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Streets - Columbia Street - to 1898

#223

Date: 1884
Source: Columbian Newspaper
Photographer: __________

Information: "Columbia Street. Corner of Columbia and 8th Streets looking East. Old St. Mary's* on the hill in center." *The building on the hill, center, is St. Louis College, which has a roofline similar to St. Mary's Hospital; but the hospital was not built until 1887. The spire on the skyline belongs to Mary St. Methodist (enlarged and renamed Central Methodist in 1888). See also Streets - Columbia Street - to 1898 #1378.

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Roads

#241

Date: 1898
Source: ________
Photographer: P. Okamura

Information: "New Westminster shortly before the great fire of 1898. This photograph gives a true impression of Columbia Street. On the far right is the Burr Block (still standing today at 4th Street and Columbia Street). The buildings in the center are the Post Office, City Hall, Fire Hall, Police Station, and Library. Almost everything visible in this early downtown photograph burnt to the ground in the fire of 1898.

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Streets - Columbia Street - 1899 to date

#1777

Date: c. 1906(?)
Source: New Westminster Public Library
Photographer: W.T. Cooksley

Information: Before 1907 when Dominion Trust Block was built. Before 1911 when the Westminster Trust Building went up beside the Oddfellows Building. Street is unpabed, one streetcar track. Photograph similar to #1163 Streets - Columbia St. - 1899 to date (note the decorative lights). Cooksley was in New Westminster from 1905 on.

This is a print of an original postcard.

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Streets - Columbia Street - 1899 to date

#2401

Date: 1909
Source: Marjorie Shiles, donor and Edward Greame, donor
Photographer: _____________

Information: This photograph was taken from an album titled, "Views Showing Hassam Pavement as Laid by the Hassam Paving Co. of B.C. Ltd." The caption under this photograph in the original album read as follows: "Columbia Street, New Westminster, looking east from 6th Street, before improvements were effected, A.D. 1909." By 1911 this street was paved and improved lighting put in.

Buildings on the north side from the foreground: Ellard Block at 601 Columbia. The building is in shadow and only partly visible. It housed Reid & Co. gent's furnishing (sign visible). Post Office - also known as the "Federal Building" or the "Dominion Building." Note 1900 construction date in stone at top of building. City Hall - note the electric sign above. Fire Department is next door in same building. Hall-Lavery Block - Built in 1909. It later became the Gifford Block (see 1930 Directory). Bank of Montreal - with domes on roof. Rattenbury was the architect.

Note the empty lot beside the Bank of Montreal at Church St. In 1910 the Evans B. Dean Block is built here.

South side of street: Signs visible for W.J.Kerr Ltd. Real estate - 614 Columbia, Frank J. Mackenzie Druggist - 606 Columbia, Chapman's Billiard Hall - 604 Columbia, and Pearson Electric Co. at 550 Columbia.

Photograph no. 2404 appears in the same album as an "after" picture of the same location.

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