Vancouver / West Hastings Street / Downtown

815 West Hastings Street

In the 1940 city directory.

In 1940, 815 West Hastings Street is Merchants Exchange Cigar Stand, with 23 suites and households listed under it. The street section prints nine names the name section doesn't list: R R Steeves, Fraser River Golds and seven others.

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: 1940. The book reads the other 19 directories we hold. About $29 when orders open. The City Archives charges $25 a year searched, a house historian $300 to $550 or more.

9: people the 1940 directory lists here
Rebuilt in 1975: today, by the City's records

In 1940

The street section

24 linesMerchants Exchange Cigar Stand and its suites and households, each on the page beside

Only in the street section

R R Steevesaccountant · suite 6p. 80
Fraser River Goldssuite 6p. 80
Davies Petroleumssuite 117p. 80
W J Whalenlogs · suite 129p. 80
N H McDiarmidbarrister · suite 129p. 80
B Gallowayinsurance agent · suite 129p. 80
O E S Whitesidesuite 129p. 80
F Daviesgeneral contractor · suite 131p. 80
C V Ericssonimporter · suite 132p. 80

West Hastings Street is read from the 1940 directory, street section and name section, line by line.

The lines for 815 West Hastings Street in the 1940 directory, as we read them, with its abbreviations; each opens its page at the Vancouver Public Library.

The building today

The building the 1940 directory knew is gone: the City dates the building at 815 now to 1975; the nearest that still stands is 840, on the heritage register, on the other side of the street, one of two on the block.

Since 1940

1975Today's building goes up, by the City's record.

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.

The 800 block in 1940

West Hastings Street between Howe and Hornby Streets, Downtown: every door the 1940 directory lists on the block, the way it prints them, and what stands at each today. This house is marked in red.

West Hastings Street, the 800 blockas the 1940 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)

North side, odd numbers

South side, even numbers

The 800 block of West Hastings Street

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.

815 West Hastings Street, Downtown, Vancouver, is in the 1940 city directory. The building there today dates from 1975, by the City's record.
Source: AddressLore, addresslore.com/house/815-west-hastings, from Vancouver's city directories (Vancouver Public Library) and City of Vancouver open data.

Download the share card

The share card for 815 West Hastings Street

The book of 815 West Hastings Street

Every directory, as one book

The book reads this address in each Vancouver directory we hold from 1901 to 1945: who lived here year by year, their work from the name sections, the block around it, and the page behind every line, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give.

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The City Archives search records for $25 a year searched. A hired house historian charges $300 to $550 or more.

Sources

The 1940 city directory (British Columbia and Yukon Directory), street and name sections, read by us line by line (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories); each line above 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.