Exploring the Birthplace of British Columbia

---

August 30, 2013



We’re coming to the end of a rather damp but lovely relaxing week in North Vancouver. Unfortunately, thanks to the rain we’ve not really achieved the hikes we were hoping to do. We hiked Lynn Peak last Sunday when the weather was beautiful but since then, in true Vancouver tradition, we’ve had a bit of rain each day culminating in an almighty thunder and lightening storm last night! Quite the display when it eerily lit up the mountains to the side and behind us!

Yesterday there was nothing for it but to go to the cinema. We saw Despicable Me 2 and all thoroughly enjoyed it. A couple of laugh out louds bits that even had Steve and I giggling – always good when you find a family film that truly appeals to everyone.

And today we visited Fort Langley and managed to avoid the odd shower until the sun came out in full force by late afternoon.

Fort Langley is actually the birthplace of British Columbia (according to the signs as you drive into the town anyway). It’s situated on the Fraser River and a fort was established in 1827 by the Hudson Bay Company specifically to trade with the local First Nations people, the Kwantlen, who lived across the river. The fort maintained a good and peaceful trade in furs, salmon and cranberries with the local native inhabitants.

The fort is open to the public and we visited. Unlike the Burnaby Village Museum this wasn’t free but being BC Parks owned it wasn’t expensive at $19 for a family ticket.

Sam was particularly interested in the Weapons Display and firing of the muskets. Although it has to be remembered that this isn’t a military fort and muskets were used to hunt rather than to defend or attack. He rather impressed me (and I think the interpreter too) by being able to answer her question about the difference between a musket and a gun. (I won’t bother you with an explanation – you can ask him sometime).

Within a short while of the Fort being established in 1827 so someone found “gold in them there hills” and everyone rushed to the Fraser River to try find some of their own. We got to try our hand at gold panning as well and found a few tiny nuggets of….well, not sure really, presumably metal painted gold. It was fun though although it takes a lot of patience if you do it properly (unlike Sam who, as the picture shows, was tempted just to shift through with his fingers rather than to swirl the grit and water around together until you’re left with just the bigger stones and hopefully some gold!)

We felt privileged to speak at some length with one of the helpers at the Fort who was actually of the Kwantlen people and whose grandfather had actually worked at the Fort. The thing that impresses me most about the First Nations people is that they can trace their history back through generations and generations. Scientists know that they have lived in what is now Canada for at least 12,000 years. Whereas if you ask any other Canadian; even if they can go back a few generations in this country, their family history would soon lead back to some European country.

She was a lovely woman and we very much enjoyed talking to her. She even managed to get us to dress up in some of the traditional clothes, which for us reserved English is no mean feat!

The town of Fort Langley itself surprised us in how wonderfully old fashioned, rustic and charming it was and more importantly we feel rather embarrassed to have to admit that, despite living in Vancouver for 3 years, we had never visited it before! So we wandered for a while and enjoyed a lovely cup of coffee in Wendel’s Bookshop and Café before returning to North Vancouver and our last evening in the city before heading off to the Rockies tomorrow.

Now, as I wrap up this blog entry, I’m looking out of the window, enjoying one last lingering look onto the fabulous city full of twinkling lights. I’m not sure why they do it but the lights really do shimmer, sparkle and dance around as if someone has chosen the “random twinkle” setting on the fairy lights of a massive Christmas tree of a city.

---

Photos

Fort Langley
Signing the proclamation that created British Columbia!

Fort Langley
Panning for gold!

Fort Langley
Firing muskets

Kilmer Street, North Van
More deer in the garden and this time a baby as well