The San Juan Valley has been home to the Pacheedhat First Nation for centuries, long before Port Renfrew started its history as a logging town. The inlet where Port Renfrew lies was named Port of San Juan in 1790 by Spanish-Peruvian explorer  Manuel Quimper. The first European settlers began carving out their homesteads in 1859 shortly after the completion of Fort Victoria. In the 1880s, to spur growth, the government offered up to 350 acres of free land in the San Juan Valley to homesteaders. Emily and Alfred Deakin, with their daughter Violet, were one of the original European families to settle in the region. They developed 40 acres of land around the Deakin Trail in 1889 with intentions to farm. In the beginning the town was named Port San Juan, but mail confusion with the San Juan Islands spurred the Renfrew name change in 1895. Some claim that the settlers changed the name to honor Baron of Renfrew Prince Albert Edward who planned to encourage and develop crofting in the region.

During this isolated period supplies were brought exclusively by boat. This was especially dangerous in winter months and many ships and lives were lost. Following the loss of 133 lives in 1906 aboard the Valencia the government moved to enhance an established First Nations trail from Port Renfrew to Bamfield (what is now The West Coast Trail) to provide communication and support when shipwrecks occurred. This safety trail also followed the Cape Beale telegraph line that was erected between 1889-1890.

In 1912 Canadian Pacific Railway (1912-1957) began operations which connected Port Renfrew and Shawnigan Lake creating the first safe, constant flow of supplies to the region. By 1916 the community of 50 people had a hotel, school, post office and telegraph office. In 1923 the first large-scale steam logging operation began when T. Cathels and C. Sorenson moved to Port Renfrew and built the first logging camp. Their endeavor was financially backed by Victoria capitalists Todd and E.P. Butchart (Butchart Gardens). In the 1930s the Malahat Logging Company moved into the San Juan Valley and extended the railway with the completion of the Bear Creek Trestle in 1939. Standing 242 feet high the trestle was the highest in the world at that time. Malahat Logging Co. also created three camps for workers: Bear Creek, Harris Creek and Beach Camp, where the Port Renfrew Beach House is located today. The railway was the artery of the region. The lines were consistently busy moving logs, workers and supplies for the communities until the completion of the Bear Creek truck trestle in 1957.