Description of Historic Place

The Traveller's Hotel is a two storey hotel built in the style of a vernacular wooden residence with an open front verandah that extends around the east side of the building. The Hotel is located on a lot adjacent to the well known Murray's Corners intersection at the head of Old Yale Road in Langley's Murrayville community

Heritage Value

Murrayville is important because it is the second village centre to be created after Fort Langley. Called Murray's Corners at first, the settlement of this area began in 1874/5 when the Paul Murray family arrived and received crown grants of 160 acres on each corner of the New Westminster - Yale Road - Fort Langley Trail intersection. The name was changed to Murrayville about 1911, purportedly at the desire of the newly arrived post office, yet the distinctive five corner intersection at its centre remained known by its former name.

Built between 1885 and 1889 by Billy Murray, the Traveller's Hotel is significant because of its historic and social values. It is the oldest remaining structure in the Murrayville community and was built and occupied by one of its founding families. It has strong associations with the early social history of the community, as it represents the establishment and growth of the community and of the province.

The strong sense of history that is associated with this building is due to its continued use as a hotel for over 100 years and its continued landmark presence at the Murray's Corners intersection. The Traveller's Hotel illustrates the early expansion of British Columbia which was due, in part, to the discovery of gold in the interior of the province in the 19th Century. Of the approximately 180 hotels en route to the final gold digging destination of the Caribou, the Traveller's Hotel was the first overnight stop (and may be the last of these hotels still standing). Other typical guests at this time were real estate agents and their clients who were looking to buy land and settle in the area.

The Traveller's Hotel also reflects the settlement and growth of early Langley. The building is an important physical link to the origins of the Murrayville community and is a legacy to the Murray Family. The Traveller's Hotel is a fine example of a typical 19th Century balloon structure made from local timber. The interior finishes and detailing represent a timeless quality and evoke memories of a simpler (albeit more challenging) lifestyle. The modern rear addition is evocative of the early addition that was demolished in 1929.

Source: Langley Centennial Museum, heritage files.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Traveller's Hotel include its:
- Vernacular, balloon frame construction method
- 3 bay design of front facade
- Front door centred on the main facade
- Verandah that runs the width on the front elevation and the length of the east side
- Shed roof over the verandah
- Gable roof
- Small gable over and in line with the front door
- Two identical chimneys, one at each end of the roof
- The number and design of the windows, as well as their placement
- Drop wood siding
- Original woodwork of the interior, in particular the flooring and the wall between the parlour and the dining room
- General interior layout with a variety of bedrooms on the second floor, with gathering rooms on the main floor
- Relationship of the building to the five corner intersection
- Landmark role of this building at the intersection and within the community