51. Day's End at Travellers Hotel 1912 copy

Limited Edition Watercolour Lithographic Print: sn500, ap15, pp10

(unframed)

11.74x17.75 (inches) sn $100, ap$120, pp$130

From a watercolour painting by

Brian Croft

This painting originates from an old photograph circa 1909 -1911. Murray’s Corners was an important waypoint for travelers on Old Yale Road. At the center of the painting is the Travelers Hotel, which was built by Billy Murray in 1887, and was the first structure constructed at Murray’s Corners. The hotel had rooms for about 20 guests, a restaurant and, for a short time, a bar. Three of the buildings in this painting still stand today: The Travelers Hotel, the Sharon Presbyterian Church, and the Archibald McCrimmon house barely visible sandwiched between the large Community Center and the long grey livery stable.

I wanted to capture the feeling of welcoming that travelers must have felt approaching Murray’s Corners on Old Yale Road. I placed the sun at “day’s end”, well down on the western horizon, which served to “spotlight” the buildings and especially the Travelers Hotel. A storm is moving in from the east threatening to spoil what had been a perfect day for traveling. The family of three left New Westminster earlier in the day and are evaluating both the weather and Murray’s Corners as they approach on Old Yale Road. Their son leans over his mothers shoulder to get a glimpse of the village buildings. They will stay the night in Murray’s Corners at Billy Murray’s Travelers Hotel.

Brian Croft