Richmond
1-257 : Sea Island Overview
This is an overview of Sea Island in Richmond taken in 1951. It gives a great “overall” view of the Vancouver Airport as well as the remains of the old Boeing Plant.
BO-48-3590 : Massey Tunnel Site
There is a bit of uncertainty with the exact location of this image, but it appears to be roughly the location of the George Massey Tunnel from November 22, 1948. It looks like the tunnel will end up going through the field in the lower-left corner of the image. Construction of the tunnel didn’t begin until 1957 and at that time it was known as the Deas Island Tunnel.
54-30 : Gibbons Drive, Richmond
This is Gibbons Drive in Richmond from 1954, approximately where James Thompson Elementary School now sits. The intersection at the very top of the image is No. 1 Road and Granville Avenue.
BO-47-2585 : Vancouver Airport / Boeing Plant
This the Vancouver Airport from 1947 looking south-east towards the Boeing Plant. In 1939 Boeing built a huge manufacturing factory on Sea Island to build aircraft for the war effort. Following Japan’s surrender at the end of the Second World War, the plant immediately closed leaving 7,000 workers stunned and scrambling for work.
BO-47-2588 : The Airport in Vancouver
This is the Vancouver Airport main terminal from 1947. Through the 1940′s the airport was actually more of a military base which the city leased out to the Federal Government. In 1947, the city of Vancouver resumed control of the airport and begun serving a number of airlines. A year later in 1948, the airport was officially named the Vancouver International Airport.
55-91 : Moray Bridge Richmond
The is an interesting shot of the east end of Sea Island in Richmond from 1955. What makes it interesting is the fact that this image was taken just before construction of the Moray Channel Bridge began. Also in upper-left, you can see the first pillars of the Oak Street Bridge being built. Both the Oak Street Bridge and the Moray Channel Bridge opened two years later in 1957.
BO-51-238 : Brighouse Race Track
This is what was left of the Brighouse Race Track in Richmond from 1951. Brighouse was originally called Minoru Race Track when it first opened in 1909. It closed in 1914 when the first world war began and reopened in 1920 as Brighouse. It operated for 22 seasons until finally closing forever in 1942 when wartime gas rationing forced all racing to be transferred to Hastings Park. The track was covered in 1965 when Richmond Center began construction. I believe the intersection in the photo is No 3 Road and Cook Road, although it’s possible that it’s No 3 and Park Road.
BO-47-1558 : Lansdowne Park Racetrack
This is the Lansdowne Park Racetrack in 1947. It was located where Lansdowne Center Mall now sits in Richmond. Check out the horse race…in-progress.
