Viewing Object

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

The P. Y. Porter Tailgate Programme began circa 1996, and brings the P. Y. Porter truck, photographs, a spinning wheel, and other historical information to various events around Langley. They have attended the recurring Langley Centennial Museum's Canada Day event, and the Township of Langley's 125th anniversary celebration in 1998. Fred Pepin is involved with the programme.

Alfred (Fred) Pepin is a grandson of Thomas Alfred Pepin, a pioneer settler of the Langley, B.C., area. He is married to Maureen Pepin. He is involved in the P. Y. Porter Tailgate Programme, and the Langley Heritage Society. He was awarded the Freedom of the Municipality in 2006.

Philip Young Porter, known as P. Y., was born on September 15, 1890, in Ontario, to George E. Porter and Margaret Smith. The family came to Vancouver around 1891, and came to Langley in 1897, settling in the Murrayville area. Philip Young (PY) Porter began working for the Murrayville General Store in 1912 following a short stint as a blacksmith. Philip married Eleanor (Nellie) Agnes Powell in Vancouver on June 11, 1913. He continued his employment with the store when Seth Witton purchased it two years later. PY became the local postmaster in 1916 and eventually bought the store from Witton in 1917. Porter employed Ab Sherritt and Mr. Crockett to do extensive renovations in the late 1930's and the "new" P. Y. Porter General Merchandise store was completed in 1939. P.Y. ran the store for many years but gave the daily management of it over to his son Eldon (a.k.a. Eldy) in the late 1950's. P.Y. continued to help out until 1971 when he finally retired. Philip died on January 1, 1988.