Comox History

James and Isabelle Robb were among the first settlers to arrive in Augusta Bay in 1862. James Robb noted that Augusta Bay, known now as Comox Bay, provided an ideal site for “The Landing”. Robb pre-empted 180 acres of waterfront land in Comox that was previously a Coast Salish Village.

Robb recognized that the site of present day Town of Comox was the only location where a wharf could be built to accommodate shipping and large vessels. His vision of a wharf and town site was fulfilled in 1874 with the building of the Comox wharf by his farm.

“The Landing”, a pier 1035 feet long and 12 feet wide with a wharf head, was built for $3,337. The approach to the wharf was filled and graded extending the approach to 140 feet. Freight and passengers were now able to land directly on the wharf. The wharf was instrumental in expanding the agricultural, tourist and trading potential of the Comox Valley.

Joseph Rodello purchased two lots at the head of the wharf. He built a low rambling store one the east side of the wharf in anticipation of the finished wharf. In 1877, he built the original Elk Hotel on the lot across the street from his store. Rodello rented the Elk Hotel to Mr. and Mrs. John Fitzpatrick who build the Lorne Hotel in 1878 (pictured centre left).

James & Isabelle Robb

The personalities of a place shape its history, and Comox has been called ‘home’ by a remarkable collection of individuals. On this page we highlight a few, but our archives contain information on a wide selection of pioneer families, famous Comox citizens, and many, many more.

Allan Brooks: Artist-Naturalist

Allan Brooks (1869-1946) was an internationally known bird artist and ornithologist. He was born in India, educated in England and emigrated with his family to Canada in 1881. His father, W.E. Brooks, was an amateur ornithologist who encouraged his son at an early age, giving him with bird skins to play with rather than teddy bears.

The family moved from Ontario to Chilliwack in 1887. This gave young Allan a great opportunity to study and sketch birds and mammals of this scarcely explored area when not helping his father on the farm. He established many new bird records for British Columbia. Eventually, his artistic talent was recognized through illustrated articles he wrote in the 1890s and early 1900s.

After his father’s death in 1900, Brooks (pictured lower left) explored much of B.C. on hunting and collecting trips. He made a living by market hunting and selling bird and mammal skins to museums and private collectors. Searching for a place to settle, he visited Comox in 1903 and explored Vancouver Island, but finally chose Okanagan Landing for his home.

Brooks’ first large commission came from W.L. Dawson for illustrating Birds of Washington, published by Dawson and Bowles in 1909. This launched the career of this self taught artist who soon turned from selling skins to selling paintings. Brooks went on to illustrate many other American books including Dawson’s 4 volume work, Birds of California, published in 1923. His artistic career was interrupted by the war in 1914. Being a skilled rifleman, he promptly joined up and soon rose to the rank of Major. The risks he took on the battlefield earned him the title “The Mad Major” as well as a D.S.O.

During the 1920s and 30s Brooks’ career and fame flourished. There was little work in Canada so he had to rely on Americans for most of his commissions. However, he did illustrate Taverner’s Birds of Western Canada (1926) and Birds of Canada (1934). Brooks considered it a “labour of love”, for he was poorly paid. These books are still treasured by many Canadians. The beauty and accuracy of the bird in its natural habitat was a distinct feature of his work. His paintings appeared in National Geographic Magazine and Toronto Star Weekly for a number of years.

After the war, Brooks did a good deal of traveling, married, and had a son. He visited Comox several times before building a winter home there for his family in 1928. His neighbour was fellow naturalist and close friend, Hamilton Mack Laing. Brooks not only painted but continued his field work, spending part of each day outside observing and collecting. He wrote numerous articles for scientific journals such as the Auk, Condor and Murrelet and magazines such as Rod and Gun.

The Comox house was rented during the war years but the family returned in 1945. By this time Brooks’ health was failing and he died in Comox in January, 1946. Allan Brooks left a rich legacy for those interested in bird study and he is still ranked among the world’s finest bird artists.

Hamilton “Mack” Laing

A virtual exhibit CD about naturalist, artist, photographer, hunter, and writer Hamilton “Mack” Laing has been produced for the Community Memories Program of the Virtual Museum of Canada. The exhibit can be viewed online at the VMA website, and gives a wonderful selection of Mack Laing’s artwork and photography.

Mack Laing has been recognized as one of the first environmentalists in Canada, and strove to understand the natural world through art, writing and collecting specimens. The Comox Archives and Museum holds a large selection of his fine art works and personal memorabilia.

In 1922, at the close of his natural history collecting for the National Museum, Laing packed up his summer camp. He yearned for a home and coveted the site at the mouth of Brooklyn Creek. Here, he set up a home and established Baybrook Nut Orchard. The sloping land, with its acres of nut trees, was the fulfillment of Laing’s dream of a homestead farm (pictured above right). Today, the site of Mack Laing’s beach house can still be visited, and Mack Laing park offers visitors the opportunity to follow Brooklyn Creek through stands of cedars and firs.