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Archives Photos of the Day: Lions Gate Bridge Construction

Comments 6 by Rebecca Bollwitt

It was on this day, November 12, 1938, that the Lions Gate Bridge opened to foot traffic — with little fanfare — and it opened to vehicle traffic on November 14th. It wasn’t until May 26, 1939 that the bridge was officially opened by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

Seawall
1948, Photographer: Walter Edwin Frost, Archives Item #CVA 447-129 & 2010, Photo credit: Junnn on Flickr

In honor of the day the vehicles first took the drive across the iconic span, Lions Gate Bridge Construction is today’s photo feature:


Photographer: James Crookall. Aarchives #CVA 260-829.


1938 – VPL Number: 39749 & 39750. Photographer: The Province Newspaper.


1937 – VPL Number: 39775 & 7997. Photographer: The Province Newspaper & Leonard Frank.


1938 – VPL Number: 39751 & 39757. Photographer: The Province Newspaper.


Photographer: James Crookall. Archives# CVA 260-863.


1937 – VPL Number: 7997a & 12323. Photographer: Leonard Frank.


Photographer: James Crookall. Archives# CVA 260-881.


1938 – VPL Number: 9631 & 39773. Photographer: Leonard Frank.


Photographer: James Crookall. Archives# CVA 260-819.

Explore more photos from the Vancouver Public Library and the Vancouver Archives in person and online.

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6 Comments  —  Comments Are Closed

  1. TylerIngramMonday, November 12th, 2012 — 10:31am PST

    Nice post Rebecca! Love seeing things being built, especially something like the bridge. Wonder what it would be like today if we didn’t have that particular bridge! lol

  2. Bobbie BeesMonday, November 12th, 2012 — 10:40am PST

    You do know of course that the bridge was built by the Guinness family just after they had bought the Marine Building.
    The bridge was built to allow easy access to the ‘British Properties’ of which they owned a major portion.
    And as part of refurbishing the bridge, the Guinness companies strung the decorative lights on the bridge in time for Expo 86.

  3. Rebecca Bollwitt, Miss604 Rebecca BollwittMonday, November 12th, 2012 — 10:41am PST

    @Bobbie Yes of course. I have covered the bridge in history posts for years including this one that I linked above: http://www.miss604.com/2009/02/vancouver-history-tidbits-lions-gate-bridge-and-the-guinness-family.html

  4. Jeff MacLeodMonday, November 12th, 2012 — 11:23am PST

    My great grandfather helped build that bridge.

  5. Laurie Pawlik-KienlenWednesday, November 14th, 2012 — 8:48am PST

    I was just there last night, taking photos of the beautifully lit bridge at sunset. Thank you for posting these, Rebecca!

  6. Kathleen CampbellThursday, November 14th, 2013 — 12:25pm PST

    Thanks for sharing Rebecca….certainly a lot has happened in the past 75 years on the North Shore as a direct result of the construction of the Lions Gate bridge.

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