we were
a natural stop for Americans
looking for fishing.
The whole top of the bay was a

log booming and sorting area. Logging companies up in the Cowichan Lake area
tried to boom logs down the Cowichan River to The Bay, but there were just too
many problems. So, logs were mainly trucked or delivered by train to the booming
ground. The large green crane on the shore is a permanent reminder of our history
on that subject. Some of the "dolphins" (those log things) remain in the shallows.
They were used to hold the huge log booms that covered The Bay.
Early hotels...
Eventually the commercial
nature of the bay started to
disappear. At the far west end of
the commercial area the
Bluenose Marina was built by Al
Falt. It was the home of a non-
commercial marina and small
boat repair facility. At the other
end of town where the Ocean
Grand Hotel is now was once a
cozy cottage resort with a large
outdoor swimming pool and

shuffle board court. The present resort has had a number of owners over the year,
some of which were quite famous (Tommy Hunter) and a few who were infamous
(sorry, no good gossip forthcoming). Originally built to be luxury development it has
had a very tough time in the last few years and has recently been renamed The
Ocean Grand Hotel. I have also heard a story related that it was also a favourite
place for Bill Bennet Sr. and his government to convention. After he lost his power
to the NDP the place was sort of blackballed. Now, that is just a story, isnt it?
A number of Bed and Breakfast places exist for the traveler to the area. One right
across the street from the hotel, the Dream Weaver, was built with a particularly
stunning old style charm. We have cottages on the water and a number of excellent
small accommodations. A number of original heritage homes and farms are now
popular B& Bs
From my vantage I rather enjoy one of them who has what I refer to as a "floating
patio". A big deck with a motor that they sail out into The Bay on nice summer
evenings, complete with umbrellas and comfortable lounge chairs.
Buildings long past...
As mentioned many times in this book, the Masthead is one of the oldest buildings.
However, the Buena Vista Hotel

is one of the fondest remembered
buildings. Built on the corner of
Cowichan Bay Road and Wilmot
Road it commanded one of the
best views of Cowichan Bay. The
hill on the village is still referred
to as "Buena Vista Hill" by the
old-timers. Its bar was
legendary, and the clients were
some of Hollywoods best. In
those days Cowichan Bay had
the best fishing and was most accessible to the American sport fishermen. Long
before Campbell River! Not only a great bar but they had the best view of Cowichan
Bay in the area.
When the railway was built, Ordano closed the Columbia as a hotel, re-aligned the
docks and added a complete fishing supply operation. The Ordano fishing boats

were on the side of the Government Docks until the Masthead docks themselves
were re-aligned. As well the Government had a floating office there, the first office
for what would eventually be the Department of Fisheries.
One of the earlier hotels in the bay was The Cowichan Bay Inn (picture above left).
A sort of rambling collection of buildings at the site of the present Inn At The
Water. It had an outdoor pool and shuffle board court. Fishing boats could be
rented there as well.
Looking further west to the present developed area we saw a huge complex to
support Cowichan Bays position in commerce. The docks that supported deep sea
ships are long gone (one was so big it had a railway from the dock end to the shore).
Some of the ways are intact and remains of the dock piles can still be seen.
At the west end of Cowichan Bay we still have a crane that was used to dump and
recover the logs from inland. That entire area used to be filled with so many log
booms that you could almost walk to Mt. Tzeuhalem.
Downtown Cowichan Bay has not really changed a lot in the last 40 or so years.
Some original buildings remain. What is now the fish market was the site of Pecks
Market (rebuilt after the Maxwell House Hotel fire). The Starfish is on the site of
the Maxwell House Hotel. That building figured sadly in the start of the volunteer
fire brigade.
Down near what is now Cherry Point we have the Wilcoma Inn. They were a very
popular fishing operation One of the old fishing guides still lives in the area.
The railway is built...

James Dunsmuir, the Coal Baron from Nanaimo was instrumental in getting a
railway built to ship coal down to Victoria. In the 1880s the railway was completed
to Victoria and no less a personage than the Prime Minister at the time, Sir John A.
MacDonald drove the last spike near present day Shawnigan Lake. There was quite
a fuss about where the stations would be. It was after all just forests and farms.
Today the nearest stop and probably the first is at Cowichan Station . The small
shelter is still there and has been restored and lovingly cared for (picture at left).
A rail spur was extended to what is often referred to as "The Lumber Dock". It has
since been removed and allowed to overgrow. If you look close you can see the
remnants of the overpass on the east side of the highway just south of the farm
market. Some of the track is still intact nearer the dock.
We drove on the left side of the road..
The first car arrived in our area around 1911. There were certain rules of the road.
The speed limit was 10 miles per hour, the car had to stop when being approached
by a horse. And most important, the car had to drive on the left side of the road.
In 1922 the rule was changed for drivers to stay on the right side of the road. Signs
everywhere said "Keep To The Right". Some confusion reigned, but no great
disasters are recorded. A copy of the signs is in the gallery.
Drivers did not need to get a license till 1925 and the first licenses were "Life Time"

and cost a dollar.
The "First Nations" people...

Governor Douglas started a policy of "zero tolerance" of any violence between the
natives and the settlers. Generally this policy made for a fairly peaceful co-existence
between the settlers and the first residents in the area. There were a number of
skirmishes, but as mentioned before, the punishment from Victoria was severe.
Right beside Cowichan Bay is Mount Tzeuhalem (there are many spellings of his
name). Tzeuhalem was supposedly driven mad by the sight of his family being
massacred in one of the frequent raids of the time. His tribe banished him to the
caves of the mountain and threatened him with death if he ventured off. Eventually
he did venture down in search of a bride. He was killed for his efforts and even in
those days a "post mortem" was conducted to discover the cause of his dementia. It
was said "his heart was the size of a salmons".
The Indian village in Cowichan Bay was officially named the Kilpaulas village and
was one of the foremost villages in the area. They were renowned for their
Potlatches, a get together where lavish gifts were bestowed upon the guests. The
government at the time, fearing that the natives would give away all their wealth
banned the events in 1884. But, the potlatches continued for many years, eventually
even going underground. The early 1950s saw the law repealed, but by then the
village here in The Bay was gone.
Before the Hudsons Bay Company they were the foremost traders (and predators).
The Cowichan influence goes long past Nanoose. Generally most area tribes were
part of the "Coast Salish" nation, but the Nanoose natives spoke a dialect called
"Kauitan" loosely translated as Cowichan.
By the time the HBC arrived a lot of native warfare had ceased. Especially among
the newly arrived white man.. They found considerable profit in the early
relationships with the HBC.
Mount Tzuhalem
Many spellings surround the name of this mountain to the north of Cowichan Bay.
It is indeed a mountain full of legend. It was the home for many years of the native
for whom it is named. As mentioned many times here, an Indian so feared by his
people that he was banished to it and threatened with death if he came down. A

mistake he made, and paid for with his life.
It was the target of cannon balls when the Trincomalee fired a warning shot to
impress the natives of its arrival in Cowichan Bay. The canon ball was recovered
and used to break up the stones for the "Butter Church".
Legend has it that anyone witnessing a boulder falling from the mountain would
soon die. Edward Marriner proved that rumour true in the late 1800s. To this day
that legend is still passed around. I for one am certainly not looking for any to fall!
The Docks and Waterfront...

(Image at left is clickable for large
view) Cowichan Bay as we all know
it is basically the waterfront from
the drying flats to the Hotel. Over
the years it has been the home to
logging, marine transport,
shipbuilding and repairs, fishing
and now tourism. The picture at left
is from the 60's and has many
features we see today. At the very
top is the resort hotel. Area above it
is the indian reserve beach. Just
below it the present Fisherman's
Wharf. Either side of it on the road
are the present Bay Pub and
Masthead. Cowichan Shipyard is
the rusty roof (now repaired) next
to the Masthead.
Old Stewart's Marina (now the

Marine Store, Hair Salon) is the
brown peak roof building. The
large ship at the end of the dock
and large square white building are
now the Starfish and fish market
(old Peck's Market and Maxwell House).
Long dock with blue building on the end is the present Pier 66 (then Shell Docks).

Rock Cod Cafe was part of large wharehouse and dock complex. The open area
white building with peaked roof and long dock is the present Wooden Boat Society
(who provided the picture). The Bluenose and their docks are near the bottom.
Stilt houses are now on angled part of the road. Various buildings and docks have
been here over the years. Private docks all go dry at very low tide.
Our very own resort...

Most hotels in the area seemed to suffer some sad fate. The old Cowichan Bay Inn
was torn down to make way for a new one. For a few years the replacement sat
vacant at the east end of Cowichan Bay. From the day it was conceived it seems to
have been destined to some sort of failure. Not mainly because of the economy, but
more of red tape and mishap. The old Buena Vista met a fiery end. The Inn has
recently been re-opened (for the third time I know of) and we look forward to a
renewal of a focus to tourism that only a large hotel and convention center can
bring. Plans are presently under way to again make it a destination spot. It certainly
has all sorts of possibilities.
The Volunteer Fire Department

1947 saw the biggest fire that Cowichan Bay has ever experienced. The Maxwell
House Hotel caught fire one night, the fire spread to Pecks Market. The old
scrounged pumps refused to work. Little Butchie died that night. He was only seven
years old. It was clear to all that there was a real need for a fire brigade.
An old truck was acquired and fitted with a water tank. They kept it part way up
the hill on Botwood Lane as it had to be rolled down the hill to start. This was a
great treat for the kids, as practices usually meant the kids had a chance to catch a
ride. Eventually a real fire truck was bought. It still survives to this day. The fellow
that has it has steadfastly refused to sell it back. We all hope he will remember us in
his will (grin).
Pecks Market was rebuilt and became the contact place for "The Brigade". In
those days the phone was a crank system, so one long crank and two shorts meant
there was a fire call. Some one then went across Cowichan Bay Road and tossed a

switch (half way up the telephone pole) to sound the fire siren. That siren still exists
too. When the fire hall on Wilmot was built it was moved there. However, when the
present hall on the highway was built plans to install it there were scuttled. Seems
there was a chicken farm next door at the time and the fire department was
informed of dire consequences if the siren killed off a chicken. It was that loud!
As it was a volunteer brigade any funds had to be raised by the volunteers. The fund
raising events put on were highlights of the community. The old hall remains, but a
new modern facility is the present home. Recently the old hall was renovated and is
now open as a small community center.
The Fire Department is a vital part of Cowichan Bay. We have a rescue boat and
the most up to date equipment we can get. Fund raising is still done, but the
department is now supported by the municipality. Each year the volunteers host an
Easter event at the Coverdale-Watson Park. They will hopefully be a regular at the
annual Cowichan Bay Lighted Sailpast too. More adventurous souls have indicated
they will start a New Years Polar Bear Swim. I will give that one a pass!
As an aside, the Fire Department figured prominently in the setting of Cowichan

Bays boundaries. Contrary to common thought, the present Trans Canada
Highway is not the true boundary. I was recently told a story about one of the early
residents on the fringe asking how his farm could be covered by the department. He
was told to "join the brigade". He did, and the boundary was suitably adjusted to
include his farm. It was that easy in the early days.
Summers at Cowichan
Bay...
One of the most memorable
events in Cowichan Bay was the
celebration of Dominion Day.
Photo show the end of the
Government Dock with boats
everywhere. Particular attention
is drawn to the cruise ship at anchor at the far end. Later pictures I have seen show
cruise boats docked nearer the center of town at one of the many large commercial
docks. It was indeed a gala event. A local diver went to the area shown on the
picture and reports a considerable pile of "long neck" beer bottles where they used
to anchor. I would bet there are considerable amounts of "historical artifacts" to be
found in Cowichan Bay.

Some pictures
show a native
event that
packed the
beach to the
east of the
Government
Dock in the
1890s.
There are a lot

of folk who still
live in the area.
Most
remember
childhood
hikes or bike
rides to
Cowichan Bay to fish, dig clams or crab. It figures prominently in a lot of memories
of youth. The local bar tender in the hotel would look the other way when some of
the local "youth" snuck into the bars for a quick illegal beer.
The winds are such that it has an almost guaranteed summer sailing wind. Late
morning the wind starts up to sail us out of The Bay. Late afternoon it reverses and
brings us back. It has been referred to as "The Doctor" or "The Veterinarian" by
older boaters. For a sailor who could ask for more!
In the old days fishing was king in Cowichan Bay. Now closed to sport fishing, it is
still one of the best recreational crab areas I have found. I have yet to have a day of
bad luck crabbing. The kids still catch Bullheads off the docks. The other day one of
the kids landed a huge Mud Shark. That will be a story that will be told for years to
come by that group!

Cowichan Bay Regatta

In the early 1900s the Cowichan
Bay Regatta was the event of the
summer. A number of boating
events were held. I have found
folks with trophies for all sorts
of events. Rowing was always
popular. Every year the event
saw boats anchored in nearly all the bay. The Maple Bay Yacht club owes its
existence to Cowichan Bay. Before it was in its present location it used The Bay for
its events. We still have an annual regatta, usually held on the BC Day long
weekend. There are many photos in the gallery section of this event.
Development around and nearby...
There were a number of small

communities started near us that
eventually died off or were
amalgamated into other areas.
The most notable was the village
of Tzouhalem. Centered just
north of St. Anns Church it was
an active little place with a post
office and a general store. The
outbreak of the First World War
spelled the end of this area.
The native village of Comiaken

was a the top of the bay where
the Cowichan River is. The first Hudsons Bay Company Fort was nearby.
The flats of Cowichan Bay were home for a while to Robert W. Service. He worked
for a while at the Corfield family store. Historian Bruce Hodding in his excellent
book on the N. Cowichan area relates how he had a bit of a wild nature and was
prone to greeting strangers with his rifle. He relates that a good number of Services
poems were probably written during his residence in our area. One thing is sure, he
learned to play the banjo while he lived here. Today the flats where the store was

are just referred to as "The Farm". The old Corfield buildings have disappeared,
but records show the area officially named Corfield. It could have been another
town.
Early sport fishing...
Preceding picture is a postcard

from the 50s. Long before
Campbell River was popular for
sport fishing, this was one of the
best salmon fishing areas
anywhere at the time. As it was
close to the US a lot of famous
Americans showed up here.
Seaplanes flew fishermen in
almost hourly when the salmon
were running. John Wayne and
others actually had large boats
and came here regularly. The "Hangout" was the Buena Vista Hotel. It was located
between Wilmot and Pritchard right on the corner of Cowichan Bay Road (up from
the Masthead where the apartment block is now). Naturally it had a magnificent bar
where everyone gathered. It was the place to stay in the area. No trace of the
original remains to this day, it burned to the ground in a rather mysterious way.
Well, in truth, not too mysteriously. A couple of days prior some folk who tried to
register were told that they were full and not taking any registrations. Just before
the fire the owner was seen removing the cash register. He was tried and duly
convicted of torching his place. Now there is an apartment on the site.
The Guinness Book of records once showed us as the record holder for a salmon
caught by a woman. The photo is in the archives of the present owner of the
Masthead. The lady was from Seattle, but the fish was caught here. Many postcards
of the 60s showed the docks with boats for rent. Float planes landed from all over
the place with wealthy sportsmen.

Polo in Cowichan Bay...

Whenever the British have time
on their hands they resort to the
sports and activities that they
know best. The early 1900s saw
the fields of the Corfield farm
being used for Polo matches.
Across the road from the present
farm, the field was popular as a
polo ground. It is told that the matches often went on to late evening, so local
automobiles were lined up along the edge of the field to illuminate the matches. Now
it is a corn field and a popular bird area.
Up the hill on Lanes Road, toward Cherry Point, Arthur Lane built an official polo
field. The caretaker's house and the farm are still there today. More on that later in
the book on the bit about the Wilcoma Lodge and the "Water Tower House".
S. Cowichan Lawn
Tennis Club
By far the most famous legacy is

the "South Cowichan Lawn
Tennis Club". Started in 1888 by
Frederick Maitland-Dougal on
land donated by Corfield, it is
the second oldest grass tennis facility in the world. Only Wimbledon itself predates
it.. Both brag about being the only grass courts in the world.
The Butter Church...

In 1859
Father
Rondeault
arrived at
Cowichan
Bay.
Services
had been
held in the
bar of the
John Bull
Inn, but
there was
never a
real church
in the area.
For the
settlers
religion was not a great issue, but with the organized church, religion among the
natives was of vital importance. The original church was built on the top of
Comiaken hill in 1870 by Father Rondeault. It was built of solid stone and was
known for years as "the Stone Church", but as it was financed by the sale of butter
from the church dairy herd it is better known as "The Butter Church". One of the
cannon balls fired by the Trincomalee was used to break up the stones for the
building.
Church politics lead to the abandonment of the building. In favour of the new St.
Annes Church.
Ripleys Believe It Or Not did a feature on it in the 30s. They wrote that it was
cursed and that the natives would not go near it. Total and utter crap! The bishop of
the diocese simply declared that a new church would be built. St. Annes was
constructed just up the road. A wood church, not a solid stone one, it burned to the
ground shortly after construction. Rebuilt, it still stands in its present location. The
old church soldiers on! The windows and doors of the stone church were taken to
Saltspring Island were they remain in St. Pauls Church. There were no wood pews,
the congregation sat on the floor in those days.
It should be mentioned that the old church at one time was the only church in the
area. Up until other communities built their own folks from as far away as what is
now Shawnigan came for services.
Over the years a couple of attempts have been made to restore and maintain the old

building. But, it remains as a solid, solitary reminder of the early days of Cowichan
Bay.
Cowichan Bay Farms

There were a number of farms at

the top of Cowichan Bay. Not
much remains of the old
buildings. One in particular
seems to bear a particular
resemblance to the picture
above. That picture shows
Edward Marriner at probably the first farm in the area. The one at Comiaken can
still be found, but only parts of the barn actually remain. By far the largest was the
Corfield farm, the one time home of Robert W. Service.
Samuel Harris
Naturally any story of folk in Cowichan Bay would have to mention Samuel Harris.
He was not the first, but certainly was one of the most memorable. Supposedly Sam
arrived here in 1859 and spent a while prospecting. Eventually he gravitated to what
is now the area of the Government Docks and built a couple of cottages. They led to
a hotel, dock, bar and jail. The jail due to the fact that he was appointed "special
constable" for the area. He may very well have been one of the better customers, as
he was known to partake of strong spirits on occasion . He was however the best
promoter of the area for many years.
To further his dream he convinced Victoria to promote Cowichan Bay as a

destination for settlers. In 1862 the HMS Hecate brought the largest single boatload
of settlers. Unfortunately for Sam most of them spread out to pioneer surrounding
areas. His gruff and outspoken nature left a lot of folk with the impression that we
were a tad too rough around the edges!
Were it not for a squabble with the government over his pay as a constable his story
might have been longer. But, he became disillusioned with his dream and sold the
hotel and all his property to Giovanni Baptiste Ordano who owned another store
further up the road.

Edward Marriner..
Edward and his brother Henry came from England in late 1863 and set up farming
on the flats at the top of Cowichan Bay. They went on to positions of prominence in
the districts north of us. They are credited with being the first established farmers
in our area. Edward is also remembered as the first victim of the old Indian curse
on Mount Tzeuhalem.
George Corfield
Up The Bay a bit a Scotsman by
the name of George Corfield
started a farm, general store and
post office. Postal records for
1893 show him and Ordano both
having post offices. Corfield, the
name for the area eventually
became part of Cowichan Bay.
His dairy farm was the best in
the area. The general store dealt
in all matter of goods. The Cowichan Indians brought game and fur to trade for
guns and food. That game made it into Victoria by the newly built E&N Railway for
the tables of the Empress Hotel. There was not a thing that was not traded at the
Corfield Store. As an avid tennis player he donated the land to the tennis club. As
mentioned, polo was played in his field.
His family went on to become quite prominent in Duncan. They owned the largest
automobile garage, Duncan Motors and the fleet of school buses to name just two.
Robert W. Service

A famous tenant of the Corfield

farms (and employee) was
Robert W. Service. During his
stay here as a "cow juice jerker"
he is reputed to have started
many of his famous poems. It is
certain that he did indeed learn
to play the banjo here. His habit
of greeting visitors with a gun
got him into a little bit of trouble
with the landlord, so in 1897 he
moved on to greener pastures
south, and ultimately to
the Yukon.
The house where he lived survived for a number of years in total obscurity. A
plaque on a marker near the river remembers his stay here.
Giovanni Baptiste Ordano

Giovanni Ordano is perhaps the person most remembered in the area. When he
bought out Harris he embarked on a development plan that pretty well established
what The Bay is today. His building, the Columbia Hotel, built as a road house to
serve the wagon road from Victoria to Nanaimo, survives to this day as The
Masthead. In its day it was the center of the town. He changed the name of
Snugleave, the cove across The Bay to Genoa Bay in honour of his home town of
Genoa Italy. He built a shipyard to build the boats that eventually were the rental
boats for the hundreds of sport fishers that came here. That shipyard eventually
became the present day Cowichan Shipyard. He had the tug boat that boomed the
logs that were now coming down the railway from Cowichan Lake. Ordano was
perhaps the single most powerful person in the area. His descendants still live in the
area.
Father Peter Rondeault

Father Peter Rondeault arrived on the shores of Cowichan Bay by native canoe
from Sidney in 1858. He then paddled a canoe to Comiaken where his mission was

to serve the natives there. He is best remembered as the builder of The Butter
Church. But, was in fact the first permanent missionary in the area. A tireless
worker he made a great impact on the entire area. Like many early pioneers, his
grave is at the St. Annes Church cemetery.
The Dougan family

No one person can truly be singled out. Not because there were no notable folk, but
because the history of the family is still being written. They are still living in the
area and they are remembered in many ways.
Dougan Lake, often called Dougans Lake started existence as Rogers Lake. Named
after A. W. Rogers, a very early Cobble Hill pioneer. In 1934 the government
officially changed the name to Dougan Lake.
James Dougan holds the record for the first road house in the area. The building is
at the lake and has long been converted to a residence.
Joe Dougan, was a member of that large area family. He is best known for probably
being one of the first "fatalities" of the area.
The Hotel had a lockup for unruly customers and Joe and a lady friend became the
residents one night. Early that morning they were let go and proceeded up
Cowichan Bay road. They were met along the way by Joes wife, who needless to say
was not only a little mad but also armed. That night Joe caught "lead poisoning" at
the hands of his wife. She was taken to court, but released as the whole incident was
"very obviously an accident".
He and the family are buried in what is the only private cemetery in the area.
The Peck family

The Peck family were the later

day merchants in Cowichan Bay.
Pecks Market eventually

became the trading hub of the
area. The store is the present
location of the Cowichan Bay
Fish Market.
One of the more memorable

patrons of the store was Josie
Lemo and her husband Abel
Charlie. Even in her late 90s she
used to row her dugout canoe
with her husband (who was over
100) to the store for goods. A
good story is told about her
taking a fancy to a Scottish Kilt.
She had to have it, even though it was far to small for her. But, a suitable method of
fastening it was devised and she rowed off happily. A fairly rotund Indian lady in a
Scottish Tartan!
The Hill family

Anne Hill is probably best known for putting the Cowichan Sweater on the map.
Hills craft store is still here to this day. Just watch for it on the right as you enter
Duncan from Victoria.
The Stewart family

The Stewart family were one of the first "resort" operators having the property
where the Inn At The Water sits now. They built the Cowichan Bay Inn which is
fondly remembered by many. As well they had a couple of cottages they rented for
the summer. They are particularly remembered for their hospitality. The Stewart
Auto-Marine Garage was where the present video store is. It was recognized by the
large glass top gas pump in front of the building.

The Spiers family ...

The Spiers owned property between Hillbank and Bench Road. In the early 60's the
property was bought by the Watson family. They moved the old family log house to
the other side of the property. Split it down the middle, added 15 feet using original
logs. The house and the barn are still there. The creek that crosses the property and
Cowichan Bay Road bears the old family name. There appear to be no living
relatives in the area.
Arthur Lane ...

Arthur Lane, a British Remittance Man is remembered most for his farm and polo
field on Lane's Road. He built what is now the Wilcoma Lodge as his residence.
Records don't say too much about him except that he liked to dress up in ladies
clothes. The farm land is being subdivided and it is hoped that the old farm house
may be restored.
The Sandilands family

The Sandilands are fairly recent additions to Cowichan Bay. Keith and Jeanne
originally arrived in our area to practice veterinary medicine, but living so close I
suspect the ocean called rather loudly. So loudly that they built a sailboat, grabbed
the family (and the cat) and headed off in search of adventure.
After the big adventure they returned to Genoa Bay . Keith started a small boat
building business and eventually a float house in Cowichan Bay.
But, their achievement was the creation of the Wooden Boat Society (covered here
too). Keith died in 1984, but his son Eric continues his tradition at the society.
The Falt family

Al Falt and his wife Georgina came to Cowichan Bay by way of Victoria. Al worked
the boom boats in the bay for all of his time here, and eventually bought the
company. His son Bernie runs them to this day.
Every day, and whenever large freighters come to the bay, you can see the little
orange and white tugs out working. One is called "Georgina" for Als wife. The
other is called "Falbro" for the Falt brothers.

Our first Brothel
An un-named fellow brought a boat to the then Government Docks and set a "lady
of the evening" up in it. One of her customers, when he sobered up decided he
wanted his money back. He went back to the boat, grabbed her clothes and told her
if he did not get a refund she would not get her clothes. She proved "all sales are
final" by grabbing a distress flare gun and shooting him. He staggered up to the
docks where a number of folk had heard the shot.
He nearly lost an eye and had some injuries that were very difficult to explain. I
have not followed up on this story. And I have no intention of doing so (grin)! But I
will say that he lost a considerable amount of blood.
Hydro Electric Power

This section following our first brothel is purely unintentional!
The one item we take for granted took considerable time getting to Vancouver
Island. Some local areas had power because of mills, but these were small
operations. The first power lines from the BC Electric company didnt arrive in our
area till the late 1920s.
Up until that time the major source of light was the coal oil lamp. Some folk had
battery radios, but generally we were quite primitive here.
Area sawmills had small generating plants, but these were never extended to
Cowichan Bay.

The Winter Cowichan

Bay froze
Winter often saw the whole Bay
freeze from shore to shore. A
rare occurrence when the fresh
water from the rivers freezes
and remains on top of The Bay.
The folk from Genoa Bay
actually hooked up wagons and
drove to Cowichan Bay. Bob Vey
took this picture from the
Government dock. Since then there have been minor times where the boats freeze to
the docks as well. Nothing like the old days when logs and wagons from Genoa Bay
regularly took a short cut here across the frozen water.
The Buena Vista Hotel burns

Over the years the fortunes of things change. Probably the biggest change was the
Buena Vista Hotel. Once the haunt of all the elite, its fortunes were tied to the sport
fishing industry. As fisheries moved, the sport moved further north, mainly to
Campbell River.
The story goes about a fellow asking around town where he could stay. He was told
that the Buena Vista was full. The next day the place burned to the ground. A
coincidence? Well, the fact that the owner had been observed removing the cash
register before the fire had a lot to do with it. Charged with burning his own hotel,
the owner spent some time paying the penalty.
Now the Cowichan Bay Arms apartments sit on the site of the hotel.
The Columbia Hotel

Cowichan Bay Road was the original route of the wagon road up island from
Victoria. Unlike the route of today the trip was a considerable journey. So, to serve
the route a number of roadside hotels sprang up. Surprisingly many of them still

exist, mainly as neighborhood pubs. The present Masthead is probably the closest to
any of them in form. The only change that is readily seen is the door in the middle of
the east wall. In later years the building was raised and the area right in front filled
in leaving the door high and dry. The second floor door was never used for anything
other than a fire escape. There was a balcony from it to the water side that
connected to the docks.
The main floor was a

public area, the bar
being at the back
overlooking the water. I
have been told there was
a trapdoor in the floor
behind the bar where
the local natives would
row canoes up. The
bartender would lower a
sack and the natives
would send up trade goods (or cash), in exchange for liquor. For many years natives
were not allowed to drink in the white mans bars.
The hotel was built by Giovanni Ordano, but he never lived there. He commuted
every day from Genoa Bay where he built his house. The present plaque on the door
says 1868, but in actual fact the hotel was built in 1863.
The railway spelled the end of the hotel, but Ordano being an enterprising fellow
had already developed a tourism linked business. He built a shipyard next door
where among other things he built boats for his thriving fishing charter business.
When the hotel was no longer viable he converted the main floor to a tackle store
and machine shop. They remained that way till the 70s when the first restaurant
was opened. The building was raised in the 80s and a lower floor developed. The
attic area was converted to a sail making loft.
Over the last few years the hotel has been the home of the Masthead Restaurant,
and is now pretty officially known as "The Masthead".
Not one my pictures shows anything from the doorway on the second floor. I do
have pictures that show the balcony from the side to the water The pictures of the
Maxwell House Hotel show a similar door arrangement on the second floor, but
there has been no record of any stairs or railings on it.
Cowichan Shipyards

Originally built by Giovanni Ordano as a shipyard to build his fishing boats. It is

perhaps one of the truest buildings to its original form. The larger of the two
buildings is a later addition, the smaller being essentially the original shipyard. It
replaced a sort of lean-to structure. As the hotel had not been raised till the 80s
there was a door direct to the hotel. As well you could crawl from there under the
hotel. An altogether drafty and difficult situation!
The present owners, as mentioned earlier, have operated it pretty well as it

originally stood. Some old power and hand tools are still operational to this day. I
am particularly fond of the old wooden shaping planes which are used to duplicate
the old shaped edges on wood cabinetry.
They still work on some of the old boats that are in Cowichan Bay. There are still a
number of old wood vessels owned by folk in the immediate area. The picture on the
previous page shows the wall of the Masthead. It was just a lean-to in the beginning.
The real shipyard was operated for years out of the tiny building in the middle of
the picture above.
The Maxwell House Hotel

In 1947 The Maxwell House
Hotel was the site of Cowichan
Bays major fire. More of a
boarding house than a hotel it
was located right in the middle
of what is now the main street.
One night it caught fire and
before anyone knew it burned
itself and the neighboring Pecks
Market to the ground. There
were a couple of fire pumps that
had been acquired to fight future fires, but both refused to start. There was one
fatality that night. The hotel was never rebuilt, but Pecks market was. The Starfish
Emporium now resides on the site. Before the Emporium it was a small boatworks
and ice house.

Pecks Market
The Cowichan Bay Fish Market (at
left) is the direct descendant of
the original Pecks Market. Photos
show the docks pretty well as they
were when the market was there.
They had a float that housed the
gas pumps for the docks that was
first near the shore, later out on the
end of the dock. The photo in the
gallery shows Josie Lemo and her
husband Able Charlie just leaving
the main dock with a load of goods.
Pecks Market suffered two major fires. Both times it was rebuilt.
For many years the building stood vacant. Gail Jones and her daughter eventually
ran it as the Cowichan Bay Fish Market, its present name.
Ordano's Docks...
Ordano built a dock at the back
of the then Columbia Hotel that
was the center of all sport fishing
activity of the area. It replaced a
small dock off the end of the
then Provincial Dock, but for the
most part was still connected to
the causeway to the dock. He
built the Cowichan Shipyard
next to the hotel to make his
boats. They were made by
someone else, Ordano being the
brains and money did not do the
actual work himself. To this day
a couple of the boats still survive
in private collections.

The Wooden Boat Society
This is a pretty recent addition

to the town, actually being a
legacy of Expo 86. The dock is
the old Chevron Oil facility,
probably the largest dock in the
area. At the conclusion of Expo
the buildings were acquired and
placed along the dock. The
society is doing its best to create
a living museum of past history,
not just of boating but of
Cowichan Bay.
Keith Sandilands, Paul Mitchell

and Rob Fox conceived and started the society as a boat building school. The first
location was a small building at the Bluenose Marina. Now they have a fine building
and a permanent display of the history of boating. Not just our area, but all the
many small things that went into boating as we know it. A number of classes are
held over the years to teach the wooden boat building skills to later generations.
The land has been deeded to the Provincial Government who lease the space to the
society for a very "reasonable" sum.
The Log Booming Grounds

Later years saw the emphasis on logging by truck. The gallery picture shows one of
the trucks dumping logs. The area exists pretty well as it was then.
The change of logging importance has resulted in the total absence of any real clues

of the amount of logging that was done in Cowichan Bay. If one looks at the west
end of the bay one would see what are referred to as "dolphins", vertical log groups
that were used to secure the log booms. The logs were so thick that one could almost
walk across Cowichan Bay.
These artifacts now have an important use. If you look close you can see bird houses
on them. It seems Cowichan Bay is a major wildlife area. The birdhouses are to
attract Purple Martins, but the area is home to just about every form of bird. We
are one of the few remaining nesting areas for Blue Herons an endangered bird that
is quite prolific in our area. Bald Eagles are everywhere.
Remembering pioneers
There are a number of pioneers

who are barely remembered.
Roderick Finlayson was the first
factor of the Hudsons Bay
Company in our area. He was
here when Governor Douglas
brought the Trincomalee here to
hunt down the first Indian to be
hung here.
Governor Douglas himself never

lived here, but, he was the first
factor of the Hudsons Bay
Company in Victoria. From
there he went on to be the first governor of what was then the colonial area of
British Columbia.
The commemorative plaques near the Koksilah River remember the contributions
of the countless un-named women pioneers who made our area. Larger pictures can
be found in the gallery.
Robert Dunsmuir was not a resident of our area, but it was because of him we have
the railway. A "Coal Baron" from Nanaimo he hatched the concept of the railway
from Nanaimo to Victoria.
Lumber and its importance are linked to a number of pioneer families. The Mayo
family, descendants of lumberman Mayo Singh, are still resident in the Paldi area of

Duncan.
Cherry Point Marina and Wilcoma Lodge

It seems like we are getting
away from Cowichan Bay, but
this area has been important in
the history of The Bay. Lanes
Road is where the second Polo
Field was located. The marina
itself and the lodge were
popular sport fishing areas.
Eventually the lodge itself
became a retreat, and the
marina a popular boat
moorage. The lodge was the
home of Arther Lane, a British Remittance Man. He first built a farm house (at
right), polo field and gate house for the grounds keeper. All of which remain to this
day. His final home is now the Wilcoma Lodge. In the early 30's it was a popular
fishing lodge and place where the local boys could get a drink without being asked
for ID.
The Water Tower House ...

Featured a few years ago in
"Wierd Homes" the house was
built inside (and around) the
water tower for Arthur Lane's
house. The fellow who built it
raised a family, but forgot one
important factor. He was only
squatting, and paid no one any
rent. In 2004 the property was
cleared and subdivided. Photo
shows it all alone (along with
the farm house) awaiting it's
eventual state. He was quite a
"collector" too. A number of truckloads of "stuff" were removed. As well, the tree
that formed part of the deck had to come down due to rot.

The stilt house community

One of the most "unique" features of the
area is a small cluster of houses just west of
the main area. These homes are almost
entirely built on pilings over the water.
When you pass them on Cowichan Bay Road
you hardly have any idea that they are built
on almost no dry land at all.
Wineries in Cowichan Bay

The natives called the Cowichan area The Warm Lands. Due mainly to the effect of
the mountains and the valley we live in. Very early farmers found that many
different fruits grow quite well. Naturally the growth of apples and grapes lead to
the making of wine and cider. There are very well established wineries in the area.
All are worth a visit, and a taste of course.
Falt Towing .
Al Falt started his career working on the tugs in the 50s. At that time the logging
was at its heyday, the booms covering the whole dock. When the owner of the
company retired Al took over the tugs. Al has now retired and his son runs them.
Now there are only two tugs and a smaller boom boat. One is named "Falbro" after
the Falt Brothers. The other "Georgina" after his wife. No more big log booms, but
as long as there is a sawmill and freighters you will see the little orange and white
tugs.
CNR Docks
Charts and maps still show the docks at the west side of The Bay as the Canadian
National Railway Docks. But it is now the home of Wescan Terminals who refer to it
as the Cowichan Bay Docks.
For the present lumber is still being shipped from Cowichan Bay. It is stock piled
for ultimate loading on freighters. These boats are specially designed to go through

the Panama Canal and regularly tie up at the dock.
Looking at old photographs of dock we can still see the remnants of the railway
ramp. In early days of Vancouver Island rail cars were brought over from the
mainland and unloaded here. The rail line is gone, and that portion of the dock is
now in total dis-repair. Just west of the ramp is a large giraffe shaped structure.
That is a conveyor for wood chips. Another industry long gone. In years past wood
chips were shipped from here to the huge paper mills all along the west coast. They
too are gone forever from the scene.
At roughly that point there were two railway log dumping docks. As mentioned
earlier, they were truly ingenious devices. Basically log cars were slowly driven
along. A pole arrangement stuck out from the shore side of the dock and was placed
against the logs. As they cars moved it forced the logs off the cars into the water
where Ordano formed them into log booms. Some pictures of the present remenants
of the rail line are in the gallery.
The Amelia
The Amelia was a side paddle steamship that provided regular service to Cowichan
Bay. She originally stopped monthly and all activity stopped for her arrival. When
she was late (which seemed to happen often) folk waited in the bar on the dock. That
fact made for a rather "festive arrival". Eventually the schedule was upped to
weekly, but for years she was the major contact we had with the outside world.
The
Taconite
Of all the boats
that have visited
Cowichan Bay
over the years the
Taconite has got
to be the favourite
one of record.
Built in the
Boeing Shipyards at Coal Harbour she was the Boeing family private boat.
For years she sailed from Vancouver up and down the West Coast. I got to visit her

in the 70s. Boeing himself had an aversion to small porthole type windows, so when
she was built full size picture windows, and a wood burning fireplace were
incorporated into her design. She still cruises, the picture above was taken in
September 2002 just outside the Ganges Harbour. Check the gallery for pictures of
her off the government docks in the early days.
The Master
The Master is the last remaining
steam powered tug on the west
coast. Photo following is her (on
the left), Clayburn and RFM
(Robert Frances Marpole).
Taken in 1948. The RFM, to be
mentioned later is now home
port of Cowichan Bay.
The RFM
Now converted to a Schooner she is moored in the harbour. The RFM was named
after Robert Frances Marpole, remembered as an early logging pioneer in
Vancouver. The Marpole area is the location of his sawmill. She has since been
renamed The Frances Lynne by her present owner and previous to her conversion
she is pictured on the right.
The Monique
No pictures exist of the Monique. She lies in about 55 feet of water about 60 feet off
the Government Dock, now one of a number of local boats which have found
permanent homes on the bottom of Cowichan Bay. Others have made the visit to the
bottom, been recovered, and are still sailing the waters. In particular the Falbro,
one of the Fault tug boats. It was recovered and lived happily ever after.
The Northern Light

Picture earlier in this book shows a couple of big boats at the docks. The one on the
left is the Northern Light. She lived for a number of years on that spot before being
towed up island and sunk as a breakwater. She is remembered as one of the biggest
boats to be seized for "Pot Smuggling". She is the largest boat seen in the postcard
in the gallery.

The Shell Oil Fire

One of the more recent disasters for Cowichan Bay was the Shell Oil dock fire. The
present Pier 66 Marina was destroyed. Folks at the Cowbay Fire Department say it
was one of the most spectacular fires we have had. A lot of 45 gallon drums of oil
and fuel went up. It was like watching a fireworks display. The present Pier 66
building was completely destroyed. The building was rebuilt. The tanks are gone,
they were across the road, in the cut back area of the bank.
What to see now...

Those of us that live in
Cowichan Bay refer to life here
as "living on Cowichan Bay
time". Compare this picture
with the one on the cover and
you just might think not a darn
thing has changed. Indeed, it
seems that we are far removed
from the pressures and stress of
big city. So, as such we can be a
bit aloof and stand offish when it
comes to tourism and change.
Even among ourselves we seem
to polarize between "Baysiders"
and the rest. But, in fact our entire area is rich with places to go and things to do.
Today the docks are packed with pleasure boats, fishboats and some float houses.
The home shown here is owned by Gail Jones, and was the one mentioned earlier as
having been built from the remains of the old chandlery building.
Geographically we are bounded by Cowichan Bay at the North, Satellite Channel

and Saanich Inlet at the East, Koksilah Road at the South and the Trans Canada
Highway (roughly) at the West. I have left the highway to last as technically our
original boundary seems to be lost there by the original highway construction.
Tourists in their haste to get up or down island seem to pass us by, indeed a loss to
them. Cowichan Bay Road is the oldest highway up Vancouver Island and should be
the scenic route for any trip.

In our area we have some excellent vineyards. A number of farms invite you to stop
and visit. Whippletree Junction is a grand place to spend a few hours at with many
interesting shops. And of course, Cowichan Bay itself!
Like seafood? This is the place. How about some fresh fish for the table? Distinctive
crafts, a great pub, many restaurants, a real ice cream store and much more . Come
in the summer and participate in our Wooden Boat Festival, Regatta and many
community events. We have many excellent Bed And Breakfast places for you to
stay. Who knows, perhaps some day you to might find yourself "living on Cowichan
Bay Time".
How to find us...
Leaving Duncan and heading south we are really easy to find. Just watch for the left
turn lane right after the farm market. It is at the bottom of the hill. If you find
yourself going up the hill you have gone too far. In that case just turn left at the next
traffic light. From the turn at the bottom of the hill go to the "T" intersection and
turn right. The tennis court is right there. The old farms are all around you.
If you turn at the traffic light follow the Bench Road to the bottom of the hill and
turn right where it "T"s
From Victoria we can be a bit more of a challenge. As you near the intersection that
takes you to Cowichan Bay you will see signs alerting you of the Shawnigan Lake -
Cowichan Bay intersection, but basically just look for the traffic light with the
shopping center on the right. Turn right and follow Cowichan Bay Road to the town
center.
There are signs all around promoting us as the "Ocean Side" route of the highway.
Some photographs on this website are from the collection of private individuals and the
author. Others are from the Provincial Archives who has granted the use of them for this
site (click on highlights for Photo Gallery). All are copyrighted and must not be copied or
linked to without the author's or owner's permission.
Time Line, or "How we fit into the big scheme of things".

1760: Spanish expedition by Greek Captain Juan de Fuca shows

up in our area (rumoured that he actually explored much earlier).
Spanish exploration continues till Captain George Vancouver
explores and maps area.
1778: Captain James Cook makes a brief visit to area near Juan
de Fuca Strait.
1787: American trade ship "Boston" and Captain Barkley on the

"Imperial Eagle" start mapping in the Juan de Fuca Straits (Yup,
they were here before George Vancouver).
1789: Nootka Agreement between Britain and Spain resolved

conflict in New World and Spain finally leaves the area.
1792: Captain Vancouver aboard Discovery and Chatham start

exploration in our area.
1840: James Douglas, then Chief Factor for HudsonsBay

Company arrives in Victoria area.
1849: Hudsons Bay Company given Royal Charter for exclusive

trade on Vancouver Island in exchange for a promise to promote
settlement.

1850: Captain Richards on the HMS Plumper starts mapping

Cowichan Bay area and Gulf Islands.
1851: J.D. Pemberton, surveyor general starts mapping

Vancouver Island.
1855: Hudsons Bay Company sets up fort/trading post in our

area (near Cowichan River mouth)
1856: August 12, Vancouver Island declared a Colony with James

Douglas the Governor in Victoria
1856: Local Cowichan Bay native (A-Chee-Wun) hanged for

murder of settler.
1858: Gold discovered in Fraser River. Samuel Harris arrives in

Cowichan Bay
1859: Hudsons Bay Company starts selling land in Cowichan

Bay. Samuel Harris builds small inn at Cowichan Bay.
1861: First wagon road from Victoria hacked through the brush.
Impossible to travel until nearly 1863. US Civil War starts.
1862: HMS Hecate arrives with 78 settlers, most go to other areas.

Cowichan Bay seems too rough.
1863: Harris sells out to Giovanni Ordano and moves to Victoria

in poor health. Slavery abolished the same year (no coincidence)
Ordano builds the Columbia Hotel (now The Masthead)
1866: New Westminster chosen as Capital of British Columbia.
1867: Capital moved to Victoria from New Westminster.
1870: Stone Church (a.k.a. Butter Church) built.
1871: British Columbia becomes a Province of the Dominion of

Canada.
1873: San Francisco Cable cars opened for business.
1876: Custers Last Stand (here for historical value).
1879: Telegraph lines arrive in Cowichan Bay.
1882: Original Bench School opens.

1884: System of standard time zones adopted. Potlatches banned.
1886: E&N Railway completed. Sir John A. MacDonald drives

spike near Shawnigan Lake
1888: South Cowichan Lawn Tennis Club formed.
1893: Chicago "World Exposition" opens
1896: Start of the Klondike Gold Rush.
1897: Robert W. Service leaves for "greener pastures".
1898: First Empress Hotel in Victoria opens its doors. Parliament

Buildings as we know them completed.
1903: Wright brothers first air flight.
1911: Malahat Highway completed
1914: WW 1 breaks out. British Columbia buys two submarines,

forces government into providing coastal defenses.

1917: Prohibition established in British Columbia.
1918: Daylight Saving Time adopted.
1920: Panama Canal opens.
1925: First drivers licenses issued, cost $1 for life.
1929: Hydro lines reach Cowichan Bay.
1934: Rogers Lake officially renamed Dougans Lake.
1939: Hitler invades Poland, said to be the official start of World

War 2.
1941: Pearl Harbour invaded.
1942: Japanese submarine shells Vancouver Island (near the

Estivan lighthouse).

1947: Maxwell House Hotel burns. Official start of the Volunteer

Fire Department.
1955: Provincial docks transferred to Federal Govt.
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(send me an email and I will add you to the update information list). Click here for
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Columbia Hotel & main street
Columbia Hotel (closed and used as a tackle store) ...

Note that the main street is unpaved
(Photo courtesy of Richard Parker & Ordano Family)
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Ordano Fishing Charters
Ordano Fishing Charters ...

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A good day fishing
Fresh caught salmon ...

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The year The Bay froze
The year The Bay froze ...

(Looking west to log storeage area, photo courtesy R.W. Vey)
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Boats frozen to the docks
Boats frozen to the docks ...

(Photo courtesy of R.W. Vey)
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Frozen ramps and docks
Ramps all iced over...

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Frozen Bay from Govt. Docks
Frozen Bay from Govt. Docks...

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Tug breaking up ice
Tug trying to break up the ice ...

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The year The Bay froze
The year The Bay froze ...

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Boats anchored off Govt. Dock
Boats anchored off Govt. Dock...

(Note fog over Tseuhalem, photo courtesy of the Johnson family)
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Cowichan Bay, looking east
Cowichan Bay, looking toward Separation Point (east)...

(Photo courtesy of the Johnson family)
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Cowichan Bay Regatta from log dump...

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Sailboats anchored
Sailboats anchored off Govt. Dock ...

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Cowichan Bay Regatta from Cowichan Bay Inn ...

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Regatta Spectators
Spectators on Govt. Dock ...

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Stewart's Marina
Stewart's Marina ...

Building is now the Hair Studio and Marine Store. Small building is now the Video Store.
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Green Point
Green Point ...
(That's the Cowichan River on the left. Photo courtesy of the Johnson family)
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Cowichan Bay Inn Postcard
Cowichan Bay Inn ...

(Our first resort, postcard courtesy of Dave in Seattle)
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At the Peck Marina Docks
Jose Lemo and Able Charlie at the Peck's Marina Docks ...
(Photo courtesy of the Peck family)
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Fish Caught At Stewart's Marina
Fish caught at Stewart's Marina
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Early picture of Cowichan Shipyards
Early picture of Cowichan Shipyards
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Float Buildings
Float Buildings made at Wooden Boat Society

Floating Bedroom (still in Bay), Float Home, Marine Ecology Center (now in Sidney)
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Start of row boat race
Start of row boat race
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Prize fish outside Anchor Cafe
Prize fish outside what is now the Marine Center
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Buena Vista Hotel
Buena Vista Hotel ...

(Picture source unknown)
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Old Cowichan Bay postcard
Old postcard of Cowichan Bay ...

(Found in thrift store)
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Cairn and Benches
Cairn and benches near Kohsilah River...
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R.W. Service Memorial Plaque
R.W. Service Memorial Plaque ...
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Settler's Memorial Plaque
Settler's Memorial Plaque ...
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Pioneer Women Memorial Plaque
Pioneer Women's Memorial Plaque ...
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Stone Church today
Stone Church (Butter Church) ...

(Mt. Tseuhalem and Cowichan Bay in background)
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Stone Church Graveyard
Stone Church (Butter Church) ...

(Graveyard and Bay in Background)
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Cowichan Shipyard bandsaw
Old bandsaw, Cowichan Shipyards ...
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Old winch at Cowichan Shipyard
Winch used to haul ships out of water ...

(Still used at Cowichan Shipyard)
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Stilthouse Community
Cowichan Bay Stilthouse Community ...
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Cowichan Bay Wooden Boat Society Dock
Cowichan Bay Wooden Boat Society ...
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Cowichan Bay today
Cowichan Bay today ...
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Cowichan Station
Our first railway station ...

(Located at Cowichan Station)
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New rules of the road
Old rules of the road ...

(pay special attention to the instuctions to "keep to the left")
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Sailing Cowichan Bay today
The author sailing on Cowichan Bay...
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Fall is particularly nice in Cowichan Bay...
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The best water foul hunting is in Cowichan Bay ...
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Green Point and foot of Mt. Tseuhalem ...

(taken from the road to the Wescan Terminal Dock, note the old railway track)
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The lawn tennis club now has a couple of clay courts ...
(Clubhouse in background)
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But, majority of tennis club is still grass ...
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Koksilah River today ...

(parts of old bridges can still be found)
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Parts of railway to the Wescan Docks can still be found ...
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Wilcoma Lodge today ...

(Now a retreat of sorts.)
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Christmas Sailpast
We even sail in the winter ...

(Note the Christmas Lights!)
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Early area of HBC Fort
Early area of HBC Fort
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Harris' Hotel and John Bull Pub
Harris' Hotel and John Bull Pub ...
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Cowichan Bay and Koksilah River
Cowichan Bay and Koksilah River...
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Corfield's Store
George Corfield's Store ...
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Cowichan Bay from log dump area
Cowichan Bay from log dump area...
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Log truck dumping from Cowichan Bay Road
Log truck dumping from Cowichan Bay Road...
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Logging in Cowichan Bay
Logging in Cowichan Bay...
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Indian Beach
Indian Beach ...
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HMS Hecate, early sketch
HMS Hecate, the boat that brought the first settlers ...
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Indian War Canoe Races
Indian War Canoe Races...
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Cowichan Bay Lawn Tennis Club
Cowichan Bay Lawn Tennis Club...
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Polo in Cowichan Bay
Polo on Cowichan Bay farm field ...
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Cowichan Bay boats at anchor
Cowichan Bay boats at anchor...
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Boats from Govt. Dock
Boats anchored, photographed from Govt. Dock...
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Boats and HMS Nanaimo
Boats and HMS Nanaimo...
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Govt. Dock and Bottwood Lane
Govt. Dock and Bottwood Lane...
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Govt. Dock and Indian Beach
Govt. Dock and Indian Beach...
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Log Rolling cometition
Log Rolling competition at Cowichan Bay Regatta...
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Sailboats, Cowichan Bay Regatta
Sailboats, Cowichan Bay Regatta ...
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Taconite at anchor
Taconite (owned by Boeing) at anchor...
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Cowichan Bay from Buena Vista Hotel
Cowichan Bay from Buena Vista Hotel ...
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Maxwell House Hotel before big fire
Maxwell House Hotel before big fire...
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Peck's Marina Docks from Maxwell House
Peck's Marina Docks from Maxwell House ...
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Peck's Marina Docks from Maxwell House
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Upper Room, Maxwell House Hotel
Upper Room, Maxwell House Hotel ...
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Upper Room, Maxwell House Hotel
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Restaurant, Maxwell House Hotel
Restaurant, Maxwell House Hotel...
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Coffee Counter, Maxwell House Hotel
Coffee Counter, Maxwell House Hotel...
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Govt. Dock (and Taconite) ...
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Government Dock
Govt. Dock (Columbia Hotel on left)...
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Columbia Hotel from Govt. Dock
Columbia Hotel from Govt. Dock...
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Cowichan Bay History

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Cowichan Bay History

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Cowichan Bay, from 1850 to now (give or take a few years)

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Early dates for Cowichan Bay start about 1850

A lot of the activity actually went back to the slave

As well, the Sveaborg and the Crimean War (1854-

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Governor Douglas himself

The Hudsons Bay Company

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Cowichan Bay or Harrisville...

Samuel Harris came to the area

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In 1862 the HMS Hecate arrived

Most of the settlers went north

The wagon road...

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Cowichan Bay was the last stop south on

At an average speed less than 5 MPH the

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The first school

Fishing and logging...

Moby Dick in Cowichan Bay

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The boat that wouldnt sink...

Logging was king

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The Government Dock...

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Originally most Government

Ships and Shipyards...

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Now the emphasis is on repair and

At one time deep sea vessels, both of a

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Hills Indian Crafts was started

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As will be mentioned many times

The whole top of the bay was a

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Buildings long past...

However, the Buena Vista Hotel

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The railway is built...

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We drove on the left side of the road..

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and cost a dollar.

The "First Nations" people...

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mistake he made, and paid for with his life.

The Docks and Waterfront...

Old Stewart's Marina (now the

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Our very own resort...

The Volunteer Fire Department

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As an aside, the Fire Department figured prominently in the setting of Cowichan

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There are a lot

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Cowichan Bay Regatta

Development around and nearby...

There were a number of small

The native village of Comiaken