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Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is the heart of the Vancouver
National Historic Reserve. It served as the hub of an extensive
fur trading network and was also the center of political, cultural,
commercial, and manufacturing activities in the Pacific Northwest.
A Center of Commerce and Trade
Established in 1825, Fort Vancouver served as the headquarters
and principal supply depot of the British Hudson’s Bay
Company. At its pinnacle, it utilized two dozen posts, six ships,
and about 600 employees, 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.
A Center of Culture
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, shipyard, and orchard in the region
were all centered at Fort Vancouver. The site also served as the
early end of the Oregon Trail for American immigrants, and later
became a U.S. Army post.
Today fort staff and volunteers provide visitors with interpretive
and educational programs that demonstrate all aspects of daily
life at the fort throughout the significant periods of its history.
The site is also considered the premier historic archeological
site in the Pacific Northwest, with a collection of over two million
objects relating to the American Indian, fur trade and U.S. Army
occupations of the site.
Education programs at Fort Vancouver include several hands-on
programs, an audio tour, a self-guided tour, and tours for large
and small groups.
Fort Vancouver offers students the opportunity to learn about
the theme of Westward Expansion, 1763-1898; the Hudson’s
Bay Company at Fort Vancouver from 1824 to 1860; the story of
the fur trade; the important role played by the Hudson’s
Bay Company in the exploration, settlement, and development
of the Pacific Northwest; the role of the U.S. military during
the 19th century; and the role of archaeology in the preservation
and understanding of Pacific Northwest history.
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