Self Guided Historic Walking Tour of Vancouver - The Great Fire of Vancouver

Digital

Architecture History & heritage Museum Self-guided Tour

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Date and time

This activity runs the duration of Culture Days.

Location

Vancouver Downtown

Vancouver, BC

Access

Free.

Offered in English.

About

On a quiet Sunday in June 1886, the newly-incorporated city of Vancouver was completely destroyed. A raging fire, whipped up by relentless winds and fueled by tinder-dry conditions, swept through the city, consuming all but a handful of buildings and killing some 28 people.

The dramatic opening chapter in Vancouver's history is often glossed over, but thanks to Lisa Anne Smith's recently published book, Vancouver is Ashes, that has changed. Her meticulous research allows us to pinpoint where individuals were on that day and follow in their footsteps as they fled the raging inferno.

In this tour we will follow in those footsteps. We'll learn about life in Vancouver's pioneer days, hear the harrowing tales of the people who lived through the fire, and see how Vancouver recovered and prospered, laying the groundwork for the city we know today.

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Organizer

On This Spot

On This Spot guides people on a tour back in time, showing & telling the history that surrounds them. On each spot, users will find themselves standing in the footsteps of a photographer who took a historic photo. On site tourists/users can use the built-in camera feature to create their own then-and-photos, which can be shared on social media and saved as a digital souvenir. Selections of these photos are chained together into walking tours that take a deep dive into local history.

On This Spot strives to make history engaging, educational, and accessible to all with a focus on easy to use features and a succinct writing style. The aim is to create an intuitive user experience that provides historical unparalleled depth without overwhelming or confusing users.