Of course, as a settlement and gathering place, the spot we now call Vancouver has been around for much longer – Aboriginal cultures have inhabited these lands since “time out of mind,” and European settlers had lived here for in a variety of settlements for roughly a century prior to the Village of Granville’s petition for city-hood.

But this was the day that the Provincial Legislature responded to that petition by reading the Incorporation Bill for the third time. Lieutenant-Govenor, Clement Frances Cornwall assented, and the City came into being. This, in turn, set in motion the Vancouver’s first election – which was held on May 3, 1886.

For the past few years, we’ve promoted the idea of marking today’s date as “Vancouver Day.” In honour of this year’s “event”, we’re sharing a few of our favourite archival photos of Vancouver back in ’86. (The one at the top of the article is of Water Street, looking east).

History buffs will already know that a scant two months after the city was incorporated, it was largely decimated by the Great Fire. So these photos are rare – a few of the limited number that were taken of the original city, around the time of it’s original incorporation.

On this note, another of our archival discoveries from the past year. Vancouverites, in the first fifty-odd years of the city’s existence, used to celebrate “Fire Day” on June 13 as a way to forge civic pride while honouring the date of the big burn. For a while, this was also known as “Vancouver Day.” We’ll be publishing a story on this subject in a couple months time.

So there you have it. Another reason for party-goers to celebrate: the possibility of two civic events to honour our city and its history!

Here’s a great photo taken at the foot of Granville Street:

 [COV Archives: Dist P166]

 And a couple of pictures of the nascent city from the waterfront:

[COV Archives: LGN 450]

[COV Archives: LGN 452] 

Lastly, a rather prescient image: of a W. Hornes’s real estate “office”, advertising “Vancouver Lots for Sale.” Real estate speculation has clearly been in the city’s DNA from Day 1. 

  [COV Archives: LGN 454] 

Vancouver’s first City Hall 

————–

PETITION
for the Incorporation of the
CITY OF VANCOUVER

TO

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
OF THE PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.

THE PETITION of the of residents of VANCOUVER in the District of New Westminster

HUMBLY SHEWETH

THAT the present Village of GRANVILLE with its vicinity has been chosen by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company as the terminus of their railway, and in consequence thereof the said Village is now daily increasing and is likely to increase very largely in population in the immediate future;

THAT in view of the large increase in said population, it is necessary and expedient that the building of ROADS, STREETS and BRIDGES, and other improvements of a like nature should be provided fo;

YOUR PETITIONERS further shew that the said Railway Company are about letting the contract for constructing their line of railway from PORT MOODY to said village of GRANVILLE and are about constructing large WHARVES, and other buildings and improvements in said village of Granville and in the immediate vicinity which said construction and improvements will give employment to many hundreds of men, and for the reasons aforesaid, and for the better preservation of LAW and ORDER your petitioners are desirous of obtaining a charter incorporating the said Village of Granville and its immediate vicinity, a city, under the name “THE CITY OF VANCOUVER.”

YOUR PETITIONERS THEREFORE PRAY

“THAT your Honororable House may be pleased to pass an Act incorporating the said CITY OF VANCOUVER in accordance with the desire of your Petitioners. AND your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.”

Signed,

[125 Petitioners – all male; approximately 1/4 of the Village’s adult male population]

On January 8, 1886 Villagers in the Town of Granville (also known as Gassy’s Town – or Gastown) appointed an incorporation committee. A petition – reproduced above – was drafted and submitted to the Provincial Legislature on February 15. The Incorporation bill was read a third time on April 2 and on the 6th of the month, 125 years ago today, the Lieutenant-Govenor, Clement Frances Cornwall, assented, granting the incorporation. The first election was held on May 3, 1886.

The image of the first city hall and details on incorporation timeline come from an event programme marking the 70th Anniversary of the Incorporation of Vancouver as a City. It notes that “the Crown Colony of British Columbia built this cottage and called it the “Customs House”. After Confederation it became the “Court House”. In 1886 it was, for a few days, an improvised “City Hall.”