In 1909, someone thought it might be a good idea to build grain elevators on Deadmans Island. Park Board turned the idea down.
Category Archives: History
Great Moments in Park Board History – 1909
Filed under History, stanley park, urban design, Vancouver
Chinese Methodist Mission Church, Chinatown
The Methodist church was the first to minister to the Chinese community in Canada, there was a mission school in 1876 in Victoria and in Vancouver in 1888. From its original Hastings Street location the Mission moved to a purpose built building on Carrall at Dupont (Pender) Street in 1889. The illustration is one of the few that show the full building. It is from a booklet published in 1900 by the architecture firms of Parr and Fee, W. T. Dalton, R. Mackay Fripp, William Blackmore and G. W. Grant. In the booklet, Parr and Fee take credit for the design, though it may only be for the addition. Thomas Hooper receives the credit in earlier newspaper reports.
The Mission faced Carrall Street and only lasted until 1907 when it was demolished and replaced by the Pekin Restaurant, better known as the Pekin Chop Suey House and home to the Chinese Freemasons.
Filed under Chinatown, History, urban design, Vancouver
Fruit Trees for Vancouver Streets
“The city council board of works regards as impracticable a proposal to substitute fruit for ordinary shade trees on the streets. The presence of the small boys is a fatal objection to the scheme.” Interesting note from 1897 found in the Colonist newspaper.
Filed under History, urban design, Vancouver
We don’t often get to see Shanghai Alley like this. Taken in the 1940s this Archives image shows the west side of the alley looking north and the tenements built in 1905 by Yip Sang which helped establish the alley.
CVA 586-4593
In The Background: Good Deal on Pie & Coffee
The Alhambra Cafe offering coffee and pie for 5 cents, meals start at 15 cents. 1916 prices.
CVA 371-757
Filed under History, In The Background, urban design, Vancouver
In The Background: William Doss
In 1908, Recreation Park at the corner of Smithe and Homer played host to the circus. The banners advertise such side show attractions as Mungo, a Maori Chief, The Randalls, champion sharpshooters and the intriguing sounding William Doss, the Human Telescope.
Here’s a 1902 New York Times article describing Mr Doss’ abilities: “Wille Doss, the Human Telescope who can stretch himself nearly 18 inches, was standing beside one of the giraffes and created a great source of amusement when he stretched his neck 2 inches higher than the giraffe’s two peaky looking little ears. The giraffe was so mortified at being beaten in such a contest that he refused to eat any supper.”
Doss entertained people in over 20 countries and made his home in Chicago like many circus performers.
Note that whoever painted the banner spelt Doss’ name wrong.
Vancouver Archives photo CVA 677-388
Filed under History, In The Background, Pacific Northwest, Vancouver
In the Background: revised dates
Looking at an early photograph of the Byrnes Block on Maple Tree Square and I’m interested to see the date on the pediment, 1887. A shot from the early 2000′s shows an earlier date… somewhere along the line I guess the clocks were wound back… and then the recent restoration put the clocks forward a year…
Filed under History, In The Background, Pacific Northwest, Uncategorized, Vancouver
In the Background: Purdy’s Have to Move
A sign in the window of 675 Granville Street in 1935.
Vancouver Archives: CVA 99-4761
Filed under History, In The Background, Uncategorized, Vancouver
Vancouver, Not Vancouver
My colleague Andy Coupland found this mislabelled post card the other day. The station was tracked down in Quebec City as seen in the colour shot from the 1960s . http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/jan2012via.htm.
Filed under History, Transportation, Uncategorized, urban design, Vancouver
Carrall and Dupont (Pender) Street
This image appeared on Ebay many months ago and it was described as a Chinatown funeral in Vancouver c.1900, but I couldn’t place the location. But behind the crowd in the window of the corner storefront is a sign for the Opera Resort, this puts it at the south east corner of Carrall and Pender looking south along Carrall.
There is a photograph (STR P64) in the Vancouver Archives of a crowd at the south foot of Carrall and it is this funeral party assembling before the procession starts. 
The shed in the background of the top photo might be Hart’s Opera House, where the saloon takes its name. A couple of storefronts over from the saloon was one of just two opium factories found in Chinatown in 1900.
