Browsing the Vancouver Archives digital collection I sometimes sort my search by category or keyword. The following is a compilation of old-timey images from our city’s past, all having to do with “competitions”. Year: 1918 In this photo: Military Sports, sack fight on beam Photographer: Stuart Thomson Vancouver Archives Item #: CVA 99-638 Year: 1928 [...]

Some of my favourite old photos of Vancouver are aerials, taken from planes that have soared above the city for decades. It’s hard to match up the old photos with new ones either that I take myself or that I find on Flickr so the following compilation is simply archived imagery. As I spent my [...]

On this day in Vancouver history, Elvis Presley performed one song at Empire Stadium before he had to leave the stage due to crazed fans battling with local police. He came back on stage after a few minutes and played four more songs [source]. The screams from the crowd were so loud that no one [...]

Since the PNE is in full swing this week, today’s archives photo is one of the fair’s lost buildings (and one of the most unique I’ve seen). The “Women’s Building” at the Vancouver Exhibition (now the PNE). Located on the Hastings fair grounds, this was originally called the Industrial Building in 1910. Year: 1918 Photographer: [...]

With the PNE’s 100 anniversary kicking off later this month I thought it would be fitting to feature the fair in today’s Archives Photo of the Day. “Win this panel prefab home!” Year: 1950s Photographer: Province Newspaper VPL Accession Number: 41011 Here’s another: Year: 1960 Photographer: Province Newspaper VPL Accession Number: 68819 And a third [...]

Today’s Archives Photo of the Day is from the 400 block of Homer Street. While it’s not a century-old image, I still find it rather curious and amusing. Year: 1974 Vancouver Archives item#: CVA 778-194

Browsing the Vancouver Archives online photograph database I kept coming across old advertisements from around Vancouver. Posters, billboards, and painted cars. I thought it would be fun to do a roundup including commercials of our city’s past. 1946, Archives Item#: CVA 1184-2346 1948, Photographer: Jack Lindsay, Archives Item#: CVA 1184-3139 1934, PhotographeR: Stuart Thomson, Archives [...]

Today’s Archives Photo of the Day features two children walking along the old pier at English Bay. Year: 1905 Vancouver Archives item#: CVA 677-227