Vancouver / West Hastings Street / Downtown

837 West Hastings Street

In the 1940 city directory.

In 1940, 837 West Hastings Street is Metropolitan Building, with 77 suites and households listed under it. The street section prints 26 names the name section doesn't list: R D Macdonald, McDonald Sandy and 24 others. Its name section lists 19 more people here under other surnames too.

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.

45: people the 1940 directory lists here, 19 of them named in the book
Rebuilt in 1998: today, by the City's records

In 1940

The street section

78 linesMetropolitan Building and its suites and households, each on the page beside

Only in the street section

R D Macdonaldbarber · suite 214p. 80
McDonald Sandylumber broker · suite 215p. 80
H Castilloubarrister · suite 216p. 80
Coffee Barsuite 309p. 80
W Ponsfordbarrister · suite 312p. 80
J D Matheraccountant · suite 315p. 80
“Hedley Yuniman Gold-fields”suite 417p. 80
T L Kerrarchitect · suite 419p. 80
W W Lefeauxbarrister · suite 422p. 80
E F Cartercivil engineer · suite 512p. 80
Headjanitor · suite 518p. 80
L H Jacksonbarrister · suite 522p. 80
A Coburnbarrister · suite 522p. 80
J S D Taylorarchitect · suite 606p. 80
W N Kellyconsulting engineer · suite 624p. 80
W D McLarenconsulting engineer · suite 624p. 80
Mamquam Logsuite 705p. 80
Gillies Bay Logsuite 705p. 80
Industrial Timber Millssuite 711p. 80
Hammond Cedarsuite 711p. 81
Western Timberssuite 713p. 81
E G Blackwellmanufacturers agent · suite 718p. 81
C G Framptonmanufacturers agent · suite 720p. 81
W M McKaybarrister · suite 723p. 81
Coast Sawmillssuite 813p. 81
Campbell River Timbersuite 909p. 81

Also at this address

19 more peopleunder other surnames, with each one's work: in the book

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

1940British Columbia and Yukon Directory

Streets

WEST HASTINGS

The lines for 837 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 837 now to 1998; across the street, 840, on the heritage register, still has one from before 1946, one of two on the block.

Since 1940

1998Today'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.

837 West Hastings Street, Downtown, Vancouver, is in the 1940 city directory. The building there today dates from 1998, by the City's record.
Source: AddressLore, addresslore.com/house/837-west-hastings, from Vancouver's city directories (Vancouver Public Library) and City of Vancouver open data.

Download the share card

The share card for 837 West Hastings Street

The book of 837 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, with the 19 people here in 1940 under other surnames whom this page doesn't name, 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.