Southlands is a neighbourhood populated by upscale mansions and horse farms. It is also the home territory of the Musqueam Indian Band.
Southlands borders on the north by West 16th Avenue and on the south by the Fraser River; it stretches from the University Endowment Lands on the west to Mackenzie and Blenheim Streets in the east.
Archaeological finds indicate that people have resided in the Southlands area for centuries, with some estimates placing the first settlement of the area by First Nations around 400 BC. The first European settlement was recorded in 1863 when the first homesteaders, Fitzgerald and Sam McCleery, constructed a farm in the area. Logging cleared much of the land in the area, which was held by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the province, and in 1912 a subdivision was started for residences to serve the soon to be built University of British Columbia just to the west. By 1927, Dunbar was served by three streetcar lines and featured a number of unique homes, thanks to bylaws introduced in 1922 regarding lot sizes and placement of buildings on the lots. Many of these homes are still standing today, with 21 structures on the City of Vancouver's heritage register.
The Southlands Riding Club, formed in 1943, is a highlight of the area; its clubhouse was a former net drying hut for fishermen on the Fraser, and was disassembled and carried to its present site by members on horseback. The area also boasts a number of public and exclusive private golf courses that have hosted major Canadian and international events in the past.
