In 1911, when this photo was taken, North Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»was in the midst of a building and population boom.
Newspapers were full of stories about the rising price of real estate and the scarcity of rental properties – sound familiar?
Many people began the path to home ownership by purchasing and clearing a lot, then living on it for a while in a shack or permanent tent.
In 1911 about one-third of the single-family dwelling building permits in North Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»were issued for temporary housing.
And the local newspaper advertised furnished canvas tents for rent at $2 per month. This photo shows the tent in which Evelyn and Albert Elliott (recent emigrants from England) lived in for a year and a half. Their tent was on a lot they owned, located behind Mr. Smith’s Store at the end of the Capilano streetcar line.
The Time Traveller feature offers a weekly glimpse into the North Shore’s past, courtesy of North Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Museum and Archives.
For more information about the history of the North Shore and to learn about the new Museum of North Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»opening in late-2020, visit and sign up for our e-newsletter at . Currently, the Archives of North Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»at 3203 Institute Rd. in Lynn Valley is open by appointment only, contact: [email protected]
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