Description of Historic Place

The Coronation Block is a two storey, wood frame building with a distinctive raised and curved front parapet. It is prominently situated on the south-east corner of Glover Road and St. Andrews Street in Fort Langley.

Heritage Value

Built in 1911, the Coronation Block is historically significant because of its architecture, its landmark status and because it is one of the few remaining buildings from the building boom that occurred in Fort Langley between 1909 and 1912. As well, it is culturally significant for its association with an important Fort Langley family, the Hopes, who contributed to the growth of the village through their entrepreneurial achievements.

The Coronation Block is a fine example of the Boomtown style, built to accommodate two retail stores at street level and living accommodations on the second floor. It shows a design typical of its time for retail stores by its use of recessed doorways and large-paned windows on the main floor, with a residence above on the second floor, indicated by smaller and fewer windows. Its front raised parapet designed in an unusual curved shape, the dual set-back entryways, and the use of traditional and local building materials make this building a landmark at the edge of the village main street.

At the time of the building's construction, Fort Langley was very much an English village. The building got its name from the coronation of King George V and reinforces the cultural links to England that were so important at the time. The strong sense of history that is associated with this building is due partly to its continuous retail and commercial use.

It is assumed that Charles Edward Hope designed the Coronation Block as a revenue property for his wife, Lily. C.E. Hope and his wife were important members of Fort Langley's small community in the early 20th Century. Charles Hope was an architect, civil engineer, and estate and financial agent who created his finest architectural designs in Fort Langley (including his family home, Illahie). Lily Hope was the daughter of well-known Langley pioneer resident, Alexander Mavis.

Together with the Fort Langley Community Hall and the Canadian Northern Railway Station, the Coronation Block plays an important role in focussing the community on heritage conservation issues. Its unique design and age helped create the public and political will to ensure the success of Langley's first Heritage Conservation Area, which was established in 1997 and includes a 9 block area of the Village of Fort Langley, as well as the Fort Langley National Historic Site.

Source: Langley Centennial Museum Heritage Files.

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements which define the heritage character of the Coronation Block include:
- Its Boomtown style architecture, including the raised front parapet with its unusual curved shape;
- Dentil blocks under the cornice;
- Hipped roof over the storefront, supported by large wooden brackets at either end;
- Unaltered spatial orientation of entryways to both the storefront windows and the road;
- Unaltered spatial orientation of store windows to the sidewalk;
- Original shape of storefront windows;
- Original combination/proportion of wood and glass on the lower facade;
- Original second story front window;
- The feel and sound of the original doors and the original floors;
- The twin coffered ceilings in the main floor interior spaces;
- Continued dual use as a residence and retail stores;
- Relationship to the historic cemetery across Glover Road, which offers a sense of neighbourhood stability;
- Relationship to the large horse chestnut trees, planted as a World War I memorial, along this block of Glover Road, which offer a sense of natural containment and shelter;
- The small and informal garden behind the building.