On September 18, 1912, H.R.H. Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert, Duke of Connaught, then Governor General of Canada, was in Vancouver for the grand opening of the Cambie Bridge. The bridge’s official name was Connaught Bridge, to honor the Duke, but the unofficial name stuck.

This is what The Islander said about the Duke’s visit (full version):

The Islander, 1912

In the early 1900s, Vancouver was a different city than it is today. To receive the royal visitors, carpenters, painters, and decorators created thematic arches to decorate the streets of Vancouver. Check some of the photos from the arches:

The Chinese Arch

The Italian Arch

The Lumberman’s Arch

The Japanese Arch

Do you recognize the streets where the arches were built? We have that information and more photos in our Uno Langmann Family Collection of British Columbia Photographs.

Sources:

The Islander (Open Collections)

This week in history: 1912 (Vancouver Sun)

Uno Langmann Family Collection of British Columbia Photographs (Open Collections)