Viewing Object

Object Description

Object Name

Book

Object ID

2008.002.001

Title

British Columbia Official Centennial Record.

Date

1957.

Description

A yellow hardcover book titled "British Columbia Official Centennial Record." The cover has a square drawing in the centre showing a view of the green domed parliament building in Victoria as seen through the wooden doorway of Fort Langley. On the top of the wooden doorway it reads "Fort Langley 1858." At the bottom of the image of the capital building it reads "1958." Above the picture in red and blue it reads "British Columbia Official Centennial Record." There is a white flower beside the words. The bottom reads "1858 / 1958" with the BC coat of arms between the dates, and then in blue "A Century to Celebrate." The title is on the spine. The back is off yellow with small green dashes. In the centre is the coat of arms of BC with a white star around it and a yellow text-box. The book was published by Evergreen Press, Vancouver in 1957. It is 182 pages.

People/Subject

Centennial Celebrations, 1958 (Colony of British Columbia)

In 1958, the province of British Columbia celebrated its Centennial. 1858 was the year Governor James Douglas declared the mainland of British Columbia a British colony. This declaration was made at Fort Langley. Langley was therefore at the centre of the 100th anniversary celebrations in 1958. The Fort Langley National Historic Site was reconstructed by the federal government and officially opened in July by Princess Margaret. The Langley Centennial Museum was opened across the street and people in Langley participated in a wide range of commemorative events ranging from beard growing contests to pageants.
Term Source: Sears List of Subject Headings (16th. Ed.)

Fort Langley National Historic Site

The Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Langley in 1827 in present day Derby Reach Regional Park. It was moved upriver to its current site in 1839. The Fort was run as a provisioning station and farm. The Company moved out of the Fort in 1886. From 1888 into the 1920's the Mavis family ran a farm on the land. In the 1920s the Fort was recognized by the federal government's Historic Sites and Monuments Board, though by that time only one building remained. The land was purchased and from 1931 until 1958, the Native Sons operated a museum on the site. In 1955, the Fort was declared a National Historic Site. A few years later more buildings were reconstructed and much of the collection was moved to the Langley Centennial Museum. Today the Fort is run by Parks Canada.

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Argus v4.4.2.32 - Langley Centennial Museum