Cowichan Station Flag Stop

Established in 1886, the Cowichan Station Flag Stop has historic value for its connection to the expansion of the E&N Railroad. Local property owner Donald McPherson became the railway foreman and when a station was built, it became "McPherson Station". In 1896, Canada Post asked the community to choose a new name because there was a McPherson post in Nova Scotia. "Cowichan Station" was the new chosen name and the railroad schedules changed to reflect the new name. A historic photo of the area indicates that the station structure that was originally built is no longer in existence. The current shelter is a small structure erected by the railroad in approximately the 1950s for sheltering railroad passengers waiting for the train.

The Cowichan Station Flag Stop has historic value as a rare tangible reminder and important example on Vancouver Island of the importance of the E&N railroad stations as hubs of commerce and settlement. The utilitarian structure recalls the simple vernacular building traditions, construction materials, and small open-space floor area that characterized this building type.

The site is also valued for its association with long-time resident of Cowichan Station Mary Haywood who would wait for the train every Thursday in era-based dress and hat. The wooden bench beside the shelter was erected in 2011 in Mary's memory.