SOUTHWESTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 336

East from Vancouver
FRASER VALLEY
When you leave Vancouver and head due east, you travel through the most built-up and
heavily populated area of British Columbia, skirting modern cities, residential suburbs, and
zones of heavy industry. However, it's not an unattractive area—the main roads follow the
mighty Fraser River through a fertile valley of rolling farmland dotted with historic villages,
and beautiful mountains line the horizon in just about any direction.
You have a choice of two major routes. The Trans-Canada Highway, on the south side
of the Fraser River, speeds you out of southeast Vancouver through Abbotsford and scenic
Chilliwack to Hope. Slower, more picturesque Highway 7 meanders along the north side of
the Fraser River through Mission, named after a Roman Catholic mission school built in
1861. The town is now known for its Benedictine monastery, which offers a retreat center
open to the public. The highway then passes the access road to Harrison Hot Springs and
crosses over the Fraser River to Hope. In summer you can pick and choose from an endless
number of roadside stands selling fresh fruit at bargain prices—the raspberries in July are
delectable.
Fort Langley National Historic Site
In 1827, the Hudson's Bay Company established a settlement 48 kilometers (30 miles) up-
stream from the mouth of the Fraser River as part of a network of trading posts, provision
depots, and administrative centers that stretched across western Canada. The original site
was abandoned in 1838 in favor of another, farther upstream, where today the riverside trad-
ing post has been re-created. When British Columbia became a crown colony on November
19, 1858, Fort Langley was declared capital, but one year later, the entire colonial govern-
ment moved to the more central New Westminster.
Today, the Fort Langley National Historic Site (604/513-4777, 10am-5pm daily, adult
$8, senior $7, child $4), springs to life as park interpreters in period costumes animate the
fort's history. The park is within walking distance of Fort Langley village, where many
businesses are built in a heritage style, and you'll find dozens of antique shops, boutiques,
restaurants, and cafés along its main tree-lined street. To get there, follow Highway 1 for
50 kilometers (31 miles) east from downtown and head north toward the Fraser River from
Exit 66 on 232nd Street and then Glover Road. From the highway, it's five kilometers (3.1