Langley Centennial Museum
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Object Name
Print, Photographic
Object ID
2166
Title
The view looking east and southeast down the Yale Road in Murrayville.
Date
[after 1930].
Description
View looking east and southeast down the Yale Road. The Murrayville Garage is on the right hand side of photo west of the Murrayville Five Corners intersection.
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.
Murrayville Garage (formerly Murrayville Blacksmith Shop)
The oldest part of this structure dates from just after the turn of the century, when it was originally constructed as both a blacksmith shop and carriage works. It was built by Ed Rudick for Dave and Jim Monahan. In 1907, Arthur Anderson came to work for the Monahan brothers. Anderson subsequently took over the operation of the shop in 1912 (one year after the building's foreclosure). The front section of the garage was replaced in 1922 with a new building, constructed by Ab Sherritt. Anderson continued to shoe horses in the older part of the building, while his son, Benny, operated a service station in the new addition. In 1944, Anderson sold the building to the future mayor of Langley City, Len Nicholas, who operated an International harvester dealership on site until 1958.
Old Yale Road
In the beginning it was a sleigh route. Serious construction started on it in 1872. The Langley Municipality in 1874 requested and received money from the province to make it suitable for buggy traffic through Langley. It was not in good condition until 1897 - 1898 when it was gravelled. In 1922 the first two mile section of the road was cemented between Langley Prairie and Murrayville. The cement was laid by A. B. Palmer Co, who stamped the date in the pavement at the end of each day.
See From: green timbers road, yale wagon road
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Argus v4.4.2.32 - Langley Centennial Museum