Tag Archives: Mount Pleasant Heritage
Upcoming Projects
At our May meeting we announced that we have received a Neighbourhood Small Grant to help us cover the costs of our 3rd Heritage Lounge and 2nd Treasured Buildings Signs Project. The Heritage Lounge will again take place at the Autumn Shift Festival sponsored by the MPBIA. The date is Sunday, September 13th and that’s when we will reveal this year’s recipients of our Treasured Buildings signs.
We are working on these projects over the summer. If you would like more information or to get involved please contact us at mountpleasantheritage@gmail.com and you can follow us on twitter @mpheritagegroup.
The Mount Pleasant Heritage Group extends a big thank you to the Vancouver Foundation for supporting us with a NSG. 
Brewery Creek Ravine As A Playground At The Turn Of 1900
Gladys Schwesinger describing her childhood years playing in the Brewery Creek ravine:
Mount Pleasant Historical Signage at 298 East 11th Ave & Sophia St
Corner of East 11th Ave & Sophia St
The Sophia
The above quote is from “Recollections of early Vancouver in my childhood, 1893-1912” by Dr. Gladys C. Schwesinger (Vancouver City Archives PAM 1960 – 29 – Recollections…)
You can read the full quote in the Mount Pleasant Historic Context Statement on pages 13 & 14.
Map highlighting Brewery Creek that was put together from smaller sections of the 1897 – 1901 Fire Insurance Map by Claude Douglas. He founded the Brewery Creek Historical Society in 1988 with Charles Christopherson. The map and colouring are courtesy of Bruce Macdonald, who was a member of the society.
MOUNT PLEASANTRIES Revised
In 1886 pioneers Jacob and Mary Grauer became the parents of George Grauer, the first baby birth recorded in Mount Pleasant.
Twenty years later, in 1906, their sixth son, Albert Edward “Dal” Grauer, was born on Sea Island, now the site of the Vancouver International Airport. Dal Grauer, who became the well-known President of the BC Electric Company, was also elected Chancellor of UBC in 1957 and presided over Queen Elizabeth’s 1959 visit to the University.
Photo for #8 City of Vancouver Archives: SGN 1026
Photo for #9 City of Vancouver Archives: Str P270.05
Photo for #10 City of Vancouver Archives: Dist P 18
All Major Matthews Collection
We have changed #12 to reflect that, despite being born 20 years later, George Grauer was Dal Grauer’s older brother, not his father.
MOUNT PLEASANTRIES about the neighbourhood’s early days
Please join us for a discussion about Mount Pleasant’s early history at our next MPHG meeting this Monday, April 13th at 7 pm. We will use our Mount Pleasantries as a guide. They are based on the Mount Pleasant Historic Context Statement written by Bruce Macdonald for Donald Luxton & Associates and the City of Vancouver. The Statement is a history of Mount Pleasant written in 2008 as part of the process of creating the Mount Pleasant Community Plan.
Photo for #8 City of Vancouver Archives: SGN 1026
Photo for #9 City of Vancouver Archives: Str P270.05
Photo for #10 City of Vancouver Archives: Dist P 18
All Major Matthews Collection
Our agenda is open and will also include updates on other MPHG projects including our Treasured Buildings Sign Project.
Our meetings take place at grunt gallery – 350 East 2nd Avenue/Unit 116
Thanks to all these local Main Street businesses for putting up Heritage Week signs in their windows!
Main Street East from north to south:
The Whip Restaurant & Gallery, Adhesif Clothing Company, HOT ART/wet CITY, Blue Star Motors, Gene Cafe, East Vanity Parlour, Rath Art Supplies, Pulpfiction Books, Frenchies Diner, Cash Money, Barney’s Craft & Grill, Bean Around the World Coffees, Kea Foods, Charlie’s Little Italian, The Cascade Room, Dairy Queen, Mr. Brownstone Bar & Grill, Heritage Hall, Urban Source
Main Street West from north to south:
The Unique Antique Vintage Collectibles, Breizh Salon Services, City Motor Hotel, Foundation Restaurant, Nirvana Restaurant, Antisocial Skateboard Shop, Uptown Barbers, John’s Jukes Ltd.,
Goh Ballet, 8th + Main, Bonchaz Bakery Cafe, Reno Restaurant, Kafka’s Coffee & Tea, Bird on a Wire Creations, much & little, The Archetype, The Corner Store, Denman Bikes at Main & 10th, Planet Bingo, Grantree Furniture Rental
The Whip Restaurant & Gallery, 209 East 6th Avenue
Mount Pleasant Heritage Lives!
Join us for our next meeting Monday, March 2nd and hear
tales about our cherished Main Street buildings told to us during our Heritage Week project celebrating “Main Street: At the Heart of the Community”.
Our meetings are at 7 pm at grunt gallery – 350 East 2nd Avenue/Unit 116.
“Main Street: At the Heart of the Community”
Celebrate Heritage Week’s 2015 theme of “Main Street: At the Heart of the Community” by recognizing the dates of construction of many of the cherished old buildings along Main Street. Included are well-known heritage buildings, buildings that are representative of a distinct architectural style and a number of modest, individually constructed buildings that provide more affordable character space to our prized independent businesses. Look for the Mount Pleasant Heritage Group signs in windows February 16-22!
Treasured Buildings Profiles
Here are the building profiles to accompany our Treasured Buildings Map.
As with the map below, if you picked up a walking tour pamphlet at our September Heritage Lounge you will notice that some of the information has been revised based on further research done since then.
Check out the project including sources here.
Mount Pleasant Heritage Group 