Hastings Mill — Vancouver, BC
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Dunbar Loop
N 49° 17.097 W 123° 05.726
10U E 493060 N 5459137
Hastings Mill, founded in 1865, was Vancouver’s first major sawmill, driving early economic growth, exporting lumber across the Pacific, and shaping the city’s development until its closure in 1928.
Waymark Code: WM1CE4J
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 08/05/2025
Views: 0
HASTINGS MILL
On this site in 1867, Captain Edward Stamp built a sawmill, then known as Stamp's Mill. In 1869 it was renamed Hastings Mill and provided the initial economic base for the growth of Granville or "Gastown".
Hastings Mill, originally founded in 1865 as the British Columbia and Vancouver Island Spar, Lumber and Saw Mill Company by Captain Edward Stamp, was the first major industry on Burrard Inlet. Although the original location near Brockton Point proved unsuitable due to tides and currents, the mill was relocated in 1867 to what would become the foot of Dunlevy Avenue in Vancouver.
Renamed Hastings Mill in 1869, the operation quickly became the economic heart of the growing settlement then known as Granville, later renamed Vancouver. The mill exported lumber around the Pacific Rim—particularly to China, Australia, and California—placing Vancouver on the map as a key West Coast trading hub. Its workforce included a mix of European settlers, Indigenous peoples, and Chinese labourers, reflecting the early diversity of the region.
Hastings Mill operated continuously for over 60 years and helped define the character and economy of the young city. The site attracted hotels, saloons, and stores, effectively establishing the nucleus of what would become the city’s downtown core. The mill closed in 1928, but its impact on Vancouver’s urban and economic development is profound. Hastings Mill laid the groundwork for the city’s rise as a lumber powerhouse and gateway to the Pacific.