Wharf Street in downtown Victoria, British Columbia runs approximately north-south along the Inner Harbour waterfront between Government Street and Johnson Street.

It contains a number of Victoria’s earliest commercial buildings, many of which are listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.

Here are some of the sights to see on Wharf Street, starting from Government Street and walking north.

Government Street intersects

Here is a map showing the location of Wharf Street:

The Tourism Victoria Visitor Centre, 812 Wharf Street. This Art Deco building was originally built in 1931 by Imperial Oil as a service station. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

812 Wharf Street – now the Tourism Victoria Information Centre. Originally built in 1931 as an Imperial Oil service station.

This building is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.

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1001 Wharf Street – This Art Deco building was built in 1936 as the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Club. Nautical Nellie’s Restaurant is now on the main floor.

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1001 Wharf Street was built for the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans. It is now occupied by Nautical Nellie's Restaurant.
The Customs House, 1002 Wharf Street, built in 1874-75. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1002 Wharf Street – The Customs House, built in 1874-75, is the oldest federal government building in Victoria. It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places and the City of Victoria Heritage Building Registry.

It is also a National Historic Site of Canada.

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The Fort Victoria National Historic Site of Canada is the site of the original Fort Victoria, built in 1843. The site was placed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1924. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

The Fort Victoria National Historic Site of Canada runs along the west side of Wharf Street between Broughton Street and Bastion Square.

It is the site of the original Hudson’s Bay Company trading post, built in 1843, and was listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1924.

 

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1019 Wharf Street – built in 1906 by architects Thomas Hooper and C. Elwood Watkins, for Pither & Leiser Ltd., a wholesale liquor and wine dealer.

This building is on the City of Victoria Heritage Building Register. It is now government offices.

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1019 Wharf Street, built in 1906 by architects Thomas Hooper and C. Elwood Watkins for Pither & Leiser, a liquor and wine wholesaler and importer. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

500-502 Fort Street

This historic building at the corner of Wharf Street and Fort Street was built in 1863, likely by architect Richard Lewis, as the I.O.O.F Lodge building. The I.O.O.F. moved to its present building at 1313 Douglas Street in 1878.

It is now The Keg restaurant. 500 Fort Street was listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1975.

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500-502 Fort Street was built circa 1863 and is one of the first buildings constructed on this part of Wharf Street, (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1107 Wharf Street – This historic commercial building was built in 1862. In the 1860’s and 1870’s it was the warehouse of Richard Carr, whose daughter, the well known artist Emily Carr, described this building in her book The Book of Small.

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1107 Wharf Street, built circa 1862. It was once the office and warehouse of Richard Carr, the father of well known Canadian artist and writer Emily Carr (1871-1945) (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1109 Wharf Street – originally built as a single store auction house in 1861. The second floor was added in 1873.

This historic building is now a BC Provincial Government office building.

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1107 Wharf Street (right) built circa 1862, and 1109 Wharf Street (left), built circa 1861. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1117-1129 Wharf Street – the Rithet Building was built in various stages between 1861 and 1889.

It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.

It is now legally consolidated with 1107 Wharf Street and 1109 Wharf Street.

In the 1970’s it was converted into a BC Provincial Government office building.

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The Rithet Building, 1117-1129 Wharf Street, built 1861-1865 with additions in 1885 and 1889 (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1129 Wharf Street/15 Bastion Square – this building was built in 1862 with major additions in 1884-85.

It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.

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1129 Wharf Street, built in 1862 with additions in 1884-85. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1202-1214 Wharf Street – this building was originally built in 1882 for Roderick Finlayson..

It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Finlayson Building.

It has been re-developed as Hartwig Court, with restaurants and shops.

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1205-1213 Wharf Street/8-10 Bastion Square – this building was originally built in 1862-63 as a warehouse for Captain James Reid, who had been a mariner for the Hudson’s Bay Company.

It was listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1975 as the Reid Block.

It is now shops and restaurants on the main floor with offices upstairs.

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1205-1213 Wharf Street & 8-10 Bastion Square, originally built in 1862-1863 for Captain James Reid (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1215-1221 Wharf Street – this building was originally built in 1891.

The building was listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1995.

It is now three shops on the main floor.

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1215-1221 Wharf Street, built in 1891 (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)
1218 Wharf Street. The building was built circa 1860 and is one of the oldest buildings in Victoria. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1218 Wharf Street – originally built as a warehouse circa 1860, making it one of the oldest buildings in downtown Victoria.

It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places and the City of Victoria Heritage Building Registry.

It is currently a restaurant with condominiums on the waterfront side.

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1244-1252 Yates Street, originally built in 1882 architect John Teague with subsequent additions in 1892 and 1896. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1244-1252 Wharf Street – this building was built in three stages, with the original building erected in 1882 by architect John Teague for James Yates and subsequent sections added in 1892 and 1896.

The building is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places as the Yates Block.

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1314 Wharf Street, built circa 1860 or possibly earlier. Along with the adjacent building at 1316-1318 Wharf Street it is one of the earliest surviving commercial buildings in Victoria. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1314 Wharf Street – built as a warehouse circa 1860 or earlier, this is one of the oldest buildings in Victoria.

It is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places and the City of Victoria Heritage Building Registry.

Along with the adjacent building at 1316-1318 Wharf Street, it was allowed to sit vacant and deteriorating for many decades.

It has recently been purchased and is currently the subject of a Land Use Application to the City of Victoria.

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1316-1318 Wharf Street, built circa 1860 or possibly earlier. One of the earliest surviving commercial buildings in Victoria. (photo by Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours)

1316-1318 Wharf Street – built as a warehouse circa 1860 or earlier, this is one of the oldest buildings in Victoria.

It is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places and the City of Victoria heritage Building Registry.

Along with the adjacent building at 1314 Wharf Street, it was allowed to sit vacant and deteriorating for many decades.

It has recently been purchased and is currently the subject of a Land Use Application to the City of Victoria.

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Johnson Street intersects

Wharf Street becomes Store Street north of Johnson Street

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