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Breaking News
Try the new Fort Vancouver Podcast! more...
"The Grand Emporium of the Company's Trade"
Nestled snugly today in the Vancouver/Portland metropolitan area and enveloped by its highway, rail, air, and maritime commercial networks, Fort Vancouver is a gem of a park whose story as an economic and cultural center - told, in part, through engaging programs and a world-class archaeology collection - fascinatingly portends that of the modern-day Pacific Northwest.
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A Center of Commerce and Trade
As the administrative center and principal supply depot of the British Hudson’s Bay Company’s vast "Columbia Department," Fort Vancouver served as the hub of an extensive fur trading network utilizing two dozen posts, six ships, and about 600 employees during peak seasons, with an extensive geographic range of 700,000 square miles stretching from Russian Alaska to Mexican California, and from the Rocky Mountains to the Hawaiian Islands.
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A Center of Community
The fort quickly became a center of activity and influence, supported by a multicultural village with inhabitants from over 35 different ethnic and tribal groups. The first hospital, school, library, grist mill, saw mill, dairy, shipbuilding, and orchard in the region were all centered at Fort Vancouver. The fort also served as the early end of the Oregon Trail for American immigrants, and later became a U.S. Army post. Today, demonstrations, exhibits, and archaeology digs help visitors connect to the site's people, stories, and resources.
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McLoughlin House Unit
The McLoughlin House, in nearby Oregon City, Oregon, was added to the National Park System in 2003 as a unit of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. The house is restored to help recognize the life and accomplishments of John McLoughlin, the "Father of Oregon." The site also includes the home of the family of Dr. Forbes Barclay, a Hudson's Bay Company associate and early Oregon City civic leader.
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Vancouver National Historic Reserve
Fort Vancouver is the heart of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve. The Reserve brings together a national park, a premier archaeological site, the region's first military post, an international fur trade emporium, one of the oldest operating airfields, the first national historic site west of the Mississippi River, and a waterfront trail and environmental center on the banks of the Columbia River. More...
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Write to
Fort Vancouver NHS
612 East Reserve Street
Vancouver, WA 98661
E-mail Us
Phone
Visitor Information
(360) 816-6230
Fax
(360) 816-6363
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Climate
Believe it or not, Vancouver's weather bucks the stereotype of the rainy Pacific Northwest. Our average annual rainfall (36 inches) is less than that of Atlanta, Dallas, Indianapolis or Seattle. This "liquid sunshine" keeps the park impossibly green - and helps instill a love of the area's natural and cultural treasures. Temperatures are moderate, and range from December's average low of 35 degrees F to August's average high of 81 degrees F.
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Did You Know?
Did you know that over 35 ethnic and tribal groups were represented in Fort Vancouver’s fur trade village? Visit Fort Vancouver National Historic Site to learn more about the people of the fur trade!
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Last Updated: May 07, 2009 at 20:24 EST |
