Art Johnston and wife outside of store at the Murrayville Hall, looking west.

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salishan Place by the River currently maintains a collection of over 9000 photographs, 2000 archival documents, 9000 objects, 500 works of art, and 300 oral history recordings. This collection, spanning hundreds of years, is a wonderful window on the past and present life of our community.

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Object Description

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Object Name

Print, Photographic

Object ID

2014.044.001

Artist

Primrose, Percy B. (photographer)

Title

Art Johnston and wife outside of store at the Murrayville Hall, looking west.

Date

[191-?].

Description

B&W image of Art Johnston and wife outside of store at the Murrayville Hall, looking west; the McCrimmon house can be seen next and then a barn and the Berry store beyond; Sharon United Church can be seen beyond the Five Corners. Professional photographer Percy Primrose of Langley took the photograph.

People/Subject

Five Corners - Murrayville

Five Corners intersection is where five roads all meet at one point in Murrayville. The streets are Old Yale Road, 48 Avenue; and 216 street. Paul Murray chose to homestead here in 1874 and after the Yale road was completed, Murray's son, Billy, built a hotel here to cater to travelers passing through on their way to the Interior. This was the first permanent building in the settlement that came to be known as Murray's Corners. In 1889 the brush was cleared for the construction of the first church in the area, Sharon Presbyterian Church. Further developments occurred rapidly, and Murray's Corners became one of the most important settlements in Langley. The settlement grew up as a service area for travelers and for the local agricultural community. Now called Murrayville, it retains a number of early buildings from all eras of it development, from the earliest church and hotel (1880's), to later farmhouses and barns (1900's to 1910's) , a school; and early suburban residence (1910's), and a later store, church and community hall (1920's to 1930's). This concentration of heritage buildings is a significant community resource, and remains as an important reminder of an earlier way of life in Langley. Today this heritage precinct is still centred on the Five Corners intersection, which remains the heart of the Murrayville community.

Johnston, Arthur Thomas, Major

Arthur Thomas Johnson was born in Ontario had served in the South African (Second Boer) War and in Kamloops with the BC Provincial Police. He was running a grocery store in Murrayville, beneath the original Murrayville Hall, by 1911. His wife, Jessie Jane Johnston, operated a hat store next door. When the First World War broke out, he was one of many Langley residents to volunteer, and because of his former experience, led a group originally known as the "Langley Volunteers." The small group later became the "C" Squadron of the 31st British Columbia Horse (Mounted Rifles). Johnston received his commission in May 1916, in the 102nd (Comox-Atlin) Battalion. On June 27, 1916, he sailed from Halifax, where he found out he was promoted to major. On September 2, 1916, Johnston was near Ypres, waiting with his company in the reserve trenches, ready to go forward. He came out of his dugout to take a look over the edge of his parapet at the exact moment a sniper was trained in his direction. He was killed instantly when the bullet hit is head. He was buried at Reninghelst, Belgium.

Art Johnston's sacrifice was remembered in Langley after the war. The Townline Road was renamed the Johnston Townline Road (216th Street), and a memorial tree was planted along the street (at Milner) in his honour. It is believed to be one of the last (or perhaps the last) of the original memorial trees standing today (2020).

Term Source: HPC Record (HPC-337/1107), Roads and Place Names in Langley, B.C. pg. 39 (Pepin).

McCrimmon House (Archibald McCrimmon House)

Located at 21641 48 Avenue, Murrayville. The McCrimmon House was used by the McCrimmon family as a boarding house during the early part of the twentieth century. Later, it housed the law firm of McEwen & Campbell. The building features gingerbread fanwork on the front gable and a verandah extending around most of the house.

Murray's Corner (Murrayville before 1911)

Paul Murray was born in Ireland in 1811 and immigrated to Canada with his family at the age of eighteen. the Murray family settled in Oxford County, Ontario, and ten years later Paul married Lucy Bruce. They bought land in Zorra and had seven children together. In May 1874, after his children were grown, Paul left Ontario and relocated in B.C., accompanied by three of his sons. Their first home in Langley was a roughly built shelter they made for themselves from a gigantic fir tree, and after his wife and two of his daughters arrived, they all lived there together. After these humble beginnings, Murray opened a hotel on Old Yale Road to service travelers making their way into the interior, building up a reputation as one of the finest carpenters in the area. The corner where the hotel was eventually came to be known as Murray's Corners, as the family had 160 acres of land on each corner. Murray's Corners eventually came to be known as Murrayville, and all of Paul's sons worked on Old Yale Road, building more hotels and other businesses to increase commerce. Paul was an ordained church elder, during a time when there were no official churches and services were held in a small schoolhouse on the corner of Glover Road and Old Yale Road. Holding the title of founder of Murrayville, Paul Murray died in 1903. Murray's Corners did not officially become Murrayville until 1911, when the local post office changed its name to Murrayville Post Office.

Murrayville (B.C.)

Paul Murray was born in Ireland in 1811 and immigrated to Canada with his family at the age of eighteen. the Murray family settled in Oxford County, Ontario, and ten years later Paul married Lucy Bruce. They bought land in Zorra and had seven children together. In May 1874, after his children were grown, Paul left Ontario and relocated in B.C., accompanied by three of his sons. Their first home in Langley was a roughly built shelter they made for themselves from a gigantic fir tree, and after his wife and two of hisdaughters arrived, they all lived there together. After these humble beginnings, Murray opened a hotel on Old Yale Road to service travelers making their way into the interior, building up a reputation as one of the finest carpenters in the area. The corner where the hotel was eventually came to be known as Murray's Corners, as the family had 160 acres of land on each corner. Murray's Corners eventually came to be known as Murrayville, and all of Paul's sons worked on Old Yale Road, building more hotels and other businesses to increase commerce. Paul was an ordained church elder, dring a time when there were no official churches and services were held in a small schoolhouse on the corner of Glover Road and Old Yale Road. Holding the title of founder of Murrayville, Paul Murray died in 1903. Murray's Corners did not officially become Murrayville until 1911, when the local post office changed its name to Murrayville Post Office.

Murrayville Community Hall

Murrayville's original community hall was a two storey structure with shops at ground level and a large open hall above. In 1924 cultural and athletic activities suffered a blow when the building burned down. The site was vacant until 1928 when community effort and volunteer labour, led by foreman Ab Sherritt, built the existing (2019) hall on same site at 21667 48 Ave. At this time, the land was still owned by P.Y. Porter. The Murrayville Community Memorial Hall was built as a memorial to WWI soldiers from Langley, and was officially opened April 27, 1929. PY Porter sold the property to the Murrayville Community Hall Association for $1 in 1944. PY, and later his son, Eldy Porter, were in charge of the care, maintenance and bookings for some time. The hall has been modernized and upgraded in recent years.
Term Source: "Langley's Heritage," "1990 and Counting".

Sharon Presbyterian (United) Church

During the Presbyterian ministry of Reverend Alexander Tait in the late 1880s, this site was donated by Henry Mutrie for the construction of a new church. The lumber was obtained from a mill located two miles to the east. The name for the church is taken from the Song of Solomon, chapter 2, verse 1, "I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys". In 1925, with the unification of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches, this became the home of the United Church; those that remained Presbyterian constructed a new church on 216A Street. A new entry has been added to the simple form of the church, and a new hall built at the rear. It is, however, a well-maintained local area landmark and provides the community with important link to it first settlement.

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