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Then and Now Images of Vancouver

Comments 4 by Rebecca Bollwitt

I have been putting together “then and now” image collections since I first discovered the Vancouver Archives had an online database – about 11 years ago. I have also been publishing on WordPress since 2006, and with the recent introduction of the Gutenberg editor, I have come to enjoy some of the new WYSIWYG editing options. One such option is the Image Compare block, which I just had to try and of course the “then and now” formula seemed like a perfect fit!

Then and Now Images of Vancouver

The images on the top or left are sourced from the City of Vancouver Archives and the current “now” photos are from Google Street Views, unless otherwise noted.

WestEndFromKits1910_ArchivesGoogleStreetView_Vanier
The West End from what is now Vanier Park
Top: 1910 Archives #AM54-S4-Dist P1
English Bay Giacomo Frega
English Bay Beach
Left: 1890s Archives# Be P151. Right: 2013 Giacomo Frega on Flickr
BurrardBridge_1932_Archives
Burrard Bridge from Granville Island
1932 Archives #AM1535-: CVA 99-4213. Stuart Thomson
StanleyParkDrive_1898GoogleStreetView_StnaleyParkDrive
Stanley Park Drive
Left: 1898 Archives #AM54-S4-: CVA 466-17

The photo above is a fun one. I was randomly browsing the Archives and spotted this very distinct tree along Stanley Park Drive. It’s still standing on the side of the road, 150+ years later. My uneducated guess would be that it was already 100+ years old in 1898 so the standing stump that is there now is from the 1700s!

1894 Entrance to Stanley Park1940 Entrance to Stanley Park
Entrance to Stanley Park
Left: 1894 Archives# CVA 677-987. Right: 1940 Archives# CVA 586-340
GastownMapleTreeSquareCarrall
Maple Tree Square
Left: 1886 Archives# Str P83. Right: 2009 Photo by jmv on Flickr
1946 City Hall viewCity Hall Jenn Chan Photography
View from City Hall
Left: 1946 Archives# CVA 586-4381 Steffens-Colmer Photo. Right: 2015 Jenn Chan Photo
2010s Christchurch Cathedral Vancouver
Christ Church Cathedral/Burrard and Georgia
Left: 1894. Archives# Ch P73
1913 English Bay. Photographer: WJ Moore. Archives# LGN 1030.2010 English Bay Daniel Peckham
English Bay
Top: 1913 Archives# LGN 1030 Photo WJ Moore. Below: 2010 Photo by Daniel Peckham

If you have a spot you would like me to research, let me know in the comments.

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4 Comments  —  Comments Are Closed

  1. SheilaFriday, June 19th, 2020 — 7:03am PDT

    Hastings Mill Store, Kitsilano Showboat, PNE, Wesbrook Village & the old parking lots at UBC.

  2. Rebecca Bollwitt, Miss604 Rebecca BollwittFriday, June 19th, 2020 — 9:19am PDT

    Hi Sheila, great list! I have the PNE covered here, albeit not in “then/now” format:
    https://miss604.com/2015/01/the-best-old-pne-photos-1914-1980
    I’ll work on the rest,

    Rebecca

  3. Eduard MudasMonday, June 22nd, 2020 — 8:13pm PDT

    Pretty sure that’s not the same tree. Look at the size of the old tree compared to the bike…it’s massive

  4. Rebecca Bollwitt, Miss604 Rebecca BollwittMonday, June 22nd, 2020 — 8:23pm PDT

    Hi Eduard,

    I’m fairly certain it is. It is the exact location in the park and the current tree is standing dead. It reminds me of Hollow Tree: They used to fit cars – even an elephant – in Hollow Tree and not it is but a shell of what it was since it’s not longer a living tree. I recommend going to that part of Stanley Park Drive and seeing for yourself.

    Rebecca

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