Several cities around the region are putting their archive collections online, including thousands of historical photographs – and North Vancouver is no exception. By way of a photo contest, they have enlisted the public’s help in promoting not only the use of their online database, but the history of North Vancouver. The North Vancouver Museum […]

Browsing the Vancouver Archives digital collection I sometimes sort my search by category or keyword. The following is a compilation of old-timey images from our city’s past, all having to do with “Automobiles”. Year: 1920 In this photo: Reo Motor Car Agency Limited Vancouver setup at Lumberman’s Arch Photographer: Stuart Thomson Vancouver Archives Item #: […]

Although Vancouver is young compared to most other North American cities, it has a heritage all of its own. From First Nations culture, to the Great Fire, and the 2010 Olympics, people have recorded, photographed, and preserved this legacy. One of the most important institutions for doing such work is the City of Vancouver Archives. […]

At one time it was the largest pocket of Canadian Francophones west of Manitoba and today, Maillardville is historic cultural community in Coquitlam. Notre Dame de Lourdes, 830 Laval Square In 1891 the District of Coquitlam was incorporated and toward the end of the century, Frank Ross and James McLaren opened Fraser Mills, a $350,000 […]

Today’s collection of archives photos come from museums and archives around Metro Vancouver. One theme throughout the various communities in our region is that they have bridges; crossing the inlet or an arm of the Fraser. Date: 1904 Description: Opening day celebrations on the first Fraser River Bridge (now the Fraser Railway Bridge). New Westminster […]

Although the City of Surrey’s slogan is “The Future Lives Here” it’s also home to plenty of history. Incorporated seven years before Vancouver, and sitting at about three times the size in terms of area, there’s much that can be learned from looking at Whalley, Cloverdale, Guildford, Fleetwood, Newton and South Surrey. As such, the […]

John “Gassy Jack” Deighton had a saloon in New Westminster but it wasn’t until he headed around to the Burrard Inlet that he left an indelible mark on our city. In 1867 he told mill workers along the harbour that they could have all the whiskey they could drink if they helped him build a […]

Slated to re-open in November, the Waldorf Hotel in East Vancouver is currently undergoing major restorations and renovations. Located along a lonely stretch of East Hastings, this historic landmark is set to revitalize creative arts and nightlife in this area of town. Photo credit: kk+ on Flickr While it features a dining room, hotel, cafe, […]

Most parks in Vancouver are named after former Parks Board members or royalty – but not Emery Barnes Park in Yaletown. The grass, stone walkways, water features and new playground on Davie is named after a man born in New Orleans in 1929 who made his way to Canada, into BC Provincial Legislature and is […]

For over 80 years the Orpheum theatre on Granville Street has been far more than an iconic neon sign. Hosting concerts, comedy showcases, the VSO, and even my high school commencement ceremony, this gorgeous venue is an magnificent slice of Vancouver history. The Orpheum 1929 – VPL Accession Number: 11035. Photographer: Leonard Frank. “All around […]