It was announced yesterday that the Pacific Central train station on Main Street will receive $5 million in federal funding for a ‘facelift’. Photo credit: DutchAstrid on Flickr Opening in 1919, it was the western terminus for the Canadian Northern Railway (now the terminus for VIA Rail) and was one of the first major structures […]

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 #: […]

A few months ago I put the call out on Twitter to see what people have been curious to know about Vancouver’s past. There were some great suggestions about Joe Fortes and the Great Fire along with several more tidbits that would be interesting to research. A few people asked about the Burrard Bridge and […]

Browsing the Vancouver Archives digital collection I once again selected a single keyword and searched the image results. Today’s compilation features “picnics” as a tribute to the remarkably warm late September weather we’re experiencing. Year: 1890s In this photo: Strawberry picnic in Stanley Park Vancouver Archives Item #: SGN 965 Year: 1900s In this photo: […]

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 “competitions”. Year: 1918 In this photo: Military Sports, sack fight on beam Photographer: Stuart Thomson Vancouver Archives Item #: CVA 99-638 Year: 1928 […]

Some of my favourite old photos of Vancouver are aerials, taken from planes that have soared above the city for decades. It’s hard to match up the old photos with new ones either that I take myself or that I find on Flickr so the following compilation is simply archived imagery. As I spent my […]

Since the PNE is in full swing this week, today’s archives photo is one of the fair’s lost buildings (and one of the most unique I’ve seen). The “Women’s Building” at the Vancouver Exhibition (now the PNE). Located on the Hastings fair grounds, this was originally called the Industrial Building in 1910. Year: 1918 Photographer: […]

With the PNE’s 100 anniversary kicking off later this month I thought it would be fitting to feature the fair in today’s Archives Photo of the Day. “Win this panel prefab home!” Year: 1950s Photographer: Province Newspaper VPL Accession Number: 41011 Here’s another: Year: 1960 Photographer: Province Newspaper VPL Accession Number: 68819 And a third […]

Today’s Archives Photo of the Day is from the 400 block of Homer Street. While it’s not a century-old image, I still find it rather curious and amusing. Year: 1974 Vancouver Archives item#: CVA 778-194

Browsing the Vancouver Archives online photograph database I kept coming across old advertisements from around Vancouver. Posters, billboards, and painted cars. I thought it would be fun to do a roundup including commercials of our city’s past. 1946, Archives Item#: CVA 1184-2346 1948, Photographer: Jack Lindsay, Archives Item#: CVA 1184-3139 1934, PhotographeR: Stuart Thomson, Archives […]