Situated on the coast of the pacific ocean, the city of Vancouver is home to some of Canada’s most picturesque and historical public beaches. Some of the most well known beaches in the area include Kitsilano beach, Second and Third beaches, English Bay, Wreck beach and Jericho. Included in this historic gallery curated from the Vancouver Archives are aerial views of the beaches, surrounding cliffs and skylines, as well as photographs of Vancouver residents gathering and enjoying the beaches all throughout the late 1800s through to the mid 1900s.
1889-Greer’s Beach, English Bay1898-[Bathing beauties at Greer’s Beach (Kitsilano Beach)]1900?-Wreck of the steam tug Annie at English Bay Beach at the foot of Denman St.1904-English Bay Bathing Beach1908-Kitsilano Beach1910?-Photograph shows bathers on Second Beach1920 – [Bathers and pier], English Bay, Vancouver, B.C.1920 – A wooden bridge over a slough at Jericho Beach1920 – Aerial view of Kitsilano Beach1920-English Bay1920-Kitsilano beach1920?-English Bay Beach1920?-Kitsilano Beach1928-Kitsilano Beach1930 – Stanley Park with Second Beach Swimming Pool in the foreground1930-Siwash Rock and Third Beach, Stanley Park1930?-English Bay Beach1930?-View of Third Beach at Stanley Park1936 – City Life Savers [putting on demonstration at English Bay Beach]1937-Sunbathers at Kitsilano Beach1937-Sunbathers on Kitsilano Beach1938 – Beach, English Bay, Vancouver, B.C.1943 – Army radio [operator and soldiers on] Kitsilano Beach1945-Kitsilano Beach and Park1946 – Beach at Whytecliff1946-Rider on Kitsilano Beach1946-Third Beach1947-Kitsilano Beach1952-Kitsilano Beach1952-Vancouver beaches [Kitsilano Beach]1954-Aerial view of Kitsilano looking east over Kitsilano Beach1956-Beach at Kitsilano1957-Crowds on Kitsilano Beach1961-Ferguson Point and Third Beach area1961-Third Beach before reclamation1962-Tide Bay Company pumping sand onto Third Beach1968 – A day at the beach1968 – looking north west showing shoreline and Kitsilano Beach1970-English Bay from Kitsilano Beach1970-Seawall and swimmers at Third Beach1970-Ted Rawson flying kite on Kitsilano Beach-Credit-Pugstem Publications1970?-Kitsilano Beach1971 – Beach Avenue
1973 – [Bird on beach at] low tide1973-Range on Wreck Beach [low tide]
Please visit the Vancouver Archives to find more amazing old photographs from the city’s past.
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