Comments on: Vancouver’s Buried Houses

By: Len Allen

Len Allen — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 21:51:01 +0000

I lived a block south of that group of Hidden Houses on Renfrew near 1st in the early sixties and had a friend who lived in one of those houses where I visited often.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 00:17:58 +0000

The Renfrew and First “Hiddens” are boarded up and going to be torn down along with the rest of the intersection.
See them now.

Several more such houses along Victoria Drive from 5th north to Pender if you look.
Having a small shop, cigarettes, milk in the days of only home ice boxes, (and bit of of taking gambling bets on the side) was a common second occupation in a family up to the 1960s, when women had more opportunities for work.

By: David Banks

David Banks — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 22:16:26 +0000

In reply to David Banks.

One of the houses between the bakery and the burning house still exists.

https://goo.gl/maps/P855TW5peND2

By: David Banks

David Banks — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 22:09:48 +0000

In reply to David Banks.

Same block July 2,1937. The day that Amelia Earhart disappeared

http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/uploads/r/null/1/3/1322866/9d599a73-11e8-4a6b-9e8f-8bb90d6bbf74-A01557.jpg

By: David Banks

David Banks — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 22:06:40 +0000

1928. 1100 block Davie north side

http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/uploads/r/null/8/7/873397/6479c5cb-fda9-4692-a022-b8e75dee610f-A09804.jpg

By: mdm

mdm — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 13:25:51 +0000

Interesting collection shown here by Michael. I can add one more: Maude and June Leslie’s former home that later was shared with their local bookshop, “Stanley Library”; extant as Black Goat Cashmere/Daniel chocolates on Granville near 12th Ave. (2818/2820 Granville):

By: Doug Parks

Doug Parks — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:15:22 +0000

In reply to Eve Lazarus. Now youve given me homework. The nest time I head into town Ill go by and see. If its there Ill snap a pic.

By: Albert chin

Albert chin — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 00:11:09 +0000

In reply to Eve Lazarus. Vancouver heritage architecture should be " photo ark" documented before they turned into rubble. In my work as a realtor, & a 50 year resident of the city, I've photographed many distinctive older homes.

By: Penny Street

Penny Street — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 23:58:59 +0000

In reply to Eve Lazarus. You might be able to get a glimpse of it through the gate right to the south of the store (between Beckwoman's and Santa Barbara). And it does abut the lane behind. If Bonnie Beckwoman herself is around, you might actually get to have a look/get a photo.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 22:41:56 +0000

I have one at my property at 820 east pender. House orinally built in 1904. Moved to back in 1908. It’s still there.

By: Doug Parks

Doug Parks — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 01:15:25 +0000

These places are all so incredibly interesting. I spent some time in a hidden house on Fraser St . It was a beautiful house behind a Kelly Douglas Wholesale business. These are the opposite of some of the old facades in the West End that hide the new building behind. The Huntington on Beach Avenue.

By: Skip Savage

Skip Savage — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 23:33:47 +0000

In reply to Susan J Anderson. I know the house you mean. For photos google BC Stamp Works. There's a good photo of the buried house at 583 Richards taken in the 1970s. But I'd suggest driving up the alley next time you are in the neighbourhood.

By: Susan J Anderson

Susan J Anderson — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 20:54:26 +0000

My favourite Buried House is at 583 Richards Street. The main storefront on Richards Street just covers the house up, but it is accessible through a doorway on the north end of the property…Its currently run as a “hostel” which has 2 stars only. The last time I looked it was called the St Clair Hostel, and the house/building itself dates from 1911….I have watched this one over the years….my great grandparents owned a house at 540 Howe Street, and this building is the only remaining building like this north of Georgia Street…I havent looked at the back of this house for awhile, but will probably go down and take a few pictures again this weekend….just for the record…
This building has been covered up so completely I am not surpised people dont know its there….and of course it isnt likely to be a candidate for one of Michaels watercolours….since its so hard to see, except if you look for the roofline.

By: Helena Wish

Helena Wish — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 18:24:55 +0000

Growing up in Vancouver (and other areas of metro) these were everywhere. Thanks so much for sharing this!

By: Canadian History Roundup – Week of July 30, 2017 | Unwritten Histories

Canadian History Roundup – Week of July 30, 2017 | Unwritten Histories — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 17:04:30 +0000

[…] week Eve Lazarus discusses the “buried houses” of Vancouver, homes that had commercial storefronts added to them dur…. I’ve always wondered about these […]

By: Penny Street

Penny Street — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 16:33:34 +0000

There’s a little house, maybe a BC Mills pre-fab, hidden behind Beckwoman’s on Commercial Drive.

By: Gregory Melle

Gregory Melle — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 03:52:54 +0000

The store on 4th near Burrard was my late brother’s ‘head shop’ in the early seventies. Then it was an Indian restaurant for several decades. I was amused to see last year that it had reverted to the same business for which it was infamous in my brother’s day.

Here is a view of those places on Denman that I took last year.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/canadagood/24771903151

By: Kim Richards

Kim Richards — Sat, 05 Aug 2017 20:12:20 +0000

The stores on the east side of Mackenzie at 33rd, including Bigsby the Bakehouse, front a buried house that the baker may live in.

By: David Byrnes

David Byrnes — Sat, 05 Aug 2017 17:28:50 +0000

I lived in such a buried house – more a cottage – at 2291 West 41st in the late 60s. I checked a couple of years and was amazed to see it’s still there!