Vancouver Historical Society

10/07/2026

Join us Thursday, October 22nd at 7:00 PM at the Museum of Vancouver for the latest in our monthly presentation series.

THE SECRET LIFE OF CON JONES: What a Family Archive Revealed About one of Vancouver’s Great Showmen, Presented by John Fuller.

Free and open to all!

Con Jones arrived in Vancouver in 1903 and quickly became one of the city’s most colourful and recognizable characters. Sports promoter, lacrosse impresario, to***co merchant and relentless self-publicist, Jones was known across Vancouver for his famous slogan: “Don’t Argue.”

But what was behind the larger-than-life public persona?

Author John Fuller draws on a remarkable family collection of photographs, diaries, letters, scrapbooks and other artifacts to reconstruct Jones’s rise from mysterious newcomer to wealthy Vancouver celebrity, and explore the private fears and family secrets behind the bravado.

Fuller spent more than a decade researching Jones’s life, culminating in his biography Fame, Fortune, and Fear: The Rise and Fall of Con Jones.

Museum of Vancouver
Thursday, October 22, 2026
7:00 PM
🎟️ Free admission, everyone welcome

Our monthly presentations are made possible through the support of our members. Membership helps us bring talks like this to the public and keep them free and accessible to all. If you value Vancouver’s history, consider becoming a member and supporting the work that makes these programs possible. Link in Bio.

09/30/2026

The Vancouver Historical Society acknowledges that we live and work on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

We recognize that the many histories of Vancouver are inseparable from the histories, cultures, and enduring presence of the First Peoples of these lands. This understanding informs our work and our responsibility as a historical society to approach Vancouver’s histories with care, respect, and a commitment to learning and unlearning.

We acknowledge that the work we do, the stories we share, and the histories we preserve take place on unceded territories. We remain committed to deepening our understanding of these lands and to recognizing the rights, title, histories, and worldviews of the Host Nations who continue to care for them

08/28/2026

Meet John Belshaw. Historian, Writer, VHS Board President.

A proud second-generation Vancouverite, John has spent his career bringing BC and Vancouver's history to life as an award-winning author, co-author, and editor. Educated locally and in the UK, he's long been connected to Thompson Rivers University, and has served on the VHS board since 2018, now leading it as board president.

Under John's leadership, the board came together to develop a new strategic plan, setting a clear direction for VHS's future.

When he's not researching or writing, you'll likely find John on two wheels. His ongoing research project explores how cycling, cyclists, and bicycles have shaped Vancouver's story since the 1880s.

Excited to start a second season with you John - we're lucky to have you steering the ship!

08/26/2026

15 Years of Places That Matter!

Join us for a special evening celebrating 15 years of Places That Matter, a program created in 2011 to mark Vancouver’s 125th anniversary as an incorporated city.

Presented in collaboration with the Vancouver Heritage Foundation (VHF), this program has grown to recognize 100+ community-nominated sites that tell the stories of the people, places, and events that have shaped Vancouver’s history.

Hear from Michael Kluckner, Past President of the Vancouver Historical Society, Jessica Quan, Community Engagement Manager at VHF, and a member of the Vancouver Historical Society Board of Directors, as they reflect on the evolution of Places That Matter. Representatives from several PTM sites will also share why these places continue to hold meaning for their communities.

September 24 | 7–8 PM
Museum of Vancouver
Free - registration required

Come celebrate 15 years of the places, people, and stories that make Vancouver what it is!

Learn more and register through link in bio.

08/02/2026

HAPPY PRIDE VANCOUVER

We love you.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🩵🩷🤍!!!!!

XXOOXX

Images:
CVA Item : 2018-020.7865 - Pride 1994
CVA Item : 2018-020.7725 - Pride 1990

06/15/2026

On June 13, 1886, just two months after Vancouver was incorporated as a city, a devastating fire swept through the fledgling community, destroying nearly every building in its path. Known today as the Great Vancouver Fire, the disaster transformed the city's history and tested the resilience of its residents.

To mark the anniversary of this pivotal event, we're sharing a 1966 CBC program about the Great Fire. While the production style reflects its era, the program includes several recordings of fire survivors who were children in 1886, offering rare firsthand memories of that dramatic day. Their recollections provide a fascinating glimpse into one of the most significant moments in Vancouver's history.

On June 13th 1966 CBC Radio interviewed five survivors of the fire ...

05/20/2026

Reminder: Join Us next Thursday night, May 28th, at the Museum of Vancouver for
“Investing in Nature: Making Vancouver’s Mountain in the Early 20th Century.”

As Grouse Mountain celebrates 100 years since the opening of the Grouse Mountain Chalet, this fascinating lecture looks even further back, to the entrepreneurs, city boosters, and political and economic elites who helped shape the mountain long before 1926.

Historical geographer Dr. David Rossiter will explore both realized and unrealized projects from the 1890s through the Depression years, revealing how Grouse Mountain was transformed into an extension of the growing settler city.

Thursday, May 28, 2026, 7 PM
Museum of Vancouver
Free & open to all

Dr. David Rossiter teaches at Western Washington University and studies the history of land, recreation, and urban development on Vancouver’s North Shore.



Images: Courtesy of the Vancouver Archives.
1 .A group of hikers on Grouse Mountain between 1910 and 1929.
M-4-5 - Grouse Mountain. https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/grouse-mountain-8. 2. Excursion to Grouse Mountain 2011-092.0278 https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/excursion-to-grouse-mountain

05/13/2026

Applications are now open for the Yosef Wosk Publication Grants!

These grants support new and original projects that explore Vancouver’s heritage places, conservation, and related topics. Funding can help cover professional services and production costs such as editing, graphic design, technical drawings, reproduction fees, and more.

Eligible projects may include:
• Printed or digital books
• Documentary films or videos
• Websites and digital apps
• Audio publications
• Technical guides and other creative formats

The program is open to individuals, non-profits, and registered charities. Projects should create a lasting, publicly accessible resource that increases awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of Vancouver’s heritage.

Up to $10,000 is available annually, with funding typically shared among multiple recipients.

Deadline to apply: May 15, 2026
LINK TO APPLY:
https://www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org/grants/publication-grant/

05/07/2026

History lovers, don’t wait! Spots for the BC Historical Federation’s one-day conference on May 30 are filling up quickly.

Join us at Creekside Community Centre in False Creek for a full day of engaging speakers, thought-provoking panels, a Vancouver history tour with John Atkin, and the BC Historical Awards Banquet celebrating the best in historical writing and community leadership across the province.

The Vancouver Historical Society is proud to be one of the BCHF’s largest member societies, and to share roots dating back to 1936, when VHS began as the Vancouver section of the BC Historical Association.

Whether you join for the full day or just the evening banquet, we’d love to see you there!

Registration: https://www.bchistory.ca/conference and through our website (link in bio).

05/01/2026

“Investing in Nature: Making Vancouver’s Mountain in the Early 20th Century”

Before the gondola, before the chalet, how did Grouse Mountain become the iconic Vancouver mountain?

Join historical geographer David Rossiter for a story of big dreams, bold investments, and the powerful people who helped transform a rugged landscape into a city icon. From unrealized schemes to early developments, discover how Grouse was shaped long before 1926.

Thursday, May 28, 2026, 7 PM at the Museum of Vancouver.

This presentation is free and open to all.

See a familiar place in a whole new way.