Duncan

Duncan is a city in British Columbia, Canada. It was named after William Chalmers Duncan, one of the numerous settlers who arrived within Victoria in the 1800's. Duncan looked for gold rushes, and ultimately settled close to the present city of Duncan. His son, Kenneth, became the first mayor of Duncan during the year 1876. The early 1900's saw Chinatown in Duncan become the social hub for the Cowichan Valley's Chinese residents, and Chinatown became a focal point within the southwestern corner of Duncan City. However, immigration laws became more restrictive, and businesses closed as stricter laws were created to replace the existing ones.

Ever since 1985, the city of Duncan has transformed itself into the "City of Totems," where hand-carved cedar poles made by local native artisans are shown within parks and downtown streets. There are roughly 80 totem poles situated within the city within both the half-kilometer section of the Trans-Canada Highway and downtown area. People who are interested in self-guided tours that follow the yellow footprints can view roughly 41 totems. The city of Duncan is likewise the home of the Coast Salish Indians. Each summertime, visitors can look on as they knit the popular Cowichan sweaters which reflect the knitter's family design. The BC Forest Discovery Centre features outdoor and indoor exhibits of British Columbia's history of forest industry. There is likewise the steam locomotive, and all visitors are encouraged to take a ride on it as it travels through the forest. The Quw'utsun' Cultural and Conference Centre offers storytelling, food and exhibits to tourists. Cowichan elders and artists could also be seen at work. The objective of the centre is to be able to build a sense of cultural pride amongst the First Peoples through weaving, education, art, entertainments, and beading. The city of Duncan is likewise the home of the "World's Largest Hockey Stick and Puck." Situated at the Cowichan Community Centre, the stick and puck are made from wooden beams that measures approximately 205 feet and weighs 61,000 pounds.

Lots of fisherman come to the area all-around Duncan so as to enjoy fishing. There is an estimated 150 streams and lakes on the Island and surrounding Gulf Islands, according to the Vancouver Island Trout Hatchery. There are many species of fish within the area. Some of which consist of the cutthroat trout, rainbow and steelhead which are found everywhere. The Freshwater Eco-Centre, which displays wild fish management, conservation and fisheries habitat protection, receives around 20,000 tourists annually. Somenos Marsh is a nature sanctuary for songbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. The Cowichan River Provincial Park stretches almost 20 kilometers from the village of Lake Cochiwan to, south of Duncan. It preserves the Cochiwan River, and is known for its wild salmon and steelhead trout.