Fort Langley

FORT LANGLEY was a trading post established in 1827 by the HBC on the FRASER R about 50 km from its mouth at the site now known as DERBY. It was named for Thomas Langley, an HBC official. In 1839 a new post was built 5 km upriver, closer to suitable farmland. When this fort burned in 1840 its replacement was relocated close by on the present site. BC was declared a colony here on 19 Nov 1858, by which time the post was a jumping-off point for miners heading to the Interior goldfields (see GOLD RUSHES). It remained in operation until 1886; for most of that time it was an important provisioning post, producing AGRICULTURAL products and cured SALMON. In 1955 the site was declared a National Historic Park and several buildings were reconstructed. The village itself, with its array of antique shops, sidewalk cafés and historic buildings, caters to an ever-increasing flow of TOURISTS. In the 1990s the GREATER VANCOUVER REGIONAL DISTRICT and LANGLEY Township began building a fort-to-fort trail linking the Historic Park with the old Derby site.