The Karr-Mercer barn in Derby Reach Regional Park is getting a new cedar shake roof.

The Karr/Mercer Barn is important for its historic significance. It is also an important example of a community-led restoration that combined the resources of the Langley Heritage Society and the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Originally built in 1876, the barn was one of the earliest hay-drying barns constructed in the Chilliwack area. Although it was relocated to Derby in Langley, it remains one of the oldest extant barns in the Fraser Valley and is an important physical reminder of pioneer farming and building techniques. It is an excellent example of craftsmanship, having been built for David Karr by Quebecers Cyprien Belleque and Xavier Laderiau. It is also an excellent example of barn construction techniques, having been built using mortise and tenon joints with wood dowels, and long pieces of timber.
Its relocation is not unusual because it was common practice in the farming community to take down and move a barn when necessary. It speaks to the frugal and practical nature of a rural community. Its new location on the Derby farmsite contributes to the overall educational value of the site. The site was originally occupied by the first Hudson’s Bay Company Fort in 1827 and later by the Townsite of Derby (1858-60).
The Karr/Mercer Barn and the Houston farmsite remind visitors that resource-based industries found throughout the province (mining, logging and fishing) were only some of the major forces shaping British Columbia in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. The resource-based industries were comprised primarily of single men, while the small farms were comprised of families. Small-scale family farms like this one provided an economic base for the industries mentioned above, and they provided the social stability that was necessary for a growing colony.