Mystery Photo

Langley Heritage Society has received an intriguing photo from resident Brian Johnson.  The image was taken at West’s Creek, just east of Fort Langley on River Road where it flows into the Fraser River. The creek was named after Henry West, a German midshipman who jumped ship in Washington and landed in Fort Langley in the early 1870s. He homesteaded with his wife Louisa (Fallardeau) and their 11 children. Henry was resourceful: he hand-logged, built a steam powered sawmill, a saloon and also made boats, including a steamer scow named Defender. We're wondering: Who is crossing the wooden bridge in the photo? When was it taken?  We zoomed in for a closer look. A woman is driving the horse and buggy. It’s hard to see her features, but she appears to be wearing her finest. She's drivng the horse across the bridge, possibly on a Sunday outing? Then again, it might [...]

2020-05-27T05:59:59+00:00January 16th, 2017|

Carving History by Ellen Worrell

The Storehouse at Fort Langley’s National Historic Site. Built in 1840 for the fur trade, it is the oldest building in Langley. Ellen Worrell from Milner relates the story of a unique carving project that helped preserve Fort Langley’s most important historic site. John Worrell arrived in 1919 from the army.  He was a musician and carver. In 1920 he carved a replica of the Fort with 17 buildings.  In 1925 the Fort Preservation Society (Dr. Marr and G.F. Young) along with the Post # 4 Native Sons of B.C., New Westminster Branch, purchased the replica, displaying it in Vancouver and Fort Langley.  They charged 10 cents admission towards fundraising at an event they held on the Fort grounds. The programme of events included games of chance and a dance in the Town Hall. The carved replica was on display in the old storehouse, one of the original buildings of the Fort. [...]

2017-05-04T23:34:11+00:00January 15th, 2017|
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