Langley Area Info.

With its rich history, wonderful sense of community, lush offerings of nature, and proximity to Vancouver, Langley is the best kept secret in the Lower Mainland.

The City of Langley has a pedestrian-oriented downtown core, as well as a Kwantlen University College campus located right in town. With a high-end shopping centre, independent stores, farmer’s markets, and terrific antique retailers, the City of Langley is proud to be a growing business centre that has held onto its heritage feeling. Boasting fabulous wineries, over 300 acres of beautiful parklands, abundant farms and nurseries, and a thriving arts community, every season is full of wonder and exciting activities here.

History

The first European settlers in what is today the City of Langley, were William and Adam Innes, two brothers who came to British Columbia from near London, Ontario with the intention of freighting to the Cariboo goldfields. The early pioneers had to settle in a semi circle to the east, south and west between the Hudson Bay farm and the foot of the highland.

The original settlement at Langley City was known as "Innes Corners", and later was called "Langley Prairie" when the post office was transferred there in 1911. This was one of the many small communities established in the area, separated from other settlements by large tracks of farm land and bush. The construction of the Inter-Urban railroad (BC Electric Railway) in 1910 resulted in significant growth in the community.

The area along (Old) Yale Road developed into a major business and service centre and attracted trade from all over Langley. Continued growth resulted in the demand for higher levels of service in the community and on March 15, 1955, the City of Langley, with its current boundaries, was incorporated as a separate municipality.

In the years since incorporation, the population has grown from an initial poplulation of 2,025 to an estimated 24,000 today.

Information from the City of Langley