Photographs of the past give us a chance to see with our own eyes what life in Vancouver looked like decades ago.
Photography has existed in some form for nearly 200 years. In Vancouver, photos date back as far as about 150 years, with the earliest pictures of the region taken in the 1860s. Few images from that period are of Vancouver, though, as European settlers with cameras hadn't yet arrived.
These galleries V.I.A. published in 2024 illustrate a variety of themes or locations in Vancouver as they were captured by photographers from the 1860s to the 1950s, from more serious things (like what were considered slums) to lighter subjects (like pet dogs).
Stanley Park as it was before 1900 (slide 1)
These photos show people visiting and using the park for a variety of purposes from the 1880s and 1890s.
In its early days, it was the site of sporting events, a zoo, and large gatherings.
Before (and after) settlers claimed it, Indigenous people lived on the land and gathered food in the area.
Grocery shopping in Vancouver 110 years ago (slide 2)
Nowadays, people can sit on their couches and order groceries on their touch-screen phones for same-day delivery.
These photos from the 1890s to 1910s show what grocery shopping looked like in the city back when electricity was new.
It was a lot more involved.
On the flip side, prices look a lot more affordable.
Notably, in 1910 you could get a crate of peaches for $0.70. That would be about $20 today. While a crate is an inexact size, it looks like it's about seven peaches long and at least four high, which is at least 28 peaches.
Dogs of Vancouver a century ago (slide 3)
Dogs have long been considered man's best friend.
In Vancouver, they've been playing that role for a long time (there was even a local species called the Salish Woolly dog that lived alongside local First Nations until they went extinct).
While the canines aren't always the focal point of these pics, you can spot them all around the growing city.
Aerial photos show Vancouver from above over 90 years ago (slide 4)
Aerial shots of Vancouver were hard to get in the early days of the city; planes weren't even invented until the city was 30 years old.
These photos from the 1920s are some of the earliest taken from a plane of Vancouver and show the relatively young city as it was growing up.
The evolution of Kitsilano Beach (and swimwear) over 100+ years (slide 5)
What's now known as Kits Beach has been a popular spot in Vancouver probably as long as humans have lived in the area.
This gallery shows how the urban beach evolved over the years, from a wild, west coast beach to a well-developed and controlled oceanside playground.
Historic photos show the early days of Vancouver's Chinatown (slide 6)
There aren't as many photos of Vancouver's historic Chinatown community as there are of other neighbourhoods, but the city's archives do hold some.
This gallery has a collection from the 1890s to the 1920s, showing one of Vancouver's most iconic neighbourhoods in its early days when Chinese people in Vancouver faced overt racism on the streets and from the government (including things like the anti-Asian riots and the Chinese head tax).
Photos offer glimpse of Vancouver 'slums' decades ago (slide 7)
A gallery of photos showing areas described as slums by city staff or others at the time they were photographed.
12 notable buildings no longer standing in Vancouver (slide 8)
Vancouver has some iconic buildings, and while most are still standing, there are several notable exceptions.
This gallery includes photos of the Vancouver Opera House, a city market, the world-class Denman Arena, and a massive Art Deco tower that stood in the city's core until 1989.
