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  #1  
Old Posted Apr 17, 2012, 5:07 PM
MarkP MarkP is offline
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Aerial Photographs of Vancouver from the 1940's and 1950's

Hi, recently my father passed away and while cleaning out his place, we came across thousands of aerial photographs of Vancouver and the surrounding area. Most of them from the 1940's and 1950's. I've always had a fascination with vintage photos, so I started scanning them and putting them on a web site. If anyone is interested in seeing what Vancouver and the surrounding area looked like 65 years ago, please check out my blog: http://vintageairphotos.com

I've been trying to post a new photo every few days. Be sure to actually click on the images, you'll be able to zoom way in and see a lot more detail. Some of the downtown buildings are fascinating.

Mark
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Old Posted Apr 17, 2012, 5:17 PM
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Amazing. Thank you very much for taking the time to digitize your late father's collection and for sharing it with us.
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  #3  
Old Posted Apr 17, 2012, 5:30 PM
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Those are some incredible photos of Vancouver's past. The detail in some them is remarkable. They are full of surprises, and many mysteries are revealed. For example, it's interesting to see how many farm fields there used to be at UBC. We are in your father's debt for saving them. And thank you for sharing them.
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Old Posted Apr 17, 2012, 6:45 PM
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Great shots - thanks for posting.

Cool how the old Granville Bridge was off allignment (it was probably a second bridge) then when the present Granville Bridge was built it returned to allignment.
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  #5  
Old Posted Apr 17, 2012, 8:13 PM
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Originally Posted by officedweller View Post

Cool how the old Granville Bridge was off allignment (it was probably a second bridge) then when the present Granville Bridge was built it returned to allignment.
Yes, that was the second Granville Bridge. The current bridge is the third.
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Old Posted Apr 17, 2012, 9:03 PM
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@MarkP

Thanks for sharing, great detail.
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Old Posted Apr 17, 2012, 11:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkP View Post
Hi, recently my father passed away and while cleaning out his place, we came across thousands of aerial photographs of Vancouver and the surrounding area. Most of them from the 1940's and 1950's. I've always had a fascination with vintage photos, so I started scanning them and putting them on a web site. If anyone is interested in seeing what Vancouver and the surrounding area looked like 65 years ago, please check out my blog: http://vintageairphotos.com

I've been trying to post a new photo every few days. Be sure to actually click on the images, you'll be able to zoom way in and see a lot more detail. Some of the downtown buildings are fascinating.

Mark
Right on! God bless you sir.
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Old Posted Apr 19, 2012, 12:12 AM
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AWESOME STUFF! thanks!
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Old Posted Apr 19, 2012, 1:47 AM
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These are priceless. Thanks so much for posting them.
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  #10  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2012, 6:25 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Prometheus View Post
Those are some incredible photos of Vancouver's past. The detail in some them is remarkable. They are full of surprises, and many mysteries are revealed. For example, it's interesting to see how many farm fields there used to be at UBC. We are in your father's debt for saving them. And thank you for sharing them.
The three facades of the Opera House/Orpheum (etc) Lyric, visible south the 2nd Hotel Vancouver in bo-46-145. And houses on the N/W corner of Georgia & Thurlow in 1946... a 14 story (give or take) skyscraper by the 50s (Vancouver archives).. http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/u...8fb-A44383.jpg and now the Fortis? building.
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  #11  
Old Posted Apr 27, 2012, 5:20 AM
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Check out this new image of the Vancouver skyline from 1947...

http://vintageairphotos.com/bo-47-1445/

Mark
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  #12  
Old Posted Apr 27, 2012, 5:58 AM
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wow that's like west broadway today. I wonder what west broadway would look like in 50 years!
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  #13  
Old Posted Apr 28, 2012, 6:00 PM
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Incredible photos, Mark. Thank you for posting a link here. I'm in awe.
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  #14  
Old Posted Jun 6, 2012, 9:51 PM
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Here's another awesome shot looking right up West Georgia Street from 1958. The skyline is so cool....

http://vintageairphotos.com/58-64/

Mark
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  #15  
Old Posted Jun 6, 2012, 10:38 PM
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Great shot!

Note:
- the old Georgia Viaduct and Dunsmuir Tunnel beneath
- the Shell sign atop The Vancouver Block
- Dunsmuir terminated at an alley at Burrard
- the continuous awning already existing on The Bay
- I wonder what colour the Main Post Office was back then?
-
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  #16  
Old Posted Jun 6, 2012, 11:01 PM
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Originally Posted by officedweller View Post
- I wonder what colour the Main Post Office was back then?
A cleaner, un-bleached colour?
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  #17  
Old Posted Jun 7, 2012, 6:15 AM
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Originally Posted by officedweller View Post
Great shot!

Note:
- the old Georgia Viaduct and Dunsmuir Tunnel beneath
- the Shell sign atop The Vancouver Block
- Dunsmuir terminated at an alley at Burrard
- the continuous awning already existing on The Bay
- I wonder what colour the Main Post Office was back then?
-
The Greyhound Bus Station... QE Theatre under construction, houses everywhere, billboards everywhere, gas stations galore...

Dunsmuir terminating at Burrard as you noted... so that is about the start of the Dunsmuir/Mellville connector that exists today. So to the left (south) of that, those two buildings are now the Burrard Station frontage. This whole area where Bentall 1 through 4 is now is unrecognizable. I see 1190 West Pender, that's about it.

That white building at the north/east corner of Thurlow and Melville, seen also in this photo by William Tully Four awnings tall in both photos
In 1966, it looks like floors are being added. Expanding to keep up with the new "Bentall" kids on the block? That may work, for 15 years or so (Vancouver Archives)
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  #18  
Old Posted Jun 11, 2012, 2:29 PM
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Wow these photos are precious gems!

Can't believe how much VA changed in the last 70 years..
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  #19  
Old Posted Jun 20, 2012, 6:55 PM
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Found another REALLY COOL shot of Vancouver from 1951. It's super crisp. You can see Woodwards, the Sun Building, Simpson's, not Sears, trains under the Georgia Viaduct and so much more.

http://vintageairphotos.com/1-133/

Mark
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  #20  
Old Posted Jun 20, 2012, 8:40 PM
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Cool.
Is there a sign that says "Simpsons"? or do you mean Spencers, which was taken over by Eatons (before it moved to Pacific Centre), then Sears when it was converted to Harbour Centre.

I can see a very ornate facade on Hastings across from a theatre that says Odeon Hasting Theatre on its alley side. I think one of those two is the second Pantages - is that right?
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