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Breaking News

The public scoping period for East & South Vancouver Barracks planning is open March 20 to May 1, 2010.
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"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.

 
Beaver pelts served as the basis for trade at Fort Vancouver for many years.

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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Detail of a volunteer's intricate costume at the annual Brigade Encampment special event.

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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The Mcloughlin House, in Oregon City, Oregon, is a unit of Fort Vancouver NHS.

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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Staff and volunteers participate in the annual 1860's Vintage Base Ball Match special event.

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...

 

Write to

Fort Vancouver NHS
612 East Reserve Street
Vancouver, WA 98661

Phone

Visitor Information
(360) 816-6230

Fax

(360) 816-6363

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.
Communities Surrounding Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Note: The times listed below are approximate driving times to the park.
Vancouver, WA (3 min. ) Pop. 143,560
Portland, OR (13 min. ) Pop. 529,121
Brush Prairie, WA (17 min. ) Pop. 2,384
Ridgefield, WA (20 min. ) Pop. 2,147
Washougal, WA (21 min. ) Pop. 8,595
Lake Oswego, OR (22 min. ) Pop. 35,278
 Battle Ground, WA (22 min. ) Pop. 9,296
Gresham, OR (24 min. ) Pop. 90,205
Troutdale, OR (24 min. ) Pop. 13,777
Clackamas, OR (26 min. ) Pop. 338,391
Heisson, WA (31 min. )
Scappoose, OR (32 min. ) Pop. 4,976