A few weeks ago a bunch of us all went to downtown Vancouver for an afternoon of sightseeing. Our company from out of town wanted to see some of the sights and sounds of the city.
On our way to English Bay, I ended up driving past the historic Yale Hotel on Granville St., and its famous saxophone sign. (Yes, I have mentioned this sign before, but it was at night.)
We had to stop for a red light at Drake St., and a friend was able to shoot this image from the backseat just before I had to start moving again.
Photography by M. Margison ©2011
The Yale bills itself as Home of Vancouver’s Rhythm and Blues. It has been that way for more than 20 years, as the club has featured blues and R&B acts almost exclusively.
The Yale’s history dates back to mid 1880s, when it was built as a bunkhouse for railway workers to relax after they cleared land for the new community of Vancouver. When a fire raced through the newly constructed, city-in-progress in of June 1886, the Yale was spared because it was separated from the rest of the town by bush.
The hotel has always served the blue collar crowd, so being the home of the working man’s music is a natural fit for this 125-year-old city icon.
