The first time I found myself on foot in Vancouver, I began walking without thinking twice about it, for the fabled skirts of Gastown. I was on a mission for history and good beer. Well, it began as history and ended as good beer.
I knew I was getting close when I saw steam rising ahead, and a few minutes later I was standing before the famous steam clock. The clock, which protrudes from a street corner at 17 feet in height was not built until the 1970’s. Nevertheless, it serves as the gateway into Gastown.
Soon I was there in the wet streets of my destination. The abstract looking towers of Vancouver were looming in some dreamlike distant land. There was little traffic and the streets glimmered with giant maple leaves of gold, red and yellow. My sojourn was delayed by a downpour, at which time I took refuge in a coffee shop that was not a Tim Horton’s. The name of the place is lost to me now, but there I had the best scone of my life; a bacon and cheddar masterpiece that has left me in the sad state of failing to find a scone anywhere since to rival it.
A break in the weather gave me impulse to carry on. I ventured on into the old heart of Gastown, where I found his majesty, Gassy Jack, standing high over Maple Tree Square on a barrel of whiskey. The aged green bronze structure is far from pretty, but neither is the early history of the place, which perhaps makes a just tribute to the founder.
John Deighton was born in Hull, England in 1830. As a teen he became a sailor, serving on both English and American ships. He did his part as a gold prospector in California and the Canadian west. As with so many others, he came up empty handed. But his talents were many, and he became a skilled and respected Fraser River Pilot.
But he was after “the pot of gold,” and in 1867 he ventured into the wilderness that is now Gastown. He arrived with his wife in a dugout canoe with six dollars and set up a makeshift 12’ by 24’ board and batten shack that became the Globe Saloon. The only other establishment in the forest was a sawmill and his customers were the men from the mill and steamboat sailors. The nickname, “Gassy Jack” was bestowed upon him because of his chatty nature and the stories he would weave to his customers.
More people came to settle, and other structures were erected around the Globe Saloon, forming a small town. There was an attempt to name the settlement Granville, after Earl Granville, the British Colonial Secretary. However, the locals called it Gastown and that became the name that stuck. As the population grew a plan for a 6-acre town was mapped. Unfortunately, the plan left the Globe Saloon in the middle of a proposed street. Though he was a founder and the namesake for the emerging town, he was forced to abandon the Globe so it could be torn down. He bought property adjacent to it at the southwest corner of Carrall and Water Streets, and built a two-story hotel and bar, complete with a billiard room and parlor, and named it “Deighton Hotel.” This became one of the main businesses as Gastown continued to grow.
Captain John “Gassy Jack” Deighton died an untimely death in 1874 at the age of 44. Gastown, however, continued to expand and thrive. A fire in 1886 destroyed the Deighton Hotel and damaged much of the town, but Gastown survived and the burnt areas were rebuilt.
Today, the statue of Gassy Jack in Maple Tree Square is very near to the location where his Globe Saloon had stood. At the base of the statue is a plaque indicating it is the exact spot where a maple tree stood. Underneath that tree in 1885, prominent citizens met to rename the sprawling city Vancouver. Despite this, Gastown has survived as its own entity. When one goes there, they are not going to Oldtown. They are going to Gastown! Gastown has become a multicultural influx of history, music, breweries, street art and good food.

As noon gave way to midafternoon, my main quest became the best Canadian beer I could find. Between rain showers I made for The Blarney Stone, a pub at the far southern reach of Gastown towards Pigeon Park. There I had a pint of Russell Wee Angry Scotch beer. This may not sound very Canadian, but this beer is actually brewed in Canada. I followed up with an OK Springs Ale. The last thing I had eaten was my famous Cheddar Bacon Scone that morning, so food was calling. This was remedied with a platter of lamb bites dipped in ranch, which was the best meal I had while in British Columbia.
I ventured back the way I had come, past Maple Tree Square, and back into the western area. I went into the Steamworks Brew Pub Brewery, for I surely wasn’t going to spend a day in Gastown without visiting a brewery! They brew an assortment of beers and have several bars and taprooms throughout the multi-level facility. I had a Lion’s Gate Lager, but I was craving something a little darker, and tried a Brown Nut Ale. There were some other beers I had which I can’t recall the names of. The point is, Steamworks is an excellent brewery with a variety of beer, great food and good-looking barmaids. There are a swarm of other breweries in Gastown, including The Flying Pig, Postmark Brewing, Alibi Room and The Devils Elbow, to name a few.
I decided I should leave while I was able. The rain had let up and scattered shafts of sunlight were protruding through. A multitude of street artists, buskers and magicians had filled the streets. Most notable to me was a two-person act in which a scantly clad women was pole dancing as a man played violin.
I made my way out of Gastown and to the terminal, where I caught the SkyTrain back to Richmond Island where I was staying. It had been my first trip to Gastown but would not be my last. It is a must see if you are ever in the Vancouver area. On your to do list for Vancouver, pencil in “Gastown” somewhere between Stanley Park and Granville Island. You will not be disappointed! This small enclave, not far from the city center, awaits you.