Dominion Motor Car Company Ltd.

Dominion Motor Car Company – detail from City of Vancouver Archives – English Bay Beach, 1917 – CVA 99-214 (probably about 1911 to 1913)

The Dominion Motor Car Company Ltd. was at 1805 Beach Avenue, which was part of the triangular area surrounded by Beach Ave, Morton Ave, and Denman Street.

The first two plans below show the area before the appearance of 1805 Beach Avenue. In the third plan, 1805 Beach Avenue is below the number “71” in the building labelled “Garage.”

Detail from Insurance plan – City of Vancouver, July 1897, revised June 1901 – Sheet 45 – Comox Street to English Bay and Bidwell Street to Stanley Park

Detail from Insurance plan – City of Vancouver, July 1897, revised June 1903 – Sheet 45 – Comox Street to English Bay and Bidwell Street to Stanley Park

Detail from Goad’s Atlas of the city of Vancouver – 1912 – Vol 1 – Plate 8 – Barclay Street to English Bay and Cardero Street to Stanley Park

Esplanade and Baths – English Bay – Postcard – about 1910 to 1911

Joy Wheel Fun Factory and Imperial Skating Rink – Detail from postcard – Esplanade and Baths – English Bay – about 1910 to 1911

Looking across English Bay beach to the “Joy Wheel Fun Factory” [and] roller rink; VPL No 35445

Beach Avenue – Beach House Club – Dominion Motor Car – Imperial Roller Rink – Postcard – about 1911-1912

Dominion Motor Car Co Ltd – Detail from Beach Avenue postcard – about 1911-1912

The Dominion Motor Car Company Ltd. first appeared in the Vancouver directories in 1910. The business was at the intersection of Beatty Street and Dunsmuir Street. The directory listed the manager of the company as E.F. Millenberger (which should have been “Miltenberger”). The company sold Packard Motor Cars and Baker Electrics.

From 1911 to 1913, the Dominion Motor Car Company Ltd. was at 1805 Beach Avenue. The manager was E.F. Miltenberger. Eugene F. Miltenberger lived at 1059 Chilco Street in 1914.

In 1914, the Dominion Motor Car Company Ltd. was at 1233 Georgia Street. Mr. Miltenberger continued to have an association with the company, but Harry Rogers was also a manager from 1915 onward. Starting in 1917, the Studebaker Corporation of Canada was at 1233 Georgia Street.

The Dominion Motor Car Company Ltd. also had a dealership in 923 Fort Street in Victoria, British Columbia. See: Henderson’s Greater Victoria City Directory, 1915, page 335; Edwin P. King was the manager. See also: Hudson Triangle, http://archive.org/stream/TheHudsonTriangle/hudsontriangle3#page/n21/mode/1up:

General Manager Miltenberger of the Dominion Motor Car Company, Big Family distributors at Victoria, B. C, has the right idea in attracting quality prospects. At the recent “opening” of his fine new garage and salesrooms the premises were magnificently decorated with palms, ferns and cut flowers. An orchestra was stationed on the mezzanine floor. Society folk turned out in great numbers. This all aids in making the Hudson the “fashionable” car of the town.

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