Projects & Publications
I. Projects and publications of the Society
For the second time in three years, VHS joined forces with SFU’s History of Vancouver course to work on a project that developed the students’ understanding of the city while also helping them hone their research and presentation skills. The course covered a range of themes, from Indigenous history and the impacts of settler colonialism to the way class, gender, and racial dynamics have and continue to shape urban society, from the city’s unique environmental history to the development of a distinct identity embodied in features like modern architecture and global events. Students first produced a research paper on a topic of their choice. Then, they drew on that work to create a short video and accompanying text in a way that both told a unique story and allowed them to share the insights developed in their research with a broader audience. Each contribution was uploaded to a StoryMap, which offers a dynamic and diverse set of stories, taking viewers on a tour over distances beyond what could be covered on foot. (With thanks to Dr. Nicolas Kenny.)
View StoryMap
Collaboration with SFU’s History class
In 2021, VHS engaged in a collaborative research project with SFU’s HIST 486 – History of Vancouver class to encourage students to learn about Vancouver’s past. In addition to writing a research paper, the students were asked to use their creativity and to present their findings through a digital project of their choice. The end result was nine wonderful projects that covered topics related to Chinatown, Hogan’s Alley, Stanley Park, Riverview Hospital, the Japanese-Canadian internment, Vancouver’s punk music scene, the Indigenous presence and representation during the 2010 Winter Olympics, and Expo 86.
Click on the button below to find the links to the projects. Enjoy!
In 2010 the VHS erected an historical sign at Victory Square outlining how the park, once the centre of the city, evolved into a space commemorating and celebrating the veterans of wars in which Canada participated. The sign was installed shortly after the Remembrance Day Ceremonies in November.
City Reflections: 1907-Vancouver-2007 (DVD)
A Vancouver Historical Society re-shoot of Vancouver street scenes film recorded by William Harbeck from the front of a streetcar in 1907 His six-minute film, the earliest known surviving film of Vancouver, was research and re-filmed resulting in a 53 minute DVD production showing scenes from both years. Additionally, there are several chapters comprising an interview, the story of the life of the film maker (who went down with the Titanic), some chapters on the re-shooting of the film, etc. The DVD was originally sold through various outlets in the city but is now available on Youtube.
The Devonian Park Sign
Historical Markers in Vancouver Parks
In 2008 the Vancouver Historical Society erected two historical interpretation signs, one at Hallelujah Point in Stanley Park (near the totem poles) and the other at Devonian Park (at the foot of Denman Street). Each marks the historical significance of the area.Read more »
Birthday parties can be noisy affairs — and this one was especially loud. But then again, the person being feted was the city’s namesake. And it was a special birthday! It was horns, a cake, entertainment and a special stamp.Read more »
Spencer’s Cedar Chest Vancouver Time Capsule
In 1936, David Spencer’s Department store decided to celebrate Vancouver’s Jubilee by putting together a time capsule in a cedar chest, “four feet square and wide”. Contributions were open to the public and a variety of people contributed letters, photographs and various other items.Read more »
Street Names of Vancouver (Book)
Walker, Elizabeth. Street Names of Vancouver. Vancouver Historical Society, c1999. A complete list and location of the original and renamed streets of Vancouver accompanied by historical background.
The publication is now also available for download.DOWNLOAD NOW!
Vancouver Historical Society. Wall Chart Project. Teacher’s Guide: late intermediate social studies… development of the west… industrialization … exploration and conquest. 1990. Celia Haig-Brown.
Vancouver Historical Society. Wall Chart Project. Teacher’s Guide: early intermediate social studies … the first peoples of Vancouver. 1990. Geraldine Bob and Bruce Macdonald.
Vancouver in the 1880’s. [Created by Bruce Macdonald.] Wall chart and accompanying teacher guide were produced by the Vancouver Historical Society through the financial assistance of the B.C. Gaming Commission. 1990.
The First Peoples “Vancouver” in the 1850’s. [Created by Bruce Macdonald.] Wall chart and accompanying teacher guide were produced by the Vancouver Historical Society through the financial assistance of the B.C. Gaming Commission. 1990.
Vancouver centennial bibliography: a project of the Vancouver Historical Society. Compiled by Linda L. Hale; with cartobibliography by Frances M. Woodward. 1986. 4 volumes.
A Very Practical Guide to the Pursuit and Enjoyment of Oral History. Vancouver Historical Society, The Oral History Committee. 1986. A step-by-step procedure on how to conduct and document an interview on oral history. [PDF Version]
Voices of False Creek and the Fairview Slopes. Oral History Project of False Creek. 1981-86. This project resulted in the creation of over 40 sound recordings of interviews with individuals connected to and involved with Granville Island. (University of British Columbia Library, Rare Books and Special Collections).
Vancouver History. 1979-80. Preceded and superceded by the Vancouver Historical Society Newsletter.
Focus on Vancouver: bulletin of research in progress concerning the Vancouver area. Published by the Vancouver Historical Society, no. 1, December 1970 to no. 8, June 1974.
Roberts, Sheila. Shakespeare in Vancouver, 1889-1918. 1971. (Occasional paper no. 3.) A background to and venues of the 192 productions of Shakespeare plays performed in Vancouver 1889-1971.
Sandison, James. M, ed. Schools of Old Vancouver. 1971. (Occasional paper no. 2.) A collection of early articles and editorials on Vancouver schools, secondary education and an incipient university of British Columbia.
Howard, Irene. Vancouver’s Svenskar; a history of the Swedish community in Vancouver. 1970. (Occasional paper no. 1.) Chronicles the lives of Swedes in Vancouver from the 1880s.
Hastings Mill Monument
In 1965, the Vancouver Historical Society commissioned sculptor Gerhard Class to create a three piece sculpture almost three meters high to mark the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Hastings Mill, around which grew the settlement that ultimately became the nucleus of Vancouver. The mill was built by Captain Edward Stamp and went through a variety of owners until it closed in the 1920s.Read more »
II. Publications or projects which received financial or other support from the VHS
Images of Vancouver, 1914-1926, from the Dominion Photograph Company. A grant was given to the Vancouver Public Library, Special Collections in 2009 to digitize photographs from the Dominion Photograph Company. This collection is available online through Vancouver Public Library’s Historical Photographs collection.
Early Vancouver, volumes 1-7, Major James Skitt Matthews (left). A grant was given to the city of Vancouver Archives in 2009 for the digitization of the transcriptions of volumes 1-7 of Major Matthews’ opus. The project was completed in 2011.
Bowlsby, Craig. Empire of Ice: The Rise and Fall of the Pacific Hockey Association, 1911-1926. Vancouver: Knights of Winter, 2012
MacLeod, Ken. The Story of South Vancouver and John Oliver High School. Victoria, BC: First Choice Books, 2012
Norton, Wayne. Women on Ice: The Early Years of Women’s Hockey in Western Canada. Vancouver, Ronsdale Press, 2009
Schofield, Peggy, editor, The Story of Dunbar: Voices of a Vancouver Neighbourhood. Vancouver, Ronsdale Press, 2007.
Mann, Jean; New, Beverley; Barford, Cathy. Women Lead the way: A History of the University Women’s Club of Vancouver. 1907-2007, Vancouver, University Women’s Club, 2007.
Davis, Chuck. The History of Metropolitan Vancouver (website: 2004-2006)
Knickerbocker, Nancy. No plaster saint; the life of Mildred Osterhout Fahmi. Vancouver. Talonbooks, 2001.
Macdonald, Bruce. Vancouver: a visual history. 1992. Vancouver, Talonbooks, 1992.