For many thousands of years Cowichan Bay was home to First Nations people who harvested the wealth of salmon and shellfish found in its many coves, tidal flats and swiftly flowing rivers.
Cowichan Bay was the gateway for European settlement of the Cowichan and Chemainus valleys from the early 1860's. A steamer service from Victoria was the major link for goods and people before the coming of the railway.
Bypassed by the Esquimalt and Nanaimo line and later by the Island Highway, Cowichan Bay nevertheless was a thriving little community, based on sport and commercial salmon fishing, and log and lumber exports.
That former economic base is declining but being replaced with more recreational water activities, a revived interest in boatbuilding, and an appreciation for the history and ecology of the Bay.
From the early 1900's Cowichan Bay attracted sportsmen from all over the British Empire for superb salmon fishing in the Bay and the Cowichan and Koksilah rivers. It was, for a time, the Salmon Capital of the World offering not just fishing, but fine sailing waters, an annual regatta and, next to Wimbledon, the oldest grass tennis courts in the world!
Cowichan Station is a small community located west of the Island Highway, near Whippletree Junction. The little church and rail station on Koksilah Road is all that remains of a much larger settlement built in 1885 as a stop-off for the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway. Cowichan Station was built to service settlers living in the area as well as the logging and copper mine operations located on Mount Sicker and Mount Prevost. The fate of Cowichan Station was sealed by a fire in 1911 that destroyed most of the town, leaving only the train station and St. Andrew's Church.
Situated at the corner of Cowichan Bay Road and the Trans Canada Highway, Valleyview Centre provides many unique services including a grocery store, optometrist, health store, video rentals and more. Plenty of parking and a central location to other locales makes Valleyview a frequently visited area by locals and visitors alike.
Historic Whippletree Junction is located halfway between Victoria and Nanaimo, on the #1 Highway, 3 km. south of Duncan, the "City of Totems." A pleasant drive through picturesque land and seascape brings you to this collection of 20 shops and restaurants and an auction. You may find just the antique, gift or furninshing you were looking for here.
Driving north, go off right at the Access Road or, if you missed it, just turn right at Bench Road (the next lights). Driving south turn left at the lights at Bench Road.
Whippletree Junction is the creation of Randy Streit (1937-2001). In 1968 he started taking buildings which were destined to be demolished and moving them here to their present location. The Wickertree was the first building and it came from Duncan's old Chinatown. Wagon Wheel Antiques was a fish cannery in Sooke. Black Coffee and other Delights was a post office and bank in Cobble Hill.
The fountain in the courtyard is called the Trickletree. Made from old sawmill and car parts scrounged by Randy it was another of his unique projects. He collected gasoline memorabilia and White Rose was one of his favourites so you will see those signs scattered about the centre along with other gasoline station signs from bygone eras.
In the early 1970's Randy Streit stumbled upon a bar in the St. Francis Saloon in Butte, Montana, a totally deserted ghost town. He fell in love with it and brought the bar home. He realized he did not have a place to house the bar so he sold a plot of land to Paul Watson and attached a promissory note which required the buyer to build a structure to showcase the bar. Thus the plans for the Pioneer House Restaurant came to life.
Next to Nature Gifts started out as the show home for the company that built the Pioneer House Restaurant. Today, unique gifts hand made in Canada are featured here. And please do come in for your complementary taste of home made fudge!
All the other buildings at Whippletree were constructed of salvaged storefronts and historic buildings giving this shopping centre its own unique magic.
Don't forget to check out the courtyard! In 1999 it was repaved. It is interesting to note that the first layer of bricks came from the old Bamberton cement works.
Whippletree Junction's name was derived from the horse and buggy era when a whippletree was an important harness part to hitch up a horse and wagon.
A pretty seaside community located in a narrow inlet and surrounded by smooth, pebbled beaches, Maple Bay is one of the finest natural harbours on the West Coast, and bustles with marine activity all year round.
The sheltered haven of Maple Bay is situated halfway up Sansum Narrows, and separates Vancouver Island from Saltspring Island, the largest and nearest of the southern Gulf Islands.
The Old Farm Garden Centre started in 1990 on a bare field next to the Old Farm Market south of Duncan. Over the years, Karen Apold, Tony Davis and Judy Mead built up a huge selection of locally grown plants, and pottery and garden ornaments sourced from Europe, Asia and Mexico. The garden ornament selection has expanded on to another field with local and imported fountains, statues and planters (Old Farm Garden Stone) while the pottery and plants have become much more exotic with patio furniture added (Old Farm Patio & Garden Ltd.). The selection is unmatched in BC and visitors come from far and wide to view it. Look for the big welcoming Inukshuk on the roof.
The decorative rooster on the roof of the Old Farm Market to the south leads shoppers to this extensive market, which features a wide variety of fresh produce, as well as a full service deli, homemade soups, fresh sandwiches, ice cream and hot pies. Open year round...
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