River, initially on the east side then the west. The two sides were eventually connected by a bridge in 1874.
Early 20th century
Courtenay was officially incorporated as a town on January 1, 1915, and eventually designated a city in 1953. The city was named after the Courtenay River, which in turn, was named after George William Courtenay, captain of the British ship HMS Constance, which was stationed in the area between 1846 and 1849. From then on, Courtenay continued to grow providing the necessary services for the growing population. On July 12, 1915, a large fire ripped through 5th Street destroying much of the south side of the downtown. After much of the street was rebuilt, another fire hit the south side of 5th Street, again destroying many of the stores
