Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Sunday, July 2, 2017

  

Today we traveled west on Highway 14 (remember this highway runs right along the Columbia River) stopping at two little towns on our way to Washougal, Camas and Vancouver.  Camas is the home of a very large Georgia Pacific Paper Mill which takes up several blocks.  A cute town with some old buildings.    

Flower found in Park in Washougal

Above pictures from downtown historic Camas

Arriving in the Vancouver area we sought out the old Fort Vancouver National Historic Site located on a beautiful well groomed 300+ grassy acres.  Fort Vancouver was an important Hudson's Bay Company fur trading post that was established in 1824.  The U.S. Army in 1849 constructed the Vancouver Barracks next to the trading post and later took over the facility when it was abandoned.  A fire destroyed the fort in 1866 but the Army continued to operate in various forms until the present time.  The Fort was separated from the Army Barracks and became a National Monument in 1948.  In 1966 at the urging of the local community, construction began on all the modern replica fort structures which were placed on the original locations seen today.  

Parade Grounds

Hospital

Officers Row

Now a restaurant