This gallery of HDR images contains photographs captured in the beautiful Cowichan Valley, BC, Canada. This valley is rich in both history and beautiful natural scenery and provides abudant opportunties to capture and share unique images. The online site bctravel.com says "Duncan is the hub of the Cowichan Valley, which is the traditional home of the Coast Salish Indians. The Cowichan, makers of the world famous Cowichan Sweaters, are the largest band and still make their home in Canada's only Maritime-Mediterranean climate zone. The first settlers arrived in the Mill Bay area in 1848. Ten years later Giovanni Ordano became the first storekeeper when he opened a store and hotel in Cowichan Bay. This establishment exists today as the Masthead Restaurant. In 1862 one hundred settlers arrived in Cowichan Bay aboard the HMS Hecate in the company of Governor James Douglas. 1866 saw the first agricultural fair for the valley and in 1870 the famous old stone church was built between Cowichan Bay and Duncan. Duncan came to be in 1886 when the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railroad was completed and William Duncans was asked to provide a stop on his farmland. This farmland just happens to be downtown Duncan today. In 1896 copper was discovered and for six years beginning in 1902 a mine was the main economic contributor. Since the closing of the mine, forest related industries, agriculture, and tourism have been the economic forces. 1912 saw the incorporation of Duncan City and the next year a post office was built which is now Duncan's City Hall. In 1985 Duncan became the "City of Totems" when it was decided to erect original totems honouring the city's First Nations Heritage."