| From the figure skating to the bob sledding, from the | | | | permanent town. The City of Vancouver was officially |
| ice hockey, to the ski jumping, there is nothing quite like | | | | incorporated on 6 April 1886, the same year that the |
| being there to witness the winter Olympic games. And | | | | first railroad arrived, finally bringing the young town an |
| if you're planning to see the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, | | | | easy way for people to find their way over there. The |
| it might be nice to know a little something about this | | | | name, of course in memory and honor of George |
| gem in British Columbia. So, just in time for the | | | | Vancouver, was chosen by William Van Horne, the |
| Vancouver 2010 Olympics, here is The City of | | | | president of the Canadian railroad who came to |
| Vancouver's history: | | | | dedicate the terminal in the new city in the same year. |
| The very first European to pay a visit to the area | | | | The year 1886 also saw a complete rebuilding effort |
| that would eventually become the city of Vancouver | | | | of the new city since a fire razed the city. A new |
| was José María Narváez of Spain, in 1791, | | | | Vancouver fire department was established after the |
| although Samuel Bawlf insists that Francis Drake may | | | | fire (and not to worry, for the Vancouver 2010 |
| have visited the area in 1579. In either case, a year | | | | Olympics, the city of Vancouver now has a world |
| after Navarez, George Vancouver visited the place | | | | class fire department). |
| and officially put it on the map, giving everything their | | | | The city was built largely on the strength of the natural |
| modern day European names. Simon Fraser, an | | | | resources surrounding it and of course on the |
| explorer is reputed to be the first person to set foot in | | | | presence of the railroad link which allowed the |
| the actual area of Vancouver itself (Vancouver was | | | | materials to be exported to other parts of Canada. |
| supposed to have scouted the surrounding areas). In | | | | Manufacturing did not really take in the city until much |
| 1808, Fraser traveled from the east, down the Fraser | | | | later since there was little call for such services in a |
| River to the area where the University of British | | | | small town like Vancouver. |
| Columbia would eventually be built. | | | | Throughout the 20th century, the city grew by leaps |
| The city grew up around a gold rush a few years later | | | | and bounds until the City of Vancouver was finally |
| when Fraser claimed to have found gold in the area | | | | chosen to host the Vancouver 2010 Olympic games. |
| and then a lumber trade which established the first | | | | |
