Two of the Cowan household are listed at 866 Homer Street in 1940: Hugh Cowan, a clerk at Columbia Paper; and Mary Cowan, a machinist operator at Barber-Ellis; its name section adds one more person here under another surname.
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.
- 3
- people the 1940 directory lists here, one of them named in the book
- Address gone
- today, by the City's records
In 1940
The household
- Hugh Cowana clerk at Columbia Paper · householderp. 132
Also under the Cowan name
- Mary Cowana machinist operator at Barber-Ellis · lives herep. 132
Also at this address
- One more personunder another surname, with their work: in the book
Homer Street is read from the 1940 directory, street section and name section, line by line.
1940British Columbia and Yukon Directory
Streets
HOMER
Names
The house today
The City's list of addresses no longer has 866 Homer Street, so the building is probably gone (inferred); nothing on the 800 block of Homer Street stands from before 1946: two doors along, 856 has a building from 1971.
The 800 block in 1940
Homer Street between Robson and Smithe 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.
Homer 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)
West side, odd numbers
East side, even numbers
- 804Jones Mrs Mgone
- 806*McGregor Jrebuilt
- 816*Driver Mrs C Jgone
- 822Canning Prebuilt
- 826vacantgone
- 830*Driver Mrs C Jgone
- 838French W Jgone
- 840Rattray W Ggone
- 850Michielsen Jgone
- 856*Herdman J Arebuilt
- 862*Gerhart Mrs Mgone
- 866Cowan Hgone
- 868Smith C Agone
- 872Patterson Wood Yd +1gone
- 878Drew Fred +1gone
- 880Messer R P +3gone
- 882Swift P Cgone
- 892Smythe Cash Gro +1gone
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.
866 Homer Street, Downtown, Vancouver, is in the 1940 city directory. The City no longer lists the address.
Source: AddressLore, addresslore.com/house/866-homer, from Vancouver's city directories (Vancouver Public Library) and City of Vancouver open data.
The book of 866 Homer 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 one person here in 1940 under another surname 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.
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. 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.