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 in mediating British Columbians’ experience of total war.
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.
Next Project: Old Yale Barn
The Langley Heritage Society has saved and preserved heritage structures in Langley Township for more than 40 years. Some of these buildings have received official Township heritage site designation, including the Fort Langley CNR Station and Dixon House & Barn project; they also appear on the register of Canada’s Historic Places. We’re proud of this record of heritage preservation and restoration.
Our next project: The Old Yale Barn (circa 1915) is a hip-roofed structure that served as a dairy barn for decades. It reflects the story of the development of farming, which continues to be an important underpinning of the local economy. The barn sits inside the Township’s Old Yale Park, directly beside a community garden, walking trail and off-leash dog area. It is in serious need of repair, with portions of the roof and siding missing, the structure is open to the elements and needs prompt attention. It is also important owl habitat.
People in the surrounding community have told our Society they want to see the barn saved and put to good use. Langley Heritage Society will replace the roof and siding, at our expense. The barn will continue to be managed by the Township of Langley’s Recreation, Culture & Parks Department. There could be multiple uses for this restored barn – park and community events, improved garden storage and new park interpretation. The Great Northern Railway laid its track through this area; Old Yale Road is an historic transportation route; and some of Langley’s earliest farms were established in the immediate area. It’s rich in possibilities for historical interpretation and fits directly into themes outlined in the Township’s ‘Our Shared History’ document.
Valley Railway Heritage
Fall morning at Coghlan. This 1910 BC Electric substation is one of two left standing in the Fraser Valley. That’s a Hollywood North staircase still in place after a movie shoot a few years ago. The right of way continues to generate debate over whether it should be used as a commuter rail corridor.
Architect Barry B. Watson designed this station and four others at Cloverdale, Clayburn, Sumas and Chilliwack. The stations supplied power to the BC Electric trams, and the station operators lived on site with their families. This is now privately owned.