Ada Annie Rae-Arthur, or “Cougar Annie” as she’s famously known, is a name that resonates deeply here on the rugged West Coast of Vancouver Island. She wasn’t just a woman living in the wilderness; she was a legend. Cougar Annie carved out a life for herself and her family on this wild, untamed coastline, playing roles as post mistress, plant wholesaler, farmer, mother, and more. Over the years, she became a symbol of perseverance, grit, and determination.

In the early 1900s, Cougar Annie moved her family from Vancouver to Hesquiat Harbor to help her husband escape the temptations of city life. She cleared five acres of dense old-growth forest, establishing a homestead and a thriving business. As a mother of nearly a dozen children and the widow of four husbands, Cougar Annie faced life's hardships head-on. Often working while pregnant, she transformed the thick wilderness into a lush, productive garden.

The Early Years

From an early age, Cougar Annie had a love for nature. While living in South Africa, she won a horticultural competition in Johannesburg. Her father had also taught her to shoot and trap as a child—skills that would serve her well in the wild forests of Vancouver Island. Cougars and bears posed a constant threat to her livestock and family, and Cougar Annie became legendary for her sharpshooting abilities, famously taking down approximately 70 cougars over her lifetime, surviving two cougar attacks herself.

The Garden

Cougar Annie’s love for plants never faded. She acquired rhododendrons, azaleas, fruit trees, perennials, and countless varieties of shrubs from all over the world, having them shipped to her remote homestead in Boat Basin. Her gardens flourished under the towering cedars and amongst the Pacific Northwest mosses, and she sold plants to support her family, placing ads like: “Perennial flowers; lilies, mixed dahlias, gooseberries, currants; blackberries 50 cents doz.”

The Later Years and Legacy

By 1981, at the age of 92, Cougar Annie could no longer maintain the ever-encroaching wilderness that threatened her beloved garden. She sold her land to her friend Peter, with the agreement that she could remain there until her death. Cougar Annie passed away five years later at the age of 97, and Peter set about restoring the gardens to their former glory, founding the Boat Basin Foundation in 1998 to protect the land and its legacy.

Today, the foundation preserves the spirit of Cougar Annie through the Cougar Annie’s Garden restoration, welcoming visitors to learn about the remarkable woman who once tamed this wild landscape. The homestead's original buildings are slowly being reclaimed by the rainforest, serving as a reminder that nothing lasts forever, except for the indomitable spirit that shaped this land.

Honoring Cougar Annie's Spirit

Our Cougar Annie candle honors this pioneering woman’s legacy. As the candle flickers, you can almost feel the rugged beauty of the coastline she once called home. The scent of fresh tobacco mingled with crisp fir needles evokes the solitude and serenity of the forest, transporting you to a place where nature’s wildness reawakens the soul.

Through Cougar Annie’s story, we celebrate the strength, courage, and determination of women who have paved the way for future generations. Her entrepreneurial spirit serves as a reminder that even in the toughest times, we have the power to persevere.

While I don’t live deep in the forest like Cougar Annie, I am rooted in the same lands, surrounded by the same towering trees, and inspired by the same sweet ocean breezes. I feel the energy of this wild place guiding me on my own journey toward fulfillment and wholeness.

Light the Candle, Honor the Legacy. 

To this day, a part of Cougar Annie lives on in every West Coast female entrepreneur. Her grit, resilience, and unwavering determination are qualities we carry with us as we navigate our own paths. Whether it’s through cultivating a business, chasing a dream, or overcoming lives challenges, we channel her pioneering spirit every time we face the unknown and choose to forge ahead. Cougar Annie’s legacy reminds us that, like her, we have the strength to carve out our own spaces, no matter how rugged the terrain.

Sending love from Tofino, 

Tam x