Duncan

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

The city of Duncan has started to transform itself into the "City of Totems." A lot of hand-carved cedar poles that were made by local native artisans have been shown in the streets and parks ever since the year 1985. In the city of Duncan, there are approximately 80 totem poles within the half-kilometer section of the Trans-Canada Highway and downtown area. People who are into self-guided tours which follow the yellow footprints can look at roughly 41 totems. The city of Duncan is also the home of the Coast Salish Indians. Every summer, tourists 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 the history of British Columbia's forest industry. There is also the steam locomotive, and all tourists are encouraged to take a ride on it as it travels through the forest. The Quw'utsun' Cultural and Conference Centre provides exhibits, storytelling, and food to tourists. Cowichan artists and elders could also be seen at work. The objective of the centre is to be able to create a sense of cultural pride amongst the First Peoples through weaving, education, art, entertainments, and beading. Duncan is also the home of the "World's Largest Hockey Stick and Puck." Situated at the Cowichan Community Centre, the stick and puck are constructed using wooden beams that measures around 205 feet and weighs 61,000 pounds.

Individuals who like fishing can surely enjoy visiting Duncan. The Vancouver Island Trout Hatchery has a projected 150 streams and lakes on the surrounding Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands. Many species are found here, and common sightings of cutthroat trout, rainbow and steelhead are found everywhere. The Freshwater Eco-Centre, which displays wild fish management, conservation and fisheries habitat protection, receives approximately 20,000 visitors every year. Somenos Marsh is a nature sanctuary for songbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. The Cowichan River Provincial Park stretches roughly 20 kilometers to Glenora, south of Duncan City, from the village of Lake Cochiwan. It preserves the Cochiwan River, and is known for its steelhead trout and wild salmon.