03 About Langley
One name, two municipalities
Langley is made up of two separate municipalities. The City of Langley is a compact urban centre of about ten square kilometres, built around Fraser Highway and the Langley Bypass. Surrounding it on every side is the much larger Township of Langley, which takes in Fort Langley, Walnut Grove, Willoughby, Murrayville, Brookswood, Aldergrove and a great deal of farmland. The Township was incorporated in 1873, and the City separated from it in 1955. They have separate councils but share a name, a history and many services, and most people simply say they live in Langley.
Where British Columbia began
The area is the traditional territory of Stó:lō peoples, including the Kwantlen First Nation, whose community is on McMillan Island across from Fort Langley. In 1827 the Hudson’s Bay Company built a trading post on the Fraser River, and the fort at Fort Langley became so important that the mainland Colony of British Columbia was proclaimed there in 1858. That history is the reason Fort Langley is often called the birthplace of BC, and the reconstructed fort is now a national historic site.
Suburbs and farmland
For much of the twentieth century Langley was farm country. Since then, the Township’s western neighbourhoods have grown into large suburbs. Walnut Grove is an established family area near Highway 1, while Willoughby has become one of the fastest-growing parts of the region, full of new townhouses, apartments and schools. Further east, Aldergrove keeps a small-town feel close to the border.
Between the suburbs, much of the Township remains in agricultural land, with horse farms, nurseries, wineries and roadside farm stands. Regional parks such as Derby Reach and Campbell Valley offer river and forest trails.
Langley is largely car-oriented, and Highway 1 and Fraser Highway can be slow at rush hour. The SkyTrain extension now under construction will run to Langley City, which should make the trip to Vancouver much easier once it opens. Until then, it suits people who want more room, and visitors happy to spend a day exploring by car.
