Looking to travel back in time while visiting Langley? Check out the historic and heritage sites and museums in the picturesque village of nearby Fort Langley.
Originally founded in 1827 as a Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) trading post, Fort Langley still survives on the south shore of the Fraser River nearly 200 years later. The most notable attraction is Fort Langley National Historic Site, considered the birthplace of British Columbia. Here, history truly comes alive.
Enclosed in a dramatic riverside stockade, the current incarnation of Fort Langley National Historic Site dates back to 1840. The fur trading post was rebuilt after an 1839 fire, and now features a striking combination of reconstructed and original buildings.
At its peak, Fort Langley sold produce to Russians in Alaska, shipped cranberries to California, and generated 2,000 barrels of canned salmon a year, much of which was exported to Hawaii. Today, visitors can touch soft beaver and black bear pelts, watch barrel-making and blacksmithing demonstrations, and chat with interpreters in period costumes. Circa 1858, Fort Langley became renowned as a jumping-off point for the Fraser River Gold Rush, and panning for gold here remains another fun experience for the entire family.
A historic highlight is the hilltop Big House, where Sir James Douglas proclaimed British Columbia a Crown Colony on November 19, 1858, and became the province's first governor. View vintage china, musical instruments, and other furnishings, and browse through a display upstairs on the local Kwantlen First Nation Nearby, don't miss the servants' quarters and the gift shop in the visitor centre.
Fort Langley operated until 1886, and was declared a National Historic Site in 1955. It is open daily year-round (closed Dec 25 and 26, and Jan 31), and is directly adjacent to the historic village of the same name. Log on to the Parks Canada website on Fort Langley for more details.
CN Station
For railway buffs, this heritage train station is an intriguing diversion. Built in 1915, designated a municipal heritage site in 1983, and opened for visitors in 1985, the CN Station has been extensively restored by the Langley Heritage Society. It originally served as part of the Canadian National Railway system and sits next to an old train track, although this is not the original location of the station.
Today, the Fort Langley Artists Group stages art exhibitions in the former baggage room. Nearby, check out the CN Caboose's model railroad displays, a vintage velocipede, and a restored 1947 passenger rail car.
Located at the corner of Glover Road and Mavis Avenue, the CN Station is open from May to September with volunteer staff. Check with the Langley Visitor Centre for seasonal hours.
More Fort Langley Historic and Heritage Sites
Fort Langley has many other historic sites, all within walking distance of one another. Stroll by the Jacob Haldi House, which now offers fine dining as the Bedford House Restaurant; the Pioneer Cemetery, the final resting place of many early settlers and HBC employees; and the 1897-built Church of the Holy Redeemer on McMillan Island.
To learn more about historic and heritage sites in Langley, pick up a copy of the Langley Heritage Society's self-guided walking tour pamphlet at the Langley Visitor Centre.
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