| 1775 |
Admiral Quadra sails from Mexico to Alaska and claims the Pacific Coast for Spain |
| 1778 |
Captain Cook sails up the west coast and becomes the first European to set foot on what is now the western shore of Canada |
| July 5, 1791 |
Spanish explorer Narvaez anchors off Isla de Langara now called Point Grey |
| June 12, 1792 |
Captain George Vancouver arrives, charts and names Point Grey, the Strait of Georgia, Point Atkinson, English Bay and Burrard Channel. |
| June 14, 1792 |
Spanish Explorers Galiano and Valdes arrive at Point Grey and meet Captain Vancouver upon his return from charting Howe Sound and Jervis Inlet. This occasion was marked by the naming of Spanish Banks. |
| 1793 |
Alexander Mackenzie becomes the first European to reach the west coast of Canada by land at what is now Bella Coola. |
| July 2, 1808 |
Simon Fraser becomes the first European to reach the area now known as Vancouver by land. |
| 1827 |
Hudson Bay Company trading post Fort Langley on the Fraser River is established. |
| June 15, 1846 |
The 49th parallel as the border with the US is extented west of the Rockies. |
| 1846 |
Vancouver Island is made a Crown Colony with Fort Victoria as its capital. |
| 1858 |
Gold Rush on the Fraser |
| August 2, 1858 |
Crown Colony on the mainland of British Columbia is established. |
| February 14, 1859 |
Qeensborough becomes the capital of the colony. Name is changed to New Westminster on July 20, 1859. |
| 1859 |
Colonel Tom Moody constructs first road in the area, now known as North Road, connecting New Westminster and the Burrard Inlet. |
| July 16, 1860 |
City of New Westminster incorporated. |
| 1860 |
Charmed by a dancer in a touring show, Colonel Moody names Lulu Island after her. |
| September 26, 1862 |
First settlers (the McCleery family)arrive on the north arm of the Fraser in what is now Vancouver. The land is now McCleery Golf Course. |
| 1865 |
Captain Edward Stamp logs 100 acres around what is now known as Brockton Point providing a clearing for settlement. |
| July 1865 |
Captain Edward Stamp establishes Hastings Mill the generally accepted origin of what becomes Vancouver. |
| 1866 |
Colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island are united under the name of British Columbia. |
| March 28, 1867 |
The British North America Act (Canada's constitution) becomes law. |
| July 1, 1867 |
Canadian Confederation - Canada is born. |
| 1867 |
Logging by Jerry Rogers begins at Jerry's Cove now known as Jericho. |
| September 30, 1867 |
John Deighton "Gassy Jack" arrives at Hastings Mill and opens first public saloon. |
| May 25, 1868 |
Capital of colony is moved from New Westminster to Victoria on Vancouver Island. |
| April 11, 1869 |
First telegraph message is sent from Moody's Mill on the North Shore to Hastings Townsite to New Westminster. |
| 1870 |
Granville Townsite named but residents refer to it as Gastown after "Gassy Jack". |
| 1870 |
Vancouver Townsite is named. |
| 1871 |
British Columbia joins Canada becomes a province. |
| October 2, 1872 |
First bridge over False Creek is opened. |
| December 12, 1883 |
First local telephone call is made between Port Moody and New Westminster. |
| November 7, 1885 |
The last spike is driven at Craigellachie in the Rockies. The transcontinental rail system is complete. |
| April 1886 |
City of Vancouver incorporated, based in area around Gastown, population about 1000. |
| May 12, 1886 |
Resolution passed by City of Vancouver Council petitioning federal government to convey parcel of land known as the Government Reserve to the city as a park. This parcel becomes Stanley Park. |
| June 13, 1886 |
Fire destroys most of Vancouver. |
| May 23, 1887 |
First transcontinental train arrives in Vancouver - Engine #374. This engine is on display at the False Creek Community Centre. |
| June 8, 1887 |
Resolution passed by Federal Government establishing the Government Reserve lands as a park. |
| June 13, 1887 |
S.S. Abyssinia arrives in Vancouver from Yokahama loaded with tea and silk. Cargo is placed on transcontinental train and arrives in New York a week later and in London a week after that. This series of events establishes Vancouver as a trade gateway. |
| August 8, 1887 |
First streetlights are turned on in Vancouver. |
| September 22, 1887 |
The Vancouver Board of Trade is formed. |
| 1887 |
Construction of the first Hotel Vancouver |
| July 26, 1888 |
S.S. Beaver runs aground at Calamity Point |
| September 27, 1888 |
Official opening of Stanley Park by Mayor David Oppenheimer |
| October 29, 1889 |
Dedication of Stanley Park by Lord Stanley, Governor General of Canada. |
| June 28, 1890 |
The Vancouver Electric Railway and Lighting Company officially begins operations. |
| 1890 |
Population of Vancouver 15,000. |
| September 15, 1890 |
Original Brockton Point Lighthouse goes into service. Present structure completed 1915. |
| 1890 |
The landmark now known as The Lions are named. |
| July 1, 1891 |
Brockton Point Athletic Grounds declared open. |
| August 22, 1891 |
The district municipality of Coquitlam is incorporated. |
| September 11, 1891 |
The Interurban Rail system begins with a connection to New Westminster. |
| Spring 1892 |
Hastings Street becomes the first paved street in Vancouver. |
| September 8, 1892 |
City of Burnaby is incorporated. |
| May 1894 |
Serious flooding in the Fraser Valley. |
| 1894 |
Nine O'clock gun arrives. Replaced the practice of setting off a stick of dynamite at nine o'clock each evening to either indicate closure of fishing or to allow ship captains in the harbour to reset their chronometers. |
| August 15, 1895 |
Mark Twain lectures at the Vancouver Opera House. |
| August 2, 1897 |
A Kinetoscope exhibition at Market Hall shows motion pictures and Edison's wonder speaking phonograph. |
| March 28, 1898 |
The first long-distance telephone in Vancouver goes into operation. |
| October 1, 1898 |
Original Prospect Point Lighthouse goes into operation. |
| October 31, 1902 |
The Pacific Cable opens. |
| 1904 |
Second Beach established |
| July 2, 1905 |
The English Bay Bathhouse is opened. |
| July 21, 1906 |
The tug "Chehalis" is sunk in a collision with the S.S. Princess Victoria. |
| May 13, 1907 |
The city of North Vancouver is incorporated. |
| 1909 |
Ferry service begins to West Vancouver. |
| September 6, 1909 |
The first Granville Street bridge is opened. |
| 1910 |
The Interurban rail system is completed to Chilliwack. |
| 1911 |
Bandstand in Stanley Park constructed eventually the site of Malkin Bowl. |
| 1912 |
The Stanley Park Causeway is authorized allowing for the later creation of Lost Lagoon. |
| 1913 |
Stanley Park Pavilion constructed. |
| January 15, 1917 |
The Ballet Russe opens at the Opera House. Amongst it's performers is Nijinski. |
| 1917 |
First part of the seawall constructed at Second Beach (125 meters) |
| 1919 |
Lawn Bowling instituted in Stanley Park. |
| 1920 |
Kiwanis Rose Garden established in Stanley Park. |
| January 1, 1922 |
Traffic in Vancouver is switched to the right-hand system. |
| 1923 |
Vancouver population 100,000 |
| 1926 |
Grouse Mountain Chalet opens. |
| 1927 |
S.S. Empress of Japan figurehead donated to the Parks Board |
| 1928 |
Third Beach established in Stanley Park |
| August 27, 1929 |
The Graf Zeppelin visits Coal Harbour. |
| 1929 |
Pipes allowing saltwater to flow into what is now Lost Lagoon are shut off turning it into freshwater only. |
| 1929 |
Hard surface tennis courts established in Stanley Park |
| May 16, 1930 |
Sports Pavilion opened, now the location of the Fish House Restaurant. |
| 1932 |
Stanley Park 18 hole pitch and putt golf course designed and constructed. |
| November 30, 1933 |
Approval granted by Vancouver for the building of the Lions Gate Bridge. |
| 1934 |
Original Malkin Bowl erected in Stanley Park later destroyed by fire and reconstructed. |
| 1936 |
Shakespeare Garden and Memorial opens in Stanley Park. |
| 1936 |
Fountain added to Lost Lagoon. |
| December 4, 1936 |
Current city hall is opened at 12th and Cambie Street. |
| November 11, 1938 |
Lions Gate Bridge opens. |
| May 25, 1939 |
The current Hotel Vancouver opens. |
| November 5, 1939 |
Dial telephone established in Vancouver. |
| August 6, 1940 |
First performance by Theatre Under the Stars at Malkin Bowl |
| June 26, 1943 |
Cornerstone laid for the HMCS Discovery on Deadman's Island. Base for the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve. |
| 1947 |
Miniature Railway in Stanley Park goes into operation. |
| 1948 |
Garden of Remembrance established near Stanley Park Pavilion in honour of airmen in WWII |
| February 4, 1954 |
Current Granville Street Bridge opens. |
| 1954 |
First cocktail bar in Vancouver opens at the Sylvia Hotel. |
| 1961 |
Vancouver Parks Board headquarters built at the Beach Avenue entrance to Stanley Park. |
| 1980 |
Final portion of Stanley Park Seawall is completed. |