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Community Hall in Autumn, Fort Langley, BC


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History of Fort Langley

Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada

The Langley area was the first part of the lower mainland of British Columbia where European settlement was established. Fort Langley was built in 1827 under the direction of James McMillan, Chief Trader of the Hudson's Bay Company. It was situated about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the mouth of the Fraser River. The prime objectives of the Fort were to establish a fur trading post and to initiate some agricultural activities, which would secure a steady supply of food for the occupants of the various fur trading posts west of the Rockies.

Fort Langley achieved global attention in 1858, following the discovery of gold by James Houston along the Thompson and Fraser Rivers. Fort Langley became a large supply centre, outfitting thousands of gold miners passing through the area. The gold rush also caused a significant increase in farming operations as the demand for food rose.

The gold rush and the declaration of 49th parallel as the United States border resulted in the creation of the Crown Colony of British Columbia. On November 19, 1858, the actual proclamation of Crown Colony status took place in the Big House at Fort Langley. Thus Fort Langley was proclaimed the birthplace of B.C.

The 1858 inaugural ceremony at once honoured Fort Langley and signalled its decline. That same year, paddle wheelers started to steam upriver as far as Hope and Yale, and Fort Langley’s role as a mining provisioner and as a transhipment depot abruptly ended. The selection of New Westminster as the first capital of British Columbia further pushed Fort Langley “out of the way of travellers,” and the fort fell slowly into disrepair. In 1864 the palisade was dismantled and by 1871 the blacksmith shop had been converted into a dwelling and the cooperage to a sales shop. A year later, the post manager had the Big House pulled down to build a new residence.

There was a small revival in the 1860s as the Hudson’s Bay Company expanded the farm to support its overland transport service to the Cariboo but it was not to last. Local competition was too strong, and the land was subdivided and sold. Finally, in April 1886, the Hudson’s Bay Company built a new sales shop in the nearby village and Fort Langley ceased operations as a company post.

A new chapter began in 1923 when the Canadian government recognized Fort Langley as a site of national historic importance, erecting a commemorative plaque near the storehouse. The restoration of the fort continued as the centennial celebration of the founding of British Columbia approached in 1958. Since then, Parks Canada, who administers the site, has added further elements to enhance understanding of the site's history and significance. Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada is part of the family of national parks and national historic sites operated across the country by Parks Canada.

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