March Property circa 1915
Situated near the lake on a spectacularly beautiful setting sits the March Meadows nine-hole golf course that is known to some as one of the most challenging courses on Vancouver Island. It has been said that it “has the luxury of being perhaps the best drained course on the Island”, which allows golfers unrestricted use of golf carts on the dampest of days. When Jim Peterson, Al Vance, his brother Bud Vance along with Norm Boden bought the 149-acre site close to 40 years ago it was still being used as a farm to graze cattle, much as it had been since prior to the turn of the 20th century. The pristine site must have appeared as a diamond in the rough to its original owner, pioneer Henry March, when he first viewed the land in 1887.
The son of a lawyer, March, who was born in England chose not to follow his father’s footsteps as was expected, instead he ventured out on his own and set sail for Canada. He was just 18. Eventually he found his way to the Cowichan Lake area before settling on a beautiful spot that today is known as Honeymoon Bay. It was here that March developed the land that he was to spend the rest of his life on.
Possessing the necessary skills required by an early pioneer, he struggled to clear enough land in order to plant crops, raise cattle and build a home and barn. According to Jack Saywell in his book Kaatza: The Chronicles of Lake Cowichan, March and his team of oxen, “cleared and tilled the soil” until it was ready to produce the much needed crops. At that time the only way in or out of the farm was by boat to the Foot of the Lake (the settlement of Lake Cowichan), then a rough trail ride to Duncan’s (as Duncan was then called) if that was your destination.
In 1900 March blazed a walking trail to the Foot, which was used until 1916 when the trail was widened and improved somewhat to allow wheeled vehicles use of the “road”. He constructed the first telephone lines in the vicinity and was to become the first local justice of the peace.
The Marches had two sons, Jack, who died in 1925 (he had survived the First World War), and Charlie, who married Alison Pollock in 1932. In 1950 Henry died at the age of 83 seven years after his wife Edith, who died in Maple Bay. Son Charlie died in Chemainus in 1977 at age 78 seven years after his wife Alison. A daughter survived them.
Farm Windmill
