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
Category: Vancouver
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
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… Continue reading In The Background: William Doss
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… Continue reading In the Background: revised dates
In the Background: Purdy’s Have to Move
A sign in the window of 675 Granville Street in 1935. Vancouver Archives: CVA 99-4761
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.
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… Continue reading Carrall and Dupont (Pender) Street
City Hall Demolished
In 1958 Vancouver’s old City Hall met the wrecker’s ball. This was the city’s second city hall after the 1886 fire and was once home to the public market and a theatre. The old hall was replaced with a short lived public market building. Archives photo 2010-006.155
When Museums Don’t Get History…
My colleague Larry Wong drew my attention to this article from the Chinese in the Northwest Research Committee web site. If you don’t know this site it’s a fascinating and detailed ongoing research project. The Tacoma Art Museum Sells a Chinese Collection Donated in Memory of the 1885 Driving-Out In 1976, Colonel John and Mary Young, second-generation… Continue reading When Museums Don’t Get History…
Maps, Maps, and more Maps
The Vancouver Archives has put some 500 plus maps up on their site! Maps are so much fun and this collection is a great resource. “The project makes these maps available to everyone quickly online, and makes them easy to re-use. It reduces damage to the oversized originals due to handling, as they no longer… Continue reading Maps, Maps, and more Maps
What Floats to the Top of My Desk 