Gastown, Downtown Vancouver
The first settlement in the Vancouver region, Gastown is home to some of the oldest buildings in the city (including two that were not destroyed by the great fire of 1886) as well as the highest density of tourist shops in all of Vancouver.
Click on the map pins below to view the available activities within Gastown, Downtown Vancouver
Its beginnings have entertained all visitors to the city; legend has it, Captain John " Gassy Jack" Deighton with a large barrel of whiskey sailed down the Fraser River from the town of New Westminster in 1867 and built the first saloon in the region which hosted a number of seasonal logging camps.
The area was known as Grandville Burrard Inlet but was officially renamed Gastown in honour of its first settler.
The exterior of Gastown has not been modernized as most of the downtown core has; the historical appearance of the area has served as a popular place for visitors to admire the original red brick buildings and the cobblestone streets.
Gastown also encompasses the statue of its founder, Gassy Jack, and the much admired Steam-powered clock.
