Alex Houston House circa. 1909 (Houston Trail - Derby Reach Park)

            Langley, BC Canada

Derby Reach is recognized as the site of the first contact between people of the Stó:lõ First Nation and Europeans working for the Hudson’s Bay Company. 

The Hudson Bay Company built a fort here. One of BC’s first townsites was laid out in the park and later, a pioneer named Alex Houston built his house 
on land that is now part of the regional park. Houston is credited with starting the Cariboo Gold Rush and is suspected of claiming the fortune of Billy Miner, BC’s most infamous train robber. 

DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE

The Alex Houston Residence consists of a modest 1 1/2 storey wood-frame house on a country lot. It is within view of the Fraser River and is located in the Greater Vancouver Regional District's Derby Reach Park in NW Langley, British Columbia.

HERITAGE VALUE

Built in 1909 by Alexander Houston, the Houston Residence is important for its historic significance in terms of its association with the Houston family, its location, and the period in which it was built. It is also an important example of a community-led restoration that combined the resources of the Langley Heritage Society and the Greater Vancouver Regional District.

The Houstons were an important family in British Columbia's history. Alex's father, James, is credited for being the first European to discover gold along the Fraser River, the first independent farmer in the Fraser Valley, one of 33 men to petition the government for an incorporation of the district, and one of the first councillors when Langley was incorporated as a District in 1873.

Alex took over the family cattle and dairy farming business in 1902 (after the death of his father). He was the only son of James and was himself an important pioneer in the Derby area. His family was very active in the community until the 1950's, having established and hosted the community May Day celebrations and donating land for a commemorative cairn across the street from his house, marking the site of the first Fort Langley.

The farm site stands on what was originally land occupied by the first Hudson's Bay Company Fort (1827) and later by the Townsite of Derby (1859). It is a focal point for Derby historical interpretations.

Sources: Derby/Edgewater Bar Guide; Langley Centennial Museum Heritage Files; HistoricPlaces.ca

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Thank-you for your visit, and please know that any faves or comments are always greatly appreciated!

Sonja

Taken on: April 17, 2021

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Alex Houston House

Alex Houston Residence

Historic

National Register of Historic Places

National Historic Site

The Houstons

Alex Houston

Langley

Derby Reach Regional Park

Derby Reach Park

Houston Trail

Langley Heritage Society

British Columbia

Canada

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Nikon D7500

AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR

Greater Vancouver Regional District

Township of Langley

Heritage Registered Property

Heritage Building

Heritage

Farm Site

Hudson's Bay Company

Family

BC History

Wood-Frame House

Fraser River

Fort Langley

Derby Reach

Restoration

Houston Family

circa. 1909

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Sets appears in: • Fort Langley/Township of Langley (2021-2022)

Camera: Nikon D7500, f/9.0, 1/160 sec, 44mm (=66mm), ISO 800 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D7500
Lens:	18.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-6.3
Aperture:	f/9.0
Exposure Time:	0.006 sec (1/160)
Focal Length:	44mm (35mm equivalent: 66mm)
ISO:	800
Exposure Bias:	-4/3 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Center-weighted average
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 10.2 (Windows)
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