Watershed Moments

The Comox Valley on Vancouver Island is home to a spectacular watershed, the culmination of snowcap and glacier-fed rivers that flow into the Courtenay River and out onto one of the richest estuaries on the West Coast. Along with the long history of K'ómoks First Nation inhabitation, the community of Courtenay and the surrounding regions have been settled by a variety of people from different cultures and nations. The watershed geography encapsulates these groups' diverse relationships with the region, in industries such as fishing, logging and canning, and in their traditions and everyday lives.

In Watershed Moments, the Courtenay and District Museum opens its vast collection of historical photographs, glass plate negatives and other ephemera, much of which has never before been available to public viewing. Spanning from the late 1800s to the modern era, here are scenes of K'ómoks village life, boating parties, family celebrations, agricultural events and economic activities. This rich visual depiction of the development of this unique region is reinforced by a lively text, drawing heavily on the museum's vast holdings of primary source material. Local authors Dickinson, Griffiths, Hagen and Siba write of ancient fish weirs, bride ships and gentlemen adventurers, back-breaking work and astounding beauty, tracing the complex development of a diverse and ever-changing community.