Understand
The first European settlers started to arrive in the North Shore in the 1860s, attracted by the logging potential of its old growth forests. The lumber, in turn, was attractive to ship builders and a ship building industry was born that would be important to the region for decades. The settlement grew and by 1891 the residents had organized and incorporated the District of North Vancouver, which covered the entire region from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove. "North Vancouver" was chosen as the name so potential real estate investors would better know where their land was.
Most of the early settlement and industry focused on what is now considered Lower and Central Lonsdale. Residents in this area felt they could do better if they separated from the District, so the City of North Vancouver was incorporated in 1907, taking with it the municipal hall, the ferry connections to Vancouver and most of the business and industry in the North Shore. Meanwhile, people living west of the Capilano River were becoming anxious that the increasing industry in the North Shore would affect them. This led to the incorporation of the District of West Vancouver in 1912 to preserve the residential nature of the area.
Although most of this happened almost 100 years ago and the borders of the three municipalities are pretty much indistinguishable now, it has certainly shaped the structure of the North Shore. The City of North Vancouver has become an urban area and retains the ferry connections with Vancouver if not all the industry; West Vancouver remains overwhelmingly residential and commercial; and the District of North Vancouver is a little bit of everything with commercial and industrial pockets scattered throughout, but no central area.
The North Shore has also been shaped by the recreation opportunities it offers to locals and tourists alike. Early enthusiasts from Vancouver and elsewhere would brave ferry rides and long treks up the local mountains to go skiing or hiking. Over the years, parks were set aside, trails cut and ski areas built to make it more accessible. The local mountains were early hot-spots for and helped push snowboarding and mountain biking and remain favorite locations for pro photo shoots. Many people choose to live in the North Shore today for the lifestyle options it offers.
