Sto:lo People - History - Simon Fraser and Fort Langley

Simon Fraser and Fort Langley

The 1782 epidemic was soon followed by direct, face-to-face contact with Europeans. The first European to explore the region from overland was Simon Fraser, who travelled down the Fraser River in 1808. Hudson's Bay Company posts Fort Langley (established in 1827) and Fort Yale (1848) brought tremendous change to the relationships of the Stó:lō with each other and with the land. Although these HBC posts were built with the fur trade in mind, trade in salmon soon took over as primary item of exchange. Between 1830 and 1849, Fort Langley's purchases of salmon increased from 200 barrels to 2610 barrels. The Kwantlen branch of the Sto:lo relocated their main village to the proximity of the fort, partly to maintain primacy in trade with the company and partly for protection. The fort repelled an attack by the Euclataws of Quadra Island and is credited with putting an end to slave raids on the lower Fraser by northern tribes.