Vancouver / Names / A / American

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Americans

In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses

The directories print two people named American at two addresses in 1940 in two of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family.

Reserve this family's book, freeThe name in every directory we hold from 1901 to 1945, at every address, each line with its page, to read here or save as a PDF. About $29 when orders open.

Where the Americans lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    355 Burrard Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Consulate General American, who worked for P R Josselyn consul general 1940

    Next door in 1940: Bank of Montreal at 385. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    608 Main Street

    Strathcona, 1940

    • Traders American, in junk dealers 1940

    Next door in 1940: Al Western Sec Hd Store at 606 and J Korshiwski at 612. The block, door by door

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Downtown and Strathcona. Each neighbourhood's page shows its trades, its people and every street in it, the way the directory printed them.

The story, address by address

The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Consulate General American at 355 Burrard Street, who worked for P R Josselyn consul general. Traders American, in junk dealers, is listed at 608 Main Street in 1940.

Today

355 Burrard still has its building from before 1946, dated 1930 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 608 Main, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Shriners in striped robes marching in a parade on Burrard Street
1942 Shriners in striped robes marching in a parade on Burrard Street. Not at the house at 355 Burrard: no archive photo of the 300 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 1184-1239. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 2 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed

The book of the Americans

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the American name in each Vancouver directory we hold from 1901 to 1945: everyone printed under it at every address, their work from the name sections, who lived next door, and the page behind every line, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give.

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Another name, or a house

Sources

Henderson's and successor city directories for Vancouver, read by us line by line: the street sections for 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1940 and 1945, and the name section for 1930 and 1940 where we've read it (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories). Names are shown through 1945, as printed. Close spellings are grouped, as on the house pages, since a family's name was often spelled differently from one year to the next; one name can still be several families, and we join lines only where the first names or initials agree. Many Chinese, Japanese and other residents weren't named by the canvassers, so they can't be listed by name: their houses' pages say where. More family names under A. Want a name removed? Tell us.