The History of Vancouver

  To start the history of Vancouver, let’s go back 8,000 years when Vancouver was home to the Indigenous peoples of the pacific northwest coast. Specifically, the area was inhabited by the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. For thousands of years these communities lived and shared resources. That being said, Vancouver’s abundant source of plants and animals provided support and nourishment for thousands of years. In fact, one of the main sources of food, salmon, continues to be a prominent diet staple today.

  It was not until 1791 that the first Europeans arrived in the area, starting with the Spanish and followed by the British a year later. Although permanent settlement happened outside of Vancouver in Fort Langley and New Westminster. Subsequently, in 1859, the land was proclaimed to belong to the Crown. Most importantly, this happened without negotiations with the Indigenous communities. Furthermore, the first non-indigenous settlement in the area was approximately 3 years later.

 During the late 19th century, much of the area had started to change. Consequently, development of Gastown and the lumber industry advanced, followed by the extension of the Canadian Pacific Railway. As well, Vancouver became a significant international port city. Continue on for the History of Vancouver’s timeline of major events in modern time.