Fort Vancouver: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:31, 27 February 2006

Revision as of 21:49, 27 February 2006

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==Fort Vancouver/Columbia==

In 1849 the US Army setup [[Columbia Barracks]] (later renamed [[Vancouver Barracks]]) on a rise 20 Feet (6.1 meters) above the trading post, fronting 1,200 yards (1.1 KM) on the river with buildings on a line 2,000 yards (1.83 KM) from the water. Political pressure from the new fort prompted the Hudson's Bay Company to move their headquarters to [[Fort Victoria]] (now [[Victoria, British Columbia]]) over a period of time.

While the company continued to operate out of Fort Vancouver, every year saw less and less fur trade and more and more settlers and US Army movements. Through this time the fort saw the [[Indian Wars]] in the west and famous military men such as [[Ulysses S. Grant]], [[Philip Henry Sheridan]], [[George Crook]], and [[George C. Marshall]]. Finally, on [[June 14]], [[1860]], the Hudson's Bay Company abandoned Fort Vancouver and moved their operations north of the border. The US Army immediately renamed the combined ___location '''Fort Columbia''', changing the name again to '''Fort Vancouver''' in 1853. They used it for quarters and storage, with its local population flucturatingfluctuating seasonally, finally hitting bottom with a strength of 50 persons in 1861. In [[1866]] most of the fort burned down in a large fire.

Fort Vancouver was rebuilt, with a layout that included two double-story barracks on opposite sides of the parade ground, each with a kitchen and mess room to the rear. Seven log and four frame buildings served as Officer's Quarters. The post remained in active service, being expanded for World War I into [[Vancouver Barracks]]. Its final use was in World War II when Vancouver Barracks was used as a Staging Area for the '''Seattle Port Of Embarkation'''. At this time, the post included 3,019 Acres (1,221.75 Hectares), and had billeting space for 250 Officers, and 7,295 Enlisted Persons. It was finally closed in 1946. A plan was put together to preserve the ___location.

Because of the its significance in United States history Fort Vancouver was declared a [[U.S. National Monument]] on [[June 19]], [[1948]] and a [[U.S. National Historic Site]] on [[June 30]], [[1961]]. This was taken a step further in [[1996]] when a 366 acre (148.11 Hectare) area around the fort, which includes Kanaka Village, the Columbia Barracks and the bank of the river, was established as the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and is maintained by the [[National Park Service]]. It is possible to tour the fort and it is also the site of a large [[fireworks]] display, said to be the largest west of the [[Mississippi River]], on the [[July 4|4th of July]].