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48°46′43.3″N 123°42′28.3″W / 48.778694°N 123.707861°W / 48.778694; -123.707861 Duncan, The City of Totems (pop. 4,812) is a city on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

History

Named after William Chalmers Duncan, born 1836 in Sarnia, Ontario. He arrived in Victoria in May 1862, then in August of that year was one of the party of a hundred settlers which Governor Douglas took to Cowichan Bay. After going off on several gold rushes, Duncan settled close to the present city of Duncan. He married in 1876, and his son Kenneth became the first mayor of Duncan. A street bears his name today.

Duncan's farm was named Alderlea, and this was the first name of the adjacent settlement. In August of 1886, the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway was opened. No stop had been scheduled at Alderlea for the inaugural train bearing Sir John A. Macdonald and Robert Dunsmuir. However, at Duncan's Crossing, the level crossing nearest Alderlea, a crowd of 2000 had assembled around a decorated arch and the train came to an unplanned halt, quite literally putting it on the map.

Location

Duncan is about 50 kilometres from both Victoria to the south and Nanaimo to the north. Although the City of Duncan has a population of just 4,812 it serves the Cowichan Valley, which has a population of 77,561. Duncan is the seat of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. It derives the name from Quw’utsun’ > Khowutzun > Cowichan. Literally translated from Coast Salish into "The Warm Land". Duncan records the highest average temperature in Canada at 11c. Duncan is growing rapidly, with the construction of a new mall and multiple other developments under way.

Attractions

Duncan's tourism slogan is "The City of Totems". The city has many totem poles around the downtown area, which were erected in the late 1980's, including the world's largest Totem pole, carved by First Nations artisan Simon Charlie.

Duncan has a large First Nations community, and is the traditional home of the Coast Salish Indians, who are the largest band in the Coast Salish tribe. The Salish are makers of the world famous Cowichan Sweaters.

Duncan is home to the BC Forest Discovery Centre. Before the U.S.-Canada softwood lumber dispute, Duncan and the whole Cowichan Valley were a thriving lumber centre in British Columbia.

Duncan has the world's largest ice hockey stick, which is on display on the side of the local arena (Cowichan Community Centre). The stick was made specifically for Expo 86 in Vancouver.

Education

Malaspina University-College has a small campus in Duncan that offers programs and courses in university transfer, access, trades and applied technology, health and human services, career and academic preparation and continuing education.

Public schools in the Cowichan Valley are part of School District 79.

External Links

City of Duncan

• Coastal towns in Canada
• Cities in British Columbia