The Harvest Begins!
Bog Riverside Cranberry Farm, River Road, Fort Langley.
Happy B.C. Day Weekend!
James Maddison Alden painted this watercolour looking down the Fraser River from the Hudson's Bay Company fort at Fort Langley. He was part of the British American Boundary Commission when he created the painting in 1860, two years after the colony of British Columbia was declared at the fort. You can just make out an Indigenous canoe, possibly Kwantlen, near a steamer on the far shore (the Kwantlen occupied a village directly across from the fort). The HBC had a strong trading relationship with the Kwantlen and other Coast Salish peoples; many employees married Indigenous women. This began to change with the decline of the fur trade, followed by a frenzied race for gold and the imposition of the reserve system. You can see the Golden Ears on the far left, and a small fire on the shoreline in the middle of the painting. (Image: BC Archives) This image is [...]
Another Virtual May Day Parade
The annual May Day Parade has been a part of life in Langley for 99 years. The last two events have been cancelled thanks to the pandemic, but our friends at the Langley Centennial Museum and Fort Langley Lions Club have created another virtual parade HERE. It includes many archival images from the earliest days of the parade, which was also held for a number of years at Langley Prairie. Plans are already in the works for a live parade during the centennial in 2022.
CNR Station: A Story in Photos
Photos have a wonderful power to capture specific moments in time. The digital collection at Langley Centennial Museum is an excellent resource when hunting for images from Langley's past. We went searching for photos of the earliest days at Fort Langley's CNR Station. See what we found, HERE.
Spirit Square Panels Renewed
A fresh look. Spirit Square panels designed by Drew Atkins and Xwa-lack-tun have undergone some cleaning and restoration work. Located at the corner of Mavis & River Road in Fort Langley, the three panels depict salmon, beaver and wolf, and are dedicated to the Kwantlen People.
Treading the Boards
Wheels of Time. Creative Compass Society is busy rehearsing a short drama to be presented at the Fort Langley Heritage CNR Station beginning Labour Day weekend and continuing through Thanksgiving weekend. (Saturdays, starting at noon.) Wheels of Time tells the CNR Station's story through the decades. It's a fun way for us to share more of Langley's history -- we hope to see you there beginning August 31st!
Step Inside St George’s
Historic St George's Church in Fort Langley is frequently open for tours. Built in the Carpenter Gothic style in 1900 (using local wood), a parish hall was added, and the church extended in 2003. Carpenter Gothic style. Beautiful wood construction, materials came from BC Mills. The blue glass on the lower left of the Christ figure was once broken by local kids and repaired using Vick's bottles. Don't forget about our Fort Langley and Murrayville walking tours HERE.
Summer Buskers Return to CNR Station
Music at the station! Our summer buskers return to the Fort Langley CNR Station starting this Sunday, featuring Jana Seale. An accomplished performer, Jana has 5 CDs and a vocal style reminiscent of Joni Mitchell & Joan Baez. She'll perform Sunday June 30th from noon until 3 pm. Join us, and then visit our classic 1915 station, caboose & model railway, passenger car and FLAG art gallery. More about Jana's music HERE.
Keeps on Ticking
Our classic Seth Thomas clock is now back in working order at the Fort Langley CN Station -- donated to LHS by W.R. Stephenson. Manager Helen Williams has been reorganizing the Ticket Office & Waiting Room, while David Hockin has done his magic painting the interior. There's much more to do in preparation for the new season beginning in May -- we're also inviting more volunteers to join us at the station. If you're interested, go HERE. Ticket Office at Fort Langley's CN Station. The Seth Thomas clock was used on railways across North America because of its accuracy and reliability. This kind of clock became obsolete with the advance of quartz clocks.
Excelsiors Born Again: Fort Langley man builds 100 year old motorcycles from scratch
Not many people have a vintage Aermacchi racing motorcycle parked in their dining room. Fort Langley's Paul Brodie does. His life has revolved around building two-wheeled vehicles ever since grade 7 when he first fashioned a mini-bike powered by a 2 ½ horsepower lawnmower engine. Later came bicycle frames and his own brand, the Brodie Mountain Bike, which eventually earned him a place in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. He moved on to motorcycle restoration work and more recently, hand-built vintage motorcycles. Says Paul, “My shop is larger than my house.” His current project marks the 100th anniversary of the Excelsior racing motorcycle. Boardtrack racing in Los Angeles. A century ago, Excelsior was one of the Big Three in board track racing: “Indian, Harley -- and Excelsior was the underdog.” Racers roared around tracks made from pine boards that ranged from half a mile to more than two miles [...]