This two-part series features some of the earliest Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) stations in Canada. While some stations were demolished, some stations survive. However, they formed an important part of early Canadian railway history. This week, we are going to explore the Chung collection and dig for hidden gems – CPR stations in British Columbia.

The first Vancouver station

The photograph depicts people gathering to celebrate the arrival of the first through passenger train of the Canadian Pacific Railway in Vancouver on May 23^rd, 1887.

First Train in Vancouver, [1880?]

The location of the first Vancouver station and three residences is transcribed on the photograph – corner of Hastings and Howe Streets.

[Vancouver, BC C.P.R. railroad station and the houses of Dr. J.M. LeFevre, A.G. Ferguson, and H.B. Abbott], [1888?]

Meanwhile, this photograph depicts the railroad station and wharf with train and horse-drawn carriages.

[Vancouver, BC C.P.R. railroad station and wharf], [between 1889 and 1899?]

The second Vancouver station

The postcard and photographs depict a Château style station which is the second CPR station in Vancouver. This station located at foot of Granville Street lasted for 16 years and closed in 1914 when the third CPR station was built next to it.

C.P.R. station and Burrard Inlet, Vancouver, B.C., [between 1900 and 1920?]

[Vancouver, BC C.P.R. railroad station], [1905?]

https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0218506

The new highway to the Orient, across the mountains, prairies and rivers of Canada, 1905

The third Vancouver station/ Waterfront station

We do not have a chance to visit the first and second Vancouver stations because they were demolished more than 100 years ago. However, we can visit the third Vancouver station which was built in 1914 and still stands at 439 Granville Street. The third Vancouver station is now known as Waterfront station.

The vision realized, 1927

The photograph shows the North view of the 1950s station with two railroad locomotives in the foreground.

[Vancouver, BC C.P.R. railroad station], [1955?]

New Westminster station

The Great Fire of 1898 destroyed downtown New Westminster, including the New Westminster station that was made of wood. In 1899, CPR decided to use fireproof materials to rebuild the station in Château style. While the second Vancouver station and New Westminster station share a similar architectural style, New Westminster station is like a small-scale Vancouver station. New Westminster station remains at 800 Columbia Street and operates as a restaurant.

[New Westminster, BC C.P.R. railroad station], [1955?]

If you wish to explore further, please visit The Chung Collection to conduct keyword searches:

https://open.library.ubc.ca/search?q=title:”station”&collection=chung

We hope this blog post provides you with some helpful starting points for learning the history of public transportation in British Columbia. Come back next week for more CPR stations in other provinces.

References

Our history. (n.d.). Canadian Pacific. https://www.cpr.ca/en/about-cp/our-history