Church of the Holy Redeemer
Church of the Holy Redeemer, built in 1897 on the Kwantlen Reserve. Langley Heritage Society has assisted with renovations in previous years. See other buildings restored by the Society in the last 4 decades HERE.
Beautiful Barns
A collage of some of our favourite barns in the Langley area. Top row: Annand/Rowlatt and Barry Barn Middle: Telegraph Trail & Glover Road and Houston Farm. Bottom: Old Yale Barn (to be restored by LHS) and Dixon Barn (previously restored by LHS)
The Heritage Mouse
Our tenant at historic Michaud House, Sandra Reams, sends us a poem that she arm-twisted Jim McGregor into writing. "I went to a craft fair where Jim McGregor was selling his books. I told him about my mouse in the house and suggested he write a poem and so he did." Great job, Jim!
Latest LHS Newsletter off the Press
As another year comes to a close, we look back at fall activities, and gaze ahead into 2024. Read our latest newsletter HERE.
A Toast to Sir James
LHS director Pierce Smith, president Fred Pepin and UFV historian Scott Scheffield Our annual Douglas Day Dinner was a well attended affair at the historic Fort Langley Community Hall. Thank you to Scott Sheffield, Associate Professor of History at the University of the Fraser Valley. His talk explored British Columbia's relationship with the Second World War, and how many layers of community were affected by it on the home front: women, Indigenous peoples, Japanese Canadians, farmers and soldiers' families. Artifacts that once belonged to Sir James Douglas were also on display, courtesy of the Fort Langley National Historic Site. Special thanks to Glenn Disney for taking these photos. Associate professor Scott Scheffield continues to research how the Second World War affected British Columbians. James Douglas artifacts: travel bag, replica of his foot stool, metal mace used to declare the colony, and [...]
Douglas Day
The Langley Heritage Society's annual Douglas Day Dinner is coming this Friday November 17th at the Fort Langley Community Hall. Douglas declared the colony of British Columbia at Fort Langley in November of 1858. Thanks to the National Historic Site, we'll have some of his personal artifacts on display. Douglas was a man of mixed blood, who forged ties with Indigenous peoples, Blacks, and other minorities. He signed the first treaties on Vancouver Island, and was instrumental in maintaining this region as a British colony -- not the next American state. A toast to Old Square Toes!Douglas Day
Have Your Say on Old Yale Road
Old Yale Road is an historic connection that originally linked New Westminster and Yale in the 1860s as a wagon road. In 1922 a concrete surface was added as the automobile was becoming the primary means of transportation. It's now in serious need of repair. Visit the Township of Langley website by November 17th to comment on the possible path ahead. Langley Heritage Society supports commemoration of the road, which includes reconstruction of a short stretch, west from the Five Corners, and the rest of the road brought up to asphalt standards. See the TOL survey HERE Below: The veins of time. Cracked concrete on Old Yale Road, looking west.
Speaker Series Continues on Douglas Day
"British Columbia's Second World War in History and Memory" Our next speaker, Scott Sheffield, will present during the annual Douglas Day Dinner on Friday November 17th at the Fort Langley Community Hall (doors open at 5:00 pm). Members can purchase a ticket from Dave at: dalwyneb@telus.net R. Scott Sheffield is an Associate Professor of History at the University of the Fraser Valley who spent the bulk of his career researching Indigenous military service and authored The Red Man’s on the Warpath: The Image of the ‘Indian’ and the Second World War (UBC Press, 2004), and (with Noah Riseman) Indigenous Peoples and the Second World War: The Politics, Experiences and Legacies of War in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (Cambridge U Press, 2019), as well as numerous articles and book chapters.His current research explores British Columbia’s home front during the Second World War, especially the role of community [...]
Local Hero
Hanging on the walls of the new Langley Airport are profiles of noteworthy local aviators. As Remembrance Day approaches, we salute Norman Severide, who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. He later attended UBC law school and had a long career as a lawyer in Langley (attaining Queens Council), assisted non-profit organizations, and served as a Langley City alderman. Norman and his wife Iris raised two sons; in 2019, he passed at the age of 95. Thank you, sir. Langley Heritage Society will place wreaths on Remembrance Day at Langley City, Murrayville, Aldergrove and Fort Langley.