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Construction began on the BCFMAM in June 1966 when the B.C. Farm Association's president, Archie Stevenson turned the sod in Fort Langley, next to the Langley Centennial Museum. In the 1950s, the museum was planned to be built out at UBC, but as the university kept expanding, it was deemed unsuitable. Fort Langley therefore, as the first to export agricultural commodities from the B.C. mainland, was chosen. Building began when funds had been raised nearly nine years later, and the museum was officially opened November 19, 1966 by Sir Robert Billinger, Lord Mayor of London. In December 1976, the provincial government gave the museum a grant, which was used to expand the facilities and improve the existing building.

The Canadian Northern Pacific Railway (CNoPR) was an historic Canadian railway with a main line running between the Alberta–British Columbia border and Vancouver, British Columbia. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR). This railway existed mainly on paper, and there were no cars or locomotives lettered "Canadian Northern Pacific". As far as the public and most workers were concerned, it was just a part of the CNoR.


Source: Wikipedia

www.parkscanada.gc.ca/langley ***** The Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Langley in 1827 about 50 km. from the mouth of the Fraser River. The Company's first fort was established on the Fraser River in present day Derby Reach Regional Park, two miles downstream from what is now the village of Fort Langley. Recognition that the site of the fort was vulnerable to flooding and too far from its farming operations resulted in its relocation further upstream on a higher piece of land. A second fort was thus established at the site of the current reconstructed Fort in 1839. It burned in 1840 and was immediately rebuilt in the same location. The Fort mainly served as a provisioning post producing agricultural products and Salmon. The Hudson's Bay Company Fort went to pasture after the company moved its operations to the village of Fort Langley in 1886. From 1888 to the 1920's, the Mavis family farm occupied the land that would later become a National Historic Site. In the late teens and early 1920's, many became interested in the preservation of the historic fort site. Fort Langley was recognized by the federal government's Historic Sites and Monuments Board. At the Board's urging, the local community raised money to purchase three acres of the fur trading post in 1924, including the last remaining building. The HSMB and Native Sons unveiled a plaque commemorating the site in 1925. Between 1931 and 1958, the Native Sons operated a museum display in the Store House, the last remaining Hudson's Bay Company building. In 1955, the Fort was declared a National Historic Site. During the 1958 Centennial (the 100 year anniversary of Governor James Douglas declaring the mainland of present-day British Columbia a British colony), the federal government undertook the partial reconstruction of palisades and buildings at the Fort. The same year saw the construction of the Langley Centennial Museum.

The Museum is located within a designated Heritage Conservation Area in the village of Fort Langley, Township of Langley. Community collecting began in the 1920's with a Native Sons of BC exhibit located in the last remaining Hudson's Bay Company fur trade era structure (circa 1840). A decision by the Canadian Parks Services to actively interpret Fort Langley prompted the provincial and municipal governments to cooperate in the construction of a new museum adjacent to the National Historic Site.

The Township-owned museum opened July 1, 1958 and housed a majority of the Native Sons collection. It was operated by volunteers until 1974 when it was selected by the Federal government as a site for one of 22 National Exhibition Centres across Canada. The physical plant doubled in size, its mandate was extended to include art, history and science traveling exhibitions and the first staff person was hired. Federal NEC operating funding was eliminated in 1994 but the museum has continued to respond to that expanded mandate. In 1991, the Museum became the core facility of the Community and Heritage Services Department, Planning, Development and Stewardship Division, Township of Langley.
Term Source: BCAUL