Vancouver's History
Although Vancouver is one of the youngest cities in Canada, Aboriginal peoples have inhabited the area from over 4,500 to 9,000 years ago.
The city is named after Captain George Vancouver, an officer of the Royal Navy of Britain who was one of the first to explore modern day British Columbia.
The Cariboo Gold Rush in 1861 saw about 25,000 men settling at the mouth of the Fraser River and what is presently known as Vancouver today. In 1863, a sawmill established north of the city played an important part in further flourishing the settlement there, as well as the lumbering industry.
On April 6, 1886, the settlement known as Granville, also present-day Gastown, was incorporated as the City of Vancouver. During that time, the Canadian Pacific Railway selected that area as their terminus.
On June 13 of the same year, the Great Vancouver Fire grew out of control and razed over $1.3 million worth of property and almost all 400 of the buildings standing then. Shortly after, funds for firefighting equipment were raised and the first city police force was established.
The Klondike Gold Rush during 1898 saw the beginnings of Vancouver's retail sector as stores like Woodward's, Spencer's, and Hudson's Bay Company department store had opened.