Miscellaneous Research Notes
For more interesting maps of the city check out Erick Villegomez’s maps at Regarding Place
Author: John Atkin
John Atkin is a civic historian, author, and walking tour guide in Vancouver.
How to Research Your House Workshop
On Feb 23, I’ll be leading the How to Research Your House evening at the Vancouver Archives presented by the Vancouver Heritage Foundation. Here’s your chance to learn the secrets of water permits, building permits and fire insurance maps; and touch really old documents. Archives staff will be on hand too to answer questions and… Continue reading How to Research Your House Workshop
Cemetery by Flashlight
On Wednesday the 16th of February grab your flashlight and join us on a walk at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver’s only cemetery, where we’ll look at the SS Sophia Disaster. 6:30 pm at the cemetery office (enter off of 39th Ave at Fraser) 10 bucks, rain or shine.
Tooting Our Own Horn
Re:place magazine has reviewed our latest book The Changing City.
Miscellaneous Research Notes
January 27, 1897 British Colonist – “The usual permission to Chinese to celebrate their New Year has been refused by council owing no doubt to the anti Chinese wave which is sweeping over Vancouver.” At least some things do change. Update: Maybe not. The Quebec legislature voted to ban Sikhs from the building if they… Continue reading Miscellaneous Research Notes
Places That Matter
Check out the Heritage Foundation’s Places That Matter project: 125 commemorative plaques for the 125th birthday of the city. And the public is invited to nominate their favorites here.
Vancouver is Awesome
If you haven’t checked out Vancouver is Awesome you should. My favourite section is Vancouver Was Awesome, and a recent post from Rhiannon Coppin documents a walking tour I did in January where we looked at the neighbourhood around Franklin and Commercial Drive. Mostly known for its chicken processing plants, this area was once home… Continue reading Vancouver is Awesome
The Walking Home Project
Speaking of walking… In October 2010, I had the privilege of being invited to present two walking tours for the Walking Home project. For the first walk, the focus was on Carrall Street which for me is great fun because the street cuts through three historic neighbourhoods; Gastown, Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside, and touches… Continue reading The Walking Home Project
Upcoming walks from The Changing City
February 12th 10:00 am Victory Square Meet at the corner of Hamilton and Pender Streets at the entrance to Victory Square February 19th 10:00 am Downtown South Meet at the corner Richards and Davie in Emery Barnes Park. March 12th 10:00 am Around False Creek and up Main Street Meet at the front of the… Continue reading Upcoming walks from The Changing City
The Changing City is out and in bookstores
Our new book, with Andy Coupland, The Changing City will introduce you to much of the recent development in Vancouver, some classic Modernism, and some of the heritage, in two formats. It is both an architectural guidebook and a walking tour. The tours cover 13 areas of the downtown and central area of the city,… Continue reading The Changing City is out and in bookstores
What Floats to the Top of My Desk 