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Time Traveller: Here's what Horseshoe Bay looked like 100 years ago

What's missing from this image? Regular ferry service didn't come to Horseshoe Bay for another 30 years.
Horseshoe Bay

This circa 1920 hand-tinted postcard shows a summer view from the beach at Horseshoe Bay, with two wharves, and numerous swimmers and sunbathers.

Notice the ferry terminal is not there. It wasn't until 1951 that regular ferry service, operated by the American company Black Ball Ferries, started runs from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, the Sunshine Coast, and Bowen Island. In 1961, the B.C. government announced it had taken over Black Ball Ferries, and the provincially run BC Ferries took over service.

Predating ferry service is Horseshoe Bay’s iconic Troll’s Restaurant. Joe and Dorothy ("Dot") Troll started Troll's Fish and Chips in 1946, and the tradition continues to this day. 

Visit the MONOVA website for more information about the history of the North Shore and to plan your visit to MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver, now open at 115 West Esplanade in The Shipyards.

Currently, MONOVA: Archives of North Vancouver ,at 3203 Institute Road in Lynn Valley, is open by appointment only. Contact: archives@monova.ca

Navigate culture on the North Shore by using the North Shore Culture Compass.