The first European settlers began arriving in the Comox area in 1862 and started clearing land for farms. Forest industries began logging the extensive forests. The arriving ships had to anchor in the Comox Harbour and transport their goods back and forth by tender. In 1893, the Comox Wharf was built to accommodate the ships. This was the beginning of the city of Comox. This was the beginning of the Comox Valley.
In 1914, the island railway line from Victoria was extended to the Valley. A year later, the area around the train station became the City of Courtenay.
In the late 1800s and the early 1900s, coal mining and logging were going strong on Vancouver Island. The Community of Cumberland was built over rich coal seams, and the settlement soon became a flourishing town. After World War I, the demand for coal lessened, and the mines closed. This community is now a wonderful town with great old houses and a thriving art community. Visit to find out for yourself. These three communities, Comox, Courtenay, and Cumberland, make up the valley.
There is a strong sense of pride in these communities, and it shows how pretty the whole valley is and how well it is maintained. There are so many things to do here that it will take even locals a lifetime to do them all. From fishing to mountain climbing, kayaking to bear watching, hiking to biking on many great trails, there are shows and rodeos, powwows to parties. Everything here is in one way or another tied to the sea.
The Comox Harbour is always a very busy place, it is also exciting to watch all the activity, see and chat with the many visitors who arrive by boat, or just hang out and chew the fat with the local fishermen and guide boat operators.