Its a cloudy day Friday Oct 12, so it’s a good day to visit a fort. About a 45 minute drive is Langley BC. and the National heritage site of Fort Langley. Our Parks Canada Discovery pass that we purchased in Banff gives us free entry. (A family pass costs $136.40 and is good for 1 year at over 80 sites across Canada – this does not include camping fees).
Furs and HBC blanket
Fort Langley is a small fort that was originally built in 1827 as a Hudson Bay company (HBC) fur trading post with strong ties to the Aboriginal people in the area. The HBC encouraged its men to marry Aboriginal women in order to form alliances and gain access to the Aboriginal trade networks which allowed the fort to prosper. These alliances also allowed the Aboriginal Family access to European resources.
The fort later became a provisioning post during the gold rush, and later when furs were no longer fashionable, the fort prospered with trades in fish and cranberries. They made shipping barrels onsite which was a key to their success.
Shipping crates and barrels from all over the world
While visiting the fort we met the blacksmith (his actual profession) with whom we spent an hour or so discussing his profession and his role at the fort. He was very informative and personable and one of a few ‘paid’ employees of Parks Canada. We also met and chatted with a volunteer with a vast knowledge of the politics of the times. Afterwards we toured some of the buildings and saw a short film on the history of the fort.
Beaver felt hats were fashionable until the mid 1800’s — A typical bedroom in the main house (notice the rifle above the bed)
The site is situated in Langley BC along the Fraser river and right in town. Along with a well maintained and staffed historic site, there are o’Tentik accommodations that can be rented on site. The fort is open year round.
The town of Langley is large enough to provide every convenience needed and has a real tourist vibe as you drive through, with artsy looking shops and cafes along the main streets.