le il - W aut uth ▁( B urr ard ) ▁pe op les ▁of ▁the ▁Coast ▁Sal ish ▁group . ▁They ▁had ▁villages ▁in ▁various ▁parts ▁of ▁present - day ▁V ancouver , ▁such ▁as ▁Stanley ▁Park , ▁False ▁Creek , ▁K its il ano , ▁Point ▁Grey ▁and ▁near ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁F ras er ▁River . ▁ ▁Europe ans ▁became ▁acquaint ed ▁with ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁future ▁V ancouver ▁when ▁José ▁María ▁Nar vá ez ▁of ▁Spain ▁expl ored ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁present - day ▁Point ▁Grey ▁and ▁parts ▁of ▁B urr ard ▁In let ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 1 — although ▁one ▁author ▁cont ends ▁that ▁Francis ▁Dra ke ▁may ▁have ▁visited ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁ 1 5 7 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁expl orer ▁and ▁North ▁West ▁Company ▁tr ader ▁Simon ▁F ras er ▁and ▁his ▁crew ▁became ▁the ▁first - known ▁Europe ans ▁to ▁set ▁foot ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁present - day ▁city . ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 8 , ▁they ▁travel led ▁from ▁the ▁east ▁down ▁the ▁F ras er ▁River , ▁perhaps ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁Point ▁Grey . ▁ ▁Early ▁growth ▁ ▁The ▁F ras er ▁Gold ▁R ush ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁brought ▁over ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁men , ▁mainly ▁from ▁California , ▁to ▁nearby ▁New ▁West min ster ▁( f ounded ▁February ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 5 9 ) ▁on ▁the ▁F ras er ▁River , ▁on ▁their