Franciscan Sisters of Atonement

On June 13th, 1886, Vancouver was virtually destroyed in a fire along with most of the East End. Following the fire, efforts were made to reconstruct the buildings that were burnt to a crisp. A property at 383 East Cordova, which was formerly 333 Oppenheimer, was one of the structures built after the fire. It is one of the only houses that still stands in Vancouver on its original location on the corner of Cordova and Dunlevy. This building dates back to 1887 and records indicate that it is most likely to be the oldest building in Vancouver--maybe even older than the city itself. Although the home has been modified and added to over the years, the pitched roof still remains intact and can be seen in photographs dating back to 1887.

The building is now owned by the Franciscan Sisters of Atonement, but it was previously home to Thomas Dunn, a Scottish hardware merchant who was also one of Vancouver’s first aldermen. The house was then home to another Scot named Archibald Murray Beattie and his family in 1894. According to the Vancouver Sun, the 1895 city directory lists a series of job titles for Beattie, such as an auctioneer at Vancouver’s Market Hall and a notary public worker, but little else is known about him.

Bibliography: Johnstone, James. “Mill town memories.” Vancouver Sun. Pressreader, 8 April 2011. Web. 26 May 2017.