Denman Island Facts
We have assembled the following information to provide you with
a snapshot of Denman Island; it's history and general facts.
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| Denman Island logger Joe
Fitzgerald, logging at Henry Bay, 1909. |
Denman Island History
- First Nations used Denman Island as a summer fishing location.
- Captain Richards named Denman Island in 1864 after Rear-Admiral
Joseph Denman, while the former was conducting marine surveys
for the British Admiralty in the Comox area.
- Japanese settlers established themselves at the south tip of
Denman Island at the turn of the century.
- The General Store was built in 1908; the Community Hall was
built in 1912
Chief Andy Frank
Chief Andy Frank was born on Tree Island (Sandy Island Marine Park)
in 1906. He used to joke about being born in the "Tree Island
hospital". Chief Frank was a respected and effective diplomat
between pioneers and the aboriginal people. As hereditary chief
of the Comox Band, he made every effort to keep his culture current
by teaching the younger generations all he knew about the legends
of the West Coast native peoples.
He is fondly remembered for his stories about the intricately
carved masks worn during his ceremonial dancing. Chief Andy Frank
and family were considered honored guests at many of the Denman
Island Women's Institute summer gatherings. He died from complications
due to an unfortunate accident at Fin Island, near Hartley
Bay, about 80 miles south of Prince Rupert, BC.
Denman Island's First Ferry
The first government ferry between Denman Island and Vancouver
Island was christened the "Catherine Graham" in 1954.
This ship replaced the "Moniker" that had been operating
since 1935 by independent contractors. The namesake of the new ferry
was a seventeen-year-old Denman Island resident, who had been born,
a tiny 3-pound baby girl, aboard the "Moniker", during
a bitterly cold night on January 15, 1937.
General Island Facts
- Denman Island is 5 km wide (Denman Rd.) and 19 km long
- Emergency phone numbers:
Police, Firehall, Ambulance: 911
Doctors' Office: 335-2260
Poison Control: 1-800-567-8911
- First ferry leaves Denman Island at 6:40am; last ferry off
Denman Island is 10:40pm. See Getting
Here for more information
about the ferry schedule and rates.
- Updated Denman
Island tide charts.
- There is NO ATM cash machine on Denman Island!
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