Latest LHS Newsletter
Get an update from the Langley Heritage Society by reading our latest newsletter HERE.
Rear View Mirror
A still from 1990s video features the Lamb Stirling House prior to restoration This video from the early 1990s, comes from the archives of the Alder Grove Heritage Society. It traces the work of the Langley Heritage Society in preserving local heritage and features past president, Michael Kluckner. It's a story of remarkable collaboration with local governments, educational institutions and industry to save our built heritage -- from the CNR Station to Michaud House, Lochiel School and other projects. Watch HERE
Adventurous Cousins
We're sharing this well-researched (and sometimes humorous) story about two cousins who came west for the gold rush and further adventures. They began new lives in what would become British Columbia. Jeff Brown of Ottawa wrote the story. "I am a descendant of a William Burnette Maxwell and Jane McMillan, who settled in Wakefield, Quebec, north of Ottawa, in 1832. William's siblings also settled in Canada, all but one of them within a few kilometres of one another. Two of his nephews, James Reid (son of his sister, Ann, and her husband James) and John Maxwell (son of his brother, Thomas, and his wife Catherine McVeigh) ultimately settled in British Columbia. James settled in Quesnel (and later Vancouver), where he became a prominent business person, Member of Parliament and Senator. John settled in Langley, where he was one of the settlers to petition for its incorporation and served as Reeve. [...]
Lest We Forget: Aboriginal Veterans
George Hadden, Tommy Fillardeau, Bob Brown and James Hadden in uniform outside of the Edal Cafe. (Photo: Langley Centennial Museum) Although they had few rights, Indigenous men in Canada stepped forward in significant numbers to serve during the Great War, World War II and the Korean War. Every eligible man between the age of 20 and 35 from Okanagan Head of the Lake Band enlisted. George McLean, a Douglas Lake cowboy, returned home a decorated hero after single-handedly killing 19 of the enemy and capturing 40 others. Roy Cromarty (aka Sam Garner) was a Sto:lo man who lost his life in the fall of 1917. Locally, Thomas “Tommy” Fillardeau, of mixed Métis/Kwantlen heritage, served during the Second World War. (His great-grandfather worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company at Fort Langley.) The Langley Centennial Museum’s digital archive includes the above photo, and a very brief biographical sketch of Tommy: “Thomas [...]
Action!
Langley Heritage Society and Creative Compass Society are filming "Wheels of Time" which was performed live at the CN Station two summers ago. The short production is centred around the role of the historic station in the life of Langley, and some prominent citizens, like Dr Benjamin Marr and Station Agent Richard Simpson and his wife Mary. It's been great fun working with these creative volunteers. Stay tuned for news about the big launch. For more on the Creative Compass Society and their promotion of the arts in Langley, go HERE.
Fred Pepin’s Virtual Tour of Historic Murrayville
If you missed the recent virtual tour of Murrayville conducted by Langley Heritage Society president Fred Pepin, you can watch it via the Township of Langley's Facebook page HERE. It was a real hit, with hundreds of people tuning in. Fred covered a lot of ground with photos and descriptions of this historic community -- the Traveller's Inn (built in 1877), the Barry Farm, the Old Yale Road, Porter's Store, Five Corners, the pump house, Harrower & Lamb/Stirling Houses (restored by the Langley Heritage Society), Murrayville Garage (which began life as a blacksmith shop), the re-purposed Murrayville School, the Community Hall, cemetery, Hagerty House (adaptive reuse), Sharon United Church and more. He had some restoration tips too: "Instead of replacing original windows -- have wooden storm windows made. The house is quiet, warmer and cooler in the summer. Preserves the look of the building too." And memories: "The stumps were [...]
Heritage Week in Langley Township
Langley Centennial Museum is hosting four speaker events during Heritage Week, February 16 - 18. Langley Heritage Society's president, Fred Pepin, will take you on a virtual bus tour of historic Murrayville. To register for this online event and others, visit HERE.
When the Spanish Flu Hit Langley
Maria, Herbert, Florence, and Harry Cassidy at home in Murrayville c. 1911. Langley Centennial Museum photo 0114 A century after the Spanish Flu swept across the world, Langley historian and author Warren Sommer recounts how the disease affected the people of Langley. Social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine. Wash your hands and don’t touch your face. Each of these terms and instructions is now sadly familiar to all of us. The current Covid 19 pandemic has us worried about older friends and relatives, anxious about the economy, and wondering when we’ll be able to resume activities formerly taken for granted All of these concerns would have been easily recognized by Langley residents a century ago. In the spring of 1920 the global influenza pandemic, inaccurately known at the time as the Spanish Flu, had been underway for over two years. Its effects were devastating. Those who contracted the virus saw their skin [...]
Local History At Your Fingertips
"Langley's Historic Places" is an expanding online archive of photos, background information and maps connected to Sites of Significance in Langley Township. Use the website's search box in the upper right corner to locate specific buildings and sites. New profiles recently added include: Alex Houston Residence, Annand/Rowlatt Farmstead, Coronation Block, Fidler/Worrell Residence, F.J. Hart Building/BC Telephone Co Exchange, Fort Langley Cemetery, Hassall Residence, Lochiel School, Moir Residence and Loucks Residence. Detailed research from the "Our Shared History" project (which LHS was involved with) is also available on this site -- an excellent resource for people wanting to learn more abut Langley's history. Visit HERE.
“Wheels of Time” Roll Until Thanksgiving Weekend
When trains rumble past the CN station in the middle of a production, our crew is ready. "Wheels of Time” has kicked off on the platform of the CNR Station in Fort Langley. The whimsical production journeys through time to highlight Langley people and events from 1910 to 1969, with special attention to the role of the CNR Station in Langley's history. British war bride Lois Bowling, Dr Benjamin Marr and carpenter Billy Brown are among the local local historical figures who make appearances. Written by LHS board member Mark Forsythe, the play was brought to life by the Creative Compass Society under the guidance of Brigitte Seib. The society was created in honour of her late son, Myles, a musician who loved the arts. The Society’s mission is to help mentor emerging local talent. Thank you to the entire volunteer production team, including LHS board [...]
