Archives Collection

Archives Online Database

The North Vancouver Archives has a searchable on-line database of its collection. Click online database to access.

The Archives, located in the Community History Centre, acquires records of organizations and individuals whose activities document the historical, social, economic, political and cultural development of North Vancouver. These include significant administrative and operational records of both the City, and the District, of North Vancouver.

In addition to extensive textual records, the holdings include photographs, maps, architectural plans, and some sound and moving image materials. Major collections include those of Walter M. Draycott and the Versatile Pacific Shipyards. The Archives collection contains 700 metres of textual records and 45,000 photographs. Users may browse the North Vancouver archives collection list at Memory BC.

For over one hundred years the BC Mountaineering Club, has maintained records of its activities in text, photographs, maps and film. The Club donated this remarkable treasure trove to North Vancouver’s Archives in 2011.

The next step for the Archives is to describe the material, to make it understandable and readily accessible to the public. Already researchers have used the records to study a variety of topics: the history of Garibaldi Park; trail building in the North Shore Mountains; the biography of mountaineer John Clarke; as well as environmental change in BC glaciation. Who knows what questions people will bring to these records, what discoveries they will make, what books, websites, dissertations will result?

To get started on your search go to the online database Click online database to access, click and enter ‘BCMC’ in the top box (search by keywords). Then begin your online exploration!

Watch NVMA's Reference Historian Daien Ide discuss the NVMA archives and the Walter Draycott collection.

Video provided courtesy of Presentation House Gallery’s Chester Field program.