Category Archives: Vancouver History

A short history of Gastown: The birth of Vancouver, Canada

This is one of the earliest photos of Gastown, taken in 1886 in Maple Tree Square in the town of Granville (now called Vancouver). Locals called it Gastown because the first saloon was started by Jack Deighton, known as “Gassy … Continue reading

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Early Gastown history: 1907 film of streetcar route through Vancouver, Canada (with four historical videos)

This great six-minute film shows the early days of Vancouver and Gastown — it is the earliest film footage of the city, whose population was only 27,000 in 1901. It was shot by Seattle filmmaker William Harbeck, who was hired … Continue reading

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