The Vancouver World vs Baby Killers: Patent Medicine in BC

21 Oct 2024

The Tragic Case of Baby Duncan in Victoria, BC Quick Summary In 1905, the death of Baby Duncan from an opium-laced patent medicine exposed the deadly risks of unregulated “cure-all” remedies in British Columbia. The...

Indigenous experiences in Vancouver and BC

Top 10 Indigenous Tours & Experiences in Vancouver and BC

24 Sep 2024

Quick Summary Discover 10 activities to immerse yourself in Indigenous history and culture across BC Experience the natural beauty and landscapes of Greater Vancouver and BC led by the Indigenous stewards of the land Activities...

a grainy black & white photo of two disheveled and bloody men after the Zoot Suit Riots. Overlayed in large text

Vancouver’s Zoot Suit Riots

19 Jun 2024

Quick Summary In July of 1944, tensions erupted between an East End youth gang known as “zoot suiters” and merchant seamen in Vancouver across several nights of violent street brawls centered on Granville Street The...

Was Gassy Jack’s Statue Toppled By His Courageous Wife?

09 Apr 2024

Quick Summary Gassy Jack Deighton’s statue was toppled in 2022 amid outrage over his marriage to Kwa7xiliya (Madeline), a twelve-year-old Squamish girl and niece of his late first wife Kwa7xiliya’s story reveals she was cheated...

The Man Who Named Vancouver’s Streets… and Barely Escaped With His Life

04 Mar 2024

Quick Summary: Many of Vancouver’s streets were named in the late 1800s by surveyor Lachlan Alexander Hamilton, an employee of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Hamilton named several streets after colleagues, such as Abbott and Cambie,...

Unearthing Vancouver’s Chilling History in Gastown

04 Oct 2023

Quick Summary: Discover Vancouver’s most historic neighbourhood during Halloween, revealing a darker, atmospheric side where cobblestone streets and historic alleys evoke echoes of Vancouver’s 19th-century past. The neighbourhood’s Victorian-era charm hides stories of saloons, scandals,...

Vancouver History Blog

VANCOUVER HISTORY BLOG