Vancouver / Keefer Street / Strathcona

783 Keefer Street

A house first listed in the 1905 directory. A new name in every directory: five households between 1905 and 1945, none listed twice. It is gone: a newer building, from 1986, has the address.

Drost, John T.painter1905Pursell Joseph E1915Lind A1925Oja Mrs E1935Lee G1945Vacant1955
Read every ten years. A band is one household, joined across directories by surname; tap one for its directory page. After 1945 the directories' names aren't shown.

A full history of this house is coming: every resident's job, the whole block decade by decade, and a PDF with the page behind every line. One email when it's ready

by 1905
first listed in the directories
5
households named, 1905–1945
Rebuilt in 1986
today, by the City's records

The house

In 1905 the directory lists John T. Drost, a painter.

In 1915 the directory lists Joseph E Pursell.

In 1925 the directory lists A Lind.

In 1935 the directory lists Mrs E Oja.

In 1945 the directory lists G Lee.

Today

The address is still in use, but the City's record dates the building to 1986: the house in these directories is gone.

The neighbours

The 700 block of Keefer Street. Your lot is outlined in red; pick a year to see who the directory lists on every lot.

Keefer Street NORTH SIDE · ODD SOUTH SIDE · EVEN 700799 711 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1912, City's figure)711Allardyce, Thomas“Chinese”Nakatsukai KNakatsuka IWilson Ra household715 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1901, City's figure)715Archer, —Deakoff JohnWalters Mrs EWalter B*Walters B*a household721 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1901, City's figure)721Fowler, C. M.Tomo FrankBuckshon J*Tiilikana T*Tiilikana Ta household727 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1901, City's figure)727“Cabins”“Cabins”“Cabins”*Cabins*a household · cabins733 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1910, City's figure)733False Creek GroceryB C Distribs Co +1“Orientals”Creer C H*a household737 Keefer Street · Rebuilt (built 1974, City's figure)737Caldwell, J. A.Caldwell John AvacantByman OJohnson Mrs Ea household743 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1901, City's figure)743Doig, William“Chinese”“Japanese”Okimura MNiemi P Ja household747 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1900, City's figure)747Elsom, Albertvacantnot listedWoo Mrs L*Osterback Aa household751 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1900, City's figure)751Lasbury, Georgevacant“Japanese”Lee C Toccupied, no name givena household753 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1900, City's figure)753Mason, JohnErickson Ernest AStephen W“Orientals”Ruoho Ea household765 Keefer Street · Rebuilt (built 1979, City's figure)765Toso Mrs CGentile Miss Cnot listed767 Keefer Street · Rebuilt (built 1979, City's figure)767vacantvacant*Yugoslav Educational H…783 Keefer Street · Rebuilt (built 1986, City's figure)783Drost, John T.Pursell Joseph ELind AOja Mrs ELee Gvacant791 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1905, City's figure)791Harding T WSpreckley Mrs EFrost Ja household795 Keefer Street · Still standing (built 1910, City's figure)795Kirby, GeorgeBurthe Mrs —Condren HEast End Realtynot listeda household797 Keefer Street · Gone797Olin Otto +4Apartments +6Kirby Block apts +8*Kirby Block +9Kirby Blk apts +6799 Keefer Street · Gone799Smith Geo HChong Yew CoBevilacqua LKeefer GroKeefer Gro +1702 Keefer Street · Gone702Cobeldeck, JohnGogowris BHary GLoxton JLane HHenry's Gro708 Keefer Street · Gone708MacLean, James T.Hoskins Mrs GracePavlukoff J“Orientals”*Baltman Ba household710 Keefer Street · Rebuilt (built 1964, City's figure)710Rowley, Joseph P.vacantBrekson S*Linn C*Anderson Aa household722 Keefer Street · Gone722Summerville, WilliamRalph DanlTerho A*Terho A*Luhtala C*a household726 Keefer Street · Gone726Griffiths, DellCarroll Mrs EmmavacantRubich M*Jang Ha household730 Keefer Street · Gone730Gibbons, J. W.vacant“Chinese”“Orientals”Eng W*a household734 Keefer Street · Gone734Fraser, Simon P.Victoria Dye Works +10Eagle Apts +6Eagle Apts +4Eagle Apts +13Eagle Apts +12742 Keefer Street · Gone742Monk, Frank“Foreigners”“Chinese”“Orientals”Jeskay R*a household746 Keefer Street · Gone746Carnie, EbenezerAnsell Edwin GMcClatchey WBesnick ABesnick A B*a household750 Keefer Street · Gone750Constantine, CharlesLeslie ThosOlsen AHiggins DNichol Hvacant752 Keefer Street · Gone752“Cabins”not listed“Orientals”Greening Kena household770 Keefer Street · Gone770Gibbs, Walternot listedoccupied, no name given“Orientals”*Liega Ba household778 Keefer Street · Gone778Yarco, August +1“Foreigners”Hite H*Augustino FAugustine Mrs M*a household784 Keefer Street · Gone784Reid, Herbert E.Hewson Wmoccupied, no name given*Carvetta R*Zajac A*a household +1792 Keefer Street · Gone792Rahy Richd NRahy R*Rahy RHarding J Sa household796 Keefer Street · Gone796Harris, WilliamGaston JohnNordin A*Zitko J*Zitko J*a household
The 700 block of Keefer Street, Strathcona. Lots are placed by house number.Scroll sideways on a small screen
Pre-1946 building still standsRebuilt after 1945Address gone todayNot matched*: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark, printed from 1935)
1 of 141905→15
1 of 121915→25
3 of 131925→35
4 of 191935→45
Who stayed on the 700 block: of the addresses with a named household in both directories, how many still had the same surname ten years on.

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).

1955
  • vacant

One listing. Names of residents after 1945 aren't shown; businesses and buildings are.

Vancouver and New Westminster City Directory, p. 131

Coming: the full history of 783 Keefer Street

Every line, both sections, every neighbour

  • Each resident's job and employer from the directory's name section
  • The block decade by decade, and who stayed
  • The 1912 map plate and what the street went through
  • A PDF with the page behind every line
$29

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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. Something wrong, or a name you'd like removed? Tell us.