Before every trip to the beach included a set of Instagram-filtered selfies came decades of black and white photos attesting to the popularity of soaking up the summertime sun in Vancouver.
We took a trip back to a time before the bikini to find these glimpses of Vancouverites making the most of their summer days.
The Prize Takers, Vancouver, BC, July 1, 1890 (Photo via Vancouver Archives)
Second Beach, early 1900s (Photo by Philip Timms via Vancouver Public Library)
Swimming race at English Bay, early 1900s (Photo by Philip Timms via Vancouver Public Library)
Diving at English Bay, early 1900s (Photo by Philip Timms via Vancouver Public Library)
More diving at English Bay, early 1900s (Photo by Philip Timms via Vancouver Public Library)
Celebrating Dominion Day in North Vancouver, July 1, 1906 (Photo by Philip Timms via Vancouver Public Library)
People enjoying English Bay, 1907 (Photo by Philip Timms via Vancouver Public Library)
View of children and adults playing in the water at Kitsilano Beach. The North Shore is visible in the background. 1920s. (Photo by Philip Timms via Vancouver Public Library)
Swimmers and watchers at English Bay, 1923 (Photo by Hubert William Lovell via Vancouver Archives)
Pleasure Pier and diving float at English Bay, 1923 (Photo by Hubert William Lovell via Vancouver Archives)
Joe Fortes on the beach, 1925 (Photo by Stuart Thomson via Vancouver Archives)
King Neptune and the “Jantzen Girls” in swimsuits pulling a Royal Life Saving float in a Dominion Day parade, July 1, 1925 (Photo by Stuart Thomson via Vancouver Archives)
View from the water of the beach at English Bay, c.1928 (Photo by James Crookall via Vancouver Archives)
Kitsilano Beach, July 1928 (Photo by Leonard Frank Photos via Vancouver Archives)
Burrard Inlet Swim start, July 25, 1928 (Photo by Stuart Thomson via Vancouver Archives)
Lumberman’s Arch swimming pool at Stanley Park showing Vancouver Sun swim lessons, 1931 (Photo by Leo T. Morris via Vancouver Public Library)
Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, 1938 (Photo by Leonard Frank via Vancouver Public Library)
Stanley Park’s Second Beach Pool, 1940 (Photo by Steffens Colmer and Don Coltman via Vancouver Archives)
Portrait of four men on a deck at English Bay, 1940s (Photo by Jack Lindsay via Vancouver Archives)
Beachgoers at English Bay in 1900 (Photo by Major J.S. Matthews via Vancouver Archives)
Children playing at the Second Beach playground pool, 1943 (Photo by Jack Lindsay via Vancouver Archives)
Beachgoers in suits at Kitsilano Beach, which was then known as Greer’s Beach in 1906 (Photo by Major J.S. Matthews via Vancouver Archives)
Summer at Kitsilano Beach, 1947 (Photo by Tommie Waters via Vancouver Archives)
David Munroe at Lumberman’s Arch Pool, 1952 (Photo by Leon Holt, Province Newspaper via Vancouver Public Library)
Boy at the beach on the last day of summer, 1952 (Photo by Leon Holt, Province Newspaper via Vancouver Public Library)
This piece was published on May 2014 and has since been updated.