. ▁The ▁railway ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁down ▁the ▁main ▁street ▁of ▁what ▁had ▁been ▁the ▁water front ▁town . ▁The ▁Y ale ▁Museum ▁is ▁located ▁on ▁old ▁Front ▁Street , ▁adjacent ▁to ▁the ▁tracks . ▁Next ▁to ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁Ang lic an ▁Church ▁of ▁St . ▁John ▁the ▁Div ine , ▁among ▁the ▁oldest ▁in ▁British ▁Columbia . ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁has ▁a ▁spect ac ular ▁natural ▁landscape . ▁Every ▁summer , ▁a ▁historical ▁re - en act ment ▁group ▁vis its ▁Y ale ▁to ▁celebr ate ▁the ▁Royal ▁Engine ers , ▁who ▁had ▁served ▁under ▁Richard ▁Clement ▁Mo ody ▁during ▁McG owan ' s ▁War . ▁They ▁also ▁worked ▁on ▁the ▁Car ib oo ▁W agon ▁Road ▁( l ater ▁improved ▁as ▁the ▁Trans - Can ada ▁Highway ) ▁and ▁the ▁Douglas - L illo o et ▁Tra il . ▁The ▁men ▁were ▁an ▁integral ▁part ▁of ▁Y ale ' s ▁life ▁from ▁the ▁gold ▁r ush ▁to ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁The ▁town ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁by ▁the ▁Hudson ' s ▁Bay ▁Company ▁as ▁Fort ▁Y ale ▁by ▁O vid ▁All ard , ▁the ▁appointed ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁post , ▁who ▁named ▁it ▁after ▁his ▁superior , ▁James ▁Murray ▁Y ale , ▁then ▁Chief ▁F actor ▁of ▁the ▁Columbia ▁District . ▁In ▁its ▁he yd ay ▁at ▁the ▁peak ▁of ▁the ▁gold ▁r ush , ▁it ▁was