Vancouver / Names / O / Opsal

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Opsals

In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses

The directories print two people named Opsal 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 Opsals 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

    5938 Adera Street

    Kerrisdale, 1940

    • E M Opsal, a president at Opsal Steel 1940
  2. 2

    1459 West 39th Avenue

    Shaughnessy, 1940

    • E Opsal, a general manager at Opsal Steel 1940

    Next door in 1940: H Parker at 1449. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for all two: a general manager and a president. Two of them worked for Opsal Steel.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kerrisdale and Shaughnessy. 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

In 1940 the directory lists E M Opsal at 5938 Adera Street; the 1940 line is marked *: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark). The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Edwin M Opsal there as the householder, a president at Opsal Steel. In 1940 the directory lists E Opsal at 1459 West 39th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Edward (Ike) Opsal there as the householder, a general manager at Opsal Steel.

Today

1459 West 39th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1938 by the City's record; 5938 Adera (1994) has a newer building, by the City's record.

Every line as printed

All 4 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section

The book of the Opsals

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Opsal 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.

We're opening orders soon. Join the list to be first in line; we expect about $29 a family.

One email, when it's ready. We use your email for nothing else and never share it. Privacy

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 O. Want a name removed? Tell us.