What's New

Water and Cordova Streets
added February 13, 2023
Water and Cordova Streets
This is what the centre of town looked like just 4 weeks after the fire that destroyed the newly incorporated City of Vancouver. (1886 Major Matthews photo from City of Vancouver Archives).

Vancouver City Hall
added January 30, 2023
Vancouver City Hall
Cambie and Twelfth was the fourth location for Vancouver's City Hall. It's remote distance from the city centre served to strengthen the ties with the newly amalgamated towns of South Vancouver and Point Grey.  The Art Deco/ Moderne building was designed by Townley and Matheson, and was completed in 1936, during the height of the Great Depression. (1937 Major Matthews photo from Vancouver City Archives.)

Murray Hotel
added January 29, 2023
Murray Hotel
Built in 1915 at a cost of $65,000, the Murray stood empty during the war years, after which it was used as a barracks by the RCMP for a while, with the main floor serving as stables.  The Richardsonian Romanesque building has heritage "B" status in Vancouver, and has been providing low cost housing for many years. In 2017 it received a facelift, courtesy of the developers who built the highrise next door.  (1925 photo from City of Vancouver Archives).

The Keg
added January 18, 2023
The Keg
This 1911 building was the location of the first Keg and Cleaver, which opened in 1971. Today there are over 100 restaurants in Canada and the US. 

Attinlea House
added January 03, 2023
Attinlea House
Beautiful old Shaughnessy mansion, built by Thomas Macdonald in 1913 at a cost of $6000.  In 1970 it was listed for $50,000, in 1985 it sold for $290,000, and in 2022 it was listed once again for $6,199,000(1920 Stuart Thompson photo from Vancouver City Archives).

Smilin' Buddha Cabaret
added December 28, 2022
Smilin' Buddha Cabaret
This legendary venue started life in 1952 as an 'exotic' supper club before it was transformed into a punk rock mecca in the 1970s.  Some of the acts rumored to have played there include Jimi Hendrix, Tommy Chong and Tina Turner. A 1983 fire put an end to its popularity and it languished for many years. The 2020 pandemic ended a recent attempt to turn it into an indoor skate park. Today it's only function is to serve as a back rest for the hundreds of street people who have taken over the neighbourhood. (I found the original photo on a Facebook page with no credit and no date.)



St Paul's Anglican Church
added December 28, 2022
St Paul's Anglican Church
This church has served the West End Community since it was built in 1905. Several of the stained glass windows were part of an older church in Yaletown. (1905 Major Matthews image from Vancouver City Archives.)


Kits laneway house
added December 28, 2022
Kits laneway house
This little house has been facing the lane between York and Cornwall since 1908. It's one of the last remaining original laneway houses in the City. The young boy in the photograph is Paul Houle, who moved into the house in 1960. (1961 photograph from Paul Houle).

Seaforth Pharmacy
added December 28, 2022
Seaforth Pharmacy
This low-rise building near Kits Beach sold drugs in the 1940s, now it sells burgers.  

Kits Pool
added December 28, 2022
Kits Pool
This 1931 photo shows the pool under construction. At its current length of 137 metres (it used to be even longer), it is the largest salt water pool in North America. It was originally filled by the tidal flow from Burrard Inlet. It was extensively rebuilt in 1979 and again in 2018. (Major Matthews photo from Vancouver City Archives). 

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