Description of Historic Place

The Hassall Residence consists of a 2 storey, 'pioneer style', wood-frame house on a country lot. Located between the railway tracks and the Fraser River and surrounded by open fields, the house is a landmark element of the Greater Vancouver Regional District's Glen Valley Park in Langley, British Columbia.

Heritage Value

The Hassall Residence, built in 1917, is important for its historic significance; specifically for its location, its association with the early 20th century history of Langley, and for its association with the Hassall family. 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.

Although a typical pioneer home, this house is one of a few remaining in the Glen Valley area that was built on land acquired from the Soldiers' Settlement Board. It tells an important story in the development of northeast Langley, and in particular the community of Glen Valley, during the early 20th Century. This area was first settled early in Langley's history, as it was near the Hudson's Bay Fort, the land was flat and fertile, and it was adjacent to the Fraser River. Settlement picked up again in the early 20th Century with the arrival of the Canadian Northern Railway line after 1910.

The Glen Valley area grew around McKay's wharf at the foot of Jackman Road (now 272nd Street). The original McKay house (which, in 1904, contained the first post office and the first store) was moved away from the river and, in 1917, the Hassall House was built further back from the river's edge on that site. The house was built after the Edwardian Boom Era (ca. 1909-1913) and at the decline of the First World War. Many able-bodied men did not return from the War, so the Federal Governments Soldiers' Settlement Board encouraged those who did return to acquire land and earn a living with small-scale farming. Jack Hassall is an example of one such returning soldier who accepted the Board's offer and settled in Glen Valley. There is a significant amount of original landscape still present on the site, including mature walnut and maple trees.

Of interest is that this area of the Fraser River took on a nickname thanks to Mrs. Hassall. It was known as the 'Two Bit Bar' from the time when Mrs. Hassall charged fishermen two bits (or 25 cents) to park on the property and fish from its shore.

The Hassall Family is also significant, for they were the first occupants of the house and lived in it continuously from 1918 until the late-1970s. Jack Hassall and his wife Christina operated a dairy farm and were important members of the Glen Valley community. Jack was also important for his life-long contribution to King and Country (he served honourably in the Boer War, World War One and World War Two).

Source: Langley Centennial Museum Heritage Files.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Hassall Residence include:
- Location on flat land between the Fraser River and the Railroad
- The mature walnut and maple trees
- Unobstructed view of the Fraser River and the Railroad
- Formal architectural qualities that emphasize the modest nature of the house, such as: balloon structure, gable roof, small open front porch with simple wood posts, bevelled horizontal wood siding, number and placement of windows
- Original materials, such the cladding and the wood windows