Axel Toren is listed here in 1915 and A Toren in 1925, the Toren name twice in a row. In 1940 the name section gives this address for Jack J Cowie, a sub station manager at the Sun (page 132; joined to the 1940 listing, where the first name or initials agree, inferred).
Reserve this house's book, freeIts history in every directory we hold from 1901 to 1945, each line with its page, to read here or save as a PDF. Read for this address so far: 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1940 and 1945. The book reads the other 14 directories we hold. About $29 when orders open. The City Archives charges $25 a year searched, a house historian $300 to $550 or more.
Who lived here
Read every ten years. Each chapter is one surname at this address across the directories, so it can be more than one family; tap a name for its directory page, or follow the name to every address it's printed at. After 1945 the directories' names aren't shown.
- Not in the directory1905
- I1915–1925
- 1935
- II1940
- III1945
- IV4 listings4 listings1955
A ribbon marks the chapters the book adds to: everyone the directory's name section lists at this address that year, with their work, and the page behind every line. See what it holds, or quote this house.
- 1908
- built, by the City's record
- 10 yrs
- the Toren name, 1915 to 1925
- 3
- households named, 1915–1945
- Still standing
- today, by the City's records
The address
The City's record dates the building here to 1908. After a vacant listing in 1935, J Cowie is listed in 1940. By 1945 the Cowie name has gone and R Skogly is listed. After the Skogly household, in 1955 it is a building of suites or rooms, with 4 listings.
Since 1955
- 1970A major renovation, by BC Assessment's record.
- 1975A major renovation, by BC Assessment's record.
- 1997–2024Licensed as an apartment house (licences on record start in 1997).
From City of Vancouver open data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver): the property tax report (BC Assessment's years, approximate for old buildings), business licences from 1997 (the kind of business only), issued building permits from 2017 and the heritage register.
Today
2218 Yew Street still has a building from before 1946, as does 2221 across the street; the City's record dates it to 1908, before the 1912 map was drawn, so it is very likely the wood-frame building Goad's 1912 map draws on the lot (inferred).
The neighbours
The 2200 block of Yew Street, door by door, the way the directory prints it. This house is marked in red; pick a year to read who lived at every door.
Yew Street, the 2200 blockas the 1905 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1915 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1925 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1935 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1940 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1945 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1955 directory lists it, door by door, and what stands there today
*: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark, printed from 1935)
The 1905 directory lists no one on this block.
West side, odd numbers
- 2of 5
- 1of 4
- 2of 5
- 3of 6
The record
Each directory's listing for this address, as printed, with its page at the Vancouver Public Library. *: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark, printed from 1935).
No Yew Street in this directory: Kitsilano not yet settled.
No job on this line: the 1915 directory prints work in its name section, under Toren (near p. 560).
No job on this line: the 1925 directory prints work in its name section, under Toren (near p. 210).
Wrigley-Henderson Amalgamated British Columbia Directory, p. 135
No job on this line: the 1940 directory prints work in its name section, under Cowie (near p. 131).
No job on this line: the 1945 directory prints work in its name section, under Skogly (near p. 598).
- 1a household
- 3a household
- 4a household
- 5a household
4 listings. Names of residents after 1945 aren't shown; businesses and buildings are.
Quote this house
One line with its source, for a listing, a talk or a family tree. A link to this page shows the card below wherever it's shared.
2218 Yew Street, Kitsilano, Vancouver, is in the city directories from 1915 to 1955; the Toren name is listed there from 1915 to 1925. A building from before 1946 still stands there: the City's record gives 1908 as the year built.
Source: AddressLore, addresslore.com/house/2218-yew, from Vancouver's city directories (Vancouver Public Library) and City of Vancouver open data.
The history of
Kitsilano, 1915–1955
The book of 2218 Yew Street
What the book adds to this page
This page, free
- Who the street section lists here, 1915–1945
- The neighbours door by door, one year at a time
- An archive photo of Yew Street
- The lot on the 1912 fire insurance map
- The building today, and each year's page at the library
The book adds
- Each resident's work and employer, line by line from the directories' name section, and one person it lists here that the street section leaves out
- Its three households as chapters, told in our words
- The 2200 block in all seven directories at once, every door
- The page behind every line, both sections, listed at the back
- One book, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give
Its contents
- The house
- Plate I, Yew Street in an archive photoabout 1910
- IToren, with everyone the name section lists1915–1925
- IICowie, with everyone the name section lists1940
- IIISkogly, with everyone the name section lists1945
- After 19451955
- The 2200 block, decade by decade1905–1955
- Plate II, the 1912 fire insurance map1912
- The house today
- Sources, page by page
expected, a house
We're opening orders soon. Join the list to be first in line; we expect about $29 a house.
The City Archives search records for $25 a year searched: $150 for the 6 years this house is listed. A hired house historian charges $300 to $550 or more.
See what one holds: 620 Keefer Street, 2649 Quebec Street or 2339 Yew Street, each a house's book.
Sources
Henderson's and successor city directories for Vancouver, 1905–1955, street sections, read by us line by line (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories); each year in the record links its page. Today's buildings: City of Vancouver Open Data (property tax report 2026, property addresses, Vancouver Heritage Register; Open Government Licence – Vancouver). The City's year built is BC Assessment's figure and can be approximate for old houses. Building permits: Heritage Vancouver Society's transcription of the City's permit registers, 1901–1930, gives none we can tie to 2218 Yew Street; its database may have one under another number. The photo of Yew Street: City of Vancouver Archives, public domain, credited under it. Something wrong, or a name you'd like removed? Tell us.