National Newspaper Boy Day, an advert in the News-Herald of Vancouver, a newspaper that started in 1933 and ended in 1957. It looks as though the name written along the laneway and front sidewalk is Allan Booth. A word from Chuck Davis about the paper:

April 24, 1933 The first issue of the Vancouver News-Herald appeared, operated largely by editorial staff fired by the short-lived Star. The new paper faced formidable competition: the Province’s circulation at the time was 90,265, the Sun’s somewhere in the 60,000 to 70,000 range. The News-Herald’s started at 10,000 and peaked at 40,000, but it would last until 1957.

So when was National Newspaper Boy Day? Seems it was held across North America on a Saturday in October in the 1940s and 1950s. Here’s another ad from Saturday, October 7, 1950, in the Ludington Daily News. If you can find an earlier or later reference to National Newspaper Boy Day, let me know in the comments. This newspaper ad has been hastily tweaked by me, and was spotted by Vancouver artist Tom Carter.

A Souvenir Pillowcase of Vancouver, on glorious printed silk. I’ve covered the souvenir plate meme previously, and this vintage pillowcase is definitely inspired by the tourist art aesthetic. We may never learn who the artists involved were, but looking at the closeup images, the artwork really begins to resemble scenes from a comic book, and I can totally imagine Tintin suddenly blazing onto the scene! I’m having a hard time dating this piece, but I have a hunch or two. For more, plus a DIY contest challenge, check out the cross-post on VancouverIsAwesome.com

Celebrating the launch of the Vancouver Archives digitized version of Early Vancouver online:

The Builders, a painting by John Innes, “celebrated Canadian historical artist, for Major J. S. Matthews, later City Archivist, who directed detail and chose title. Cost $1,000. Commenced 1932, completed 1936.” Quotation and source image shown above from Item # EarlyVan_v7_009, part of Volume 7 of Early Vancouver. Image tonality has been adjusted, with colour variants of the painting superimposed. (Colour image of the painting seen in Donald E. Waite’s book, Vancouver Exposed, a History in Photographs.) The scene depicts the first City Council, assembled May 10, 1886, in the largest room of the Court House, also known as Constable Miller’s cottage. Furthermore, the photo depicts Major J.S. Matthews himself, standing proudly beside his painting in the Council Chamber of City Hall, February 1943. Full details of who appears in the painting available in Volume 7 of Early Vancouver.

Congratulations, Vancouver Archives! Now everyone, start reading your city history!

City Hall, Vancouver, 1985, by Barbara Elizabeth Wilson (from the Vancouver Archives); Item: 99-29-14; Location: 221-D-3

City Hall Postcard, circa 1940s, seen on ebay.