While aerial photography is going through a revolution right now with the popularity of drones, in the 1920s it was an unusual sight for most, and a useful tool.
These photos give a broader scope of the development of Vancouver in its youthful years as it grew into the metropolis we've known for the last few decades.
Some buildings from this period still stand and can be spotted; most of them are in the downtown core. These include the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Sun Tower and Waterfront station (all have new names). And no, the Marine Building isn't there, it opened in 1930.
What's notable about these buildings, and the second Hotel Vancouver, is how massive they were in the city when they were (relatively) new. Now all of them are dwarfed by modern skyscrapers that fill the city's core.
One feature missing from all the photos are the modern bridges the city relies on now. Some bridges are there, but none of them still stand. The second Granville Bridge shows up, but the city is on its third right now. The Burrard and Lions Gate bridges were both built in the 1930s.
On the other hand, the importance of rail can be seen, with a railway in the foreground of a photo of Kitsilano Beach, the railyard on the north bank of False Creek, and B.C. Electric Railway bridge south of Marpole. Practically none of that exists now.
While many of the photos focus on downtown and the West End, there are birds-eye views of neighbourhoods as well. The areas outside of commercial districts weren't the subject of photography as often, so these photos not only show a perspective not often seen, but also areas that aren't often seen.
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