Historical Society NEWSLETTER ISSN 0042 - 2487 January 2012 Vol. 51 No. 4

The Drive: A History of Commercial Drive January Speaker: Jak King

ast Vancouver’s Commercial Heights but the recession of 1913 This early energy laid by the EDrive, better known as “The halted that idea. While the area boisterous spirit of its inhabitants Drive,” is a wildly entertaining, multi- prospered during the 1920s, there was became the template for later cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-sexual a noticeable decline during the Dirty multi-ethnic activity and settlement district with a reputation to match. Thirties. The First Avenue Viaduct, – Italian, Portuguese, Asian, and built between 1936 and 1938, helped Latin American. The 1980s attracted How did The Drive save The Drive a counter-culture to the area and become what it is from fading into more recently a spillover from today from the early history. the Downtown Eastside has been days when natives countered by some gentrification. The sold its Grandview The Drive’s end product of this activity and mixing elk meat to settlers story is one of has led to one of the most vibrant in Vancouver? Or entrepreneurial neighbourhoods in the city today with when a skid row for and community- a spirit rarely matched elsewhere in dragging logs ran minded local Vancouver. roughly along the citizens present day path of contributing to the Jak King Commercial Drive political, social, has lived on below Hastings and economic The Drive and into the waters life in the area. for more of Cedar Cove on Even today, a very than twenty ? large proportion years. Now of businesses are retired, he Interest in the area owner-operated, has devoted was spurred by reflecting very Author Jak King many the coming of the much the spirit years to Vancouver-New of the past. This the study of The Drive’s retail, social, Westminster interurban rail line in spirit was embodied in one Louis architectural and political history. His 1891. The coming of water service in Tobin, whose chain of businesses, first book in a series on Commercial the early 1900s is when development Reliable Drugs being the most Drive, The Drive: A Retail, Social started in earnest. Local businesses important, was at the forefront of and Political History of Commercial and residents built many impressive modern merchandising in the 1930s Drive to 1956 was released in 2011. buildings, many of which still remain. and 1940s. His displays, endless His next book, The Encyclopedia of remodeling and refashioning, lighting Commercial Drive will be released on Prior to World War I, speculators and various promotions constantly February 6th. tried to turn the area into another kept the commercial spirit alive. Bruce M. Watson fashionable West End or Shaughnessey

Next Meeting: 7:30 pm, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012 at Museum of Vancouver Preznotes New Pocket Walking Tour Book

Even as we look forward to the new year, it’s Civic historian and VHS always fun to see what our city was like 100 years member John Atkin’s new ago. The publication of The Chuck Davis History of book The Changing City is Metropolitan Vancouver makes it even easier! now available at bookshops. Co-authored with Andy The Vancouver Police Department hired its first Coupland, The Changing female employees in 1912, but also lost its first City will introduce you constable in the line of duty. Constable Lewis Byers to much of the recent was responding to a “drunk annoying” call on development in Vancouver. Powell Street, but the drunk had a gun and used it. It is both an architectural Oscar Larson fled to a waterfront shack, where the guidebook and a walking police closed in and shot him dead. tour. The tours cover 13 areas of the downtown and 1912 also saw the first passenger flight in British central area of the city, Columbia, when pilot Billy Stark flew passenger with many, but not all of James Hewitt (a Province sports writer) for eight the buildings illustrated minutes, covering nine kilometers. Hewitt rode on a throughout the book. It is board strapped to the lower wing. designed to fit in the pocket so you can take it with Flight was a hot topic in 1912 – Hastings Park you as you explore our hosted an Aviation Meet at the end of May, where fascinating and continuously Professor Charles Saunders made the first parachute evolving Vancouver. On jump in Canada, leaping from a plane at 1,000 February 23rd, John Atkin meters and opening his chute at 300 meters! will be our featured speaker as he explores the myths surrounding the tunnels of Chinatown. 1912 also saw the building of the (which started as an apartment block and began converting into a hotel during the Depression), the dedication of a memorial drinking fountain to Luncheon Coordinator Needed King George VII at the courthouse (on the east side of Hornby next to the Art Gallery), and the The 2012 edition of the Incorporation Day Luncheon is establishment of the Vancouver Curling Club. scheduled to take place on Sunday April 15, 2012 at the University Golf Club. Tickets will go on sale at the February And two of the “Three Greenhorns” passed away 23rd meeting and talk. in 1912. John Morton died in Vancouver on April 18th at the age of 78, and William Hailstone died in We are looking for a volunteer (or volunteers) who would Newcastle-on-Tyne (England) on July 12th at the like to take over the managing of future Luncheons — new age of 82. ideas are most welcome! The work entails a variety of tasks including coordinating the menu and room set-up with the These are only a few of the fascinating facts found Club and arranging for any special equipment that might in The Chuck Davis History of Metropolitan be required. It also includes setting the order of events, Vancouver. It’s a veritable candy store of juicy developing head table seating plans, looking after the design tidbits for Vancouver history-philes! and printing of tickets and programs, making arrangements for ticket sales and revenues and the drafting of relevant items Happy New Year! for the newsletter. In recent years we have had draws for door Scott Anderson, President prizes which have been popular, but perhaps you can think of [email protected] something better! Elizabeth Hawkins Limited Number of Chuck Davis Upcoming Speakers & Events Books Available at January Talk The Chuck Davis The VHS invites everyone (including non-members) History of Metropolitan to attend our monthly talks. The talks are free and Vancouver has been a are held at the Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut huge success going into Street (close to Vanier Park) at 7:30 pm on the a second printing almost fourth Thursday of every month except June, July, immediately after its August, December). December launch. The book has been at or Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 7:30pm near the top of several The Chinatown Tunnel Myths best-seller lists since it Speaker: John Atkin went on sale. The large Guidebooks tell us about the Chinatown tunnels. 574-page book can be Newspapers, books and movies have confirmed their found at bookstores for existence. So where are they? In this presentation anywhere from $39.96 John Atkin looks at the origin of the tunnel myth to $49.95 plus tax. The and why the myth persists. John is a well-known VHS still has a very civic historian, author and raconteur. Cover of The Chuck Davis limited number of the Thursday, March 22, 2012 - 7:30pm History of Metropolitan books available for $35 Publishing Chuck Davis’ History of Metropolitan Vancouver book including tax. The books will be on sale at the Vancouver January 26th talk. Please bring the exact amount in cash as we Speaker: Howard White have no facilities for credit card or online payments. As a publisher of books about B.C., Howard White of Harbour Publishing tells about the major effort to publish the late Chuck Davis’ History of Metropolitan Vancouver. The culmination of Peek into the Past Chuck’s work was 80% finished when he passed On December 15th, 1927, 26-year- away in November 2010. Vancouver historians old Peter Pantages poses on a snowy and others volunteered to make sure Chuck’s book English Bay beach. Pantages with would be finished in time to celebrate the City of his brothers ran the Peter Pan Cafe, Vancouver’s 125th birthday. a one-time city landmark at 1180 Granville Street. He would go for Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 7:30pm a swim every day, regardless of A Vancouver Romance: John and Ruth weather. In 1920, Pantages founded Morton the Polar Bear Club. The New Year’s Speaker: Rev. Bruce A. Woods Day Polar Bear Swim is still an Most Vancouverites know the name John Morton annual tradition at English Bay. He (1834-1912) as being one of the Three Greenhorns was a nephew of Alexander Pantages who settled in 1862 on the claim now called of Seattle, who started the Pantages Vancouver’s West End. After the CPR acquired theatre chain. much of their property, Morton moved to Mission. Photo: City of Vancouver Archives CVA-99-1786 What most don’t know is the lifelong romance between John and his wife Ruth, now memorialized by the Ruth Morton Baptist Church, which author Thank you VHS Members and Friends Bruce A. Woods calls Vancouver’s and John The Vancouver Historical Society thanks members and friends Morton’s Taj Mahal. who generously contributed $650 to the Society in November and December. Vancouver Views

his delightful panoramic photo is from the frontspiece Island and . After the courthouse moved Tof a small 20-page photo booklet. The booklet was to newer facilities, the Art Gallery would move into the most likely published either in 1936, Vancouver’s Golden building in 1983. The towering was Jubilee year, or in 1937. The frontspiece touts “Selected nearing completion after a lengthy period of construction camera studies in real photogravure” to distinguish inactivity during the Depression. It would open in 1939. the clarity of its photo reproduction. Published by the The Georgia Medical-Dental Building’s construction had Coast Publishing Company of Vancouver but printed in ended in 1929, just before the Depression. The building England, the booklet features photos by noted Vancouver would be demolished in 1989. Its neighbour across photographer Leonard Frank among others. Seen from left Hornby Street is the Devonshire Hotel finished in 1924. Its to right are the Francis Rattenbury-designed courthouse, the demolition by a controlled explosion was watched by many yet to be opened Hotel Vancouver, the Georgia Medical- in July of 1981, now over 30 years ago. On the far right is Dental Building, the Devonshire Hotel and the Hotel the Hotel Georgia, which opened in 1927. The hotel hosted Georgia. With the exception of the courthouse, construction many luminaries over the years including Edward, Prince on the rest of the buildings all began at various times in the of Wales (who would become the abdicating King Edward 1920s. Note that cars can drive up to the front steps of the VIII), Bob Hope, The Beatles and others. The hotel would courthouse. The Centennial Fountain would be installed close in 2007. After a total renovation, it would open again (roughly where the flagpole is situated) in 1966 to mark in 2011 as the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. the centennial of the union of the colonies of Vancouver Jim McGraw

Vancouver Historical Society Leadership: 2011 - 2012 (Elected May 26, 2011) EXECUTIVE APPOINTED POSITIONS President Scott Anderson Webmaster Quasar Data Management Vice President (Programs) Bruce Watson Archivist Elizabeth Hawkins Treasurer Kristen Wong Info Line Barbara Coles Recording Secretary Jean Wilson Director (Memberships) Elizabeth Hawkins CONTACT INFORMATION Director Kellan Higgins Vancouver Historical Society Information Line: 604-878-9140 Director Jean Mann Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3071 Vancouver, BC V6B 3X6 Director Robert McDonald Website: www.vancouver-historical-society.ca Director (Newsletter Editor) Jim McGraw Newsletter Editor: [email protected]