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Are you a teacher? Start here! Are you a student? Read on! Welcome to Fort Vancouver! Fort Vancouver is a part of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, which is a part of the National Park Service. The National Park Service takes care of special places across the United States of America and shares the stories of these places with people like you! On this page, you will learn about the buildings and people who lived at Fort Vancouver. You will also get to do fun activities and read about kids who lived and worked at the fort. But first, let's talk about what makes Fort Vancouver special! Who built Fort Vancouver?Fort Vancouver was built by a British company called the Hudson's Bay Company in 1825. The Hudson's Bay Company was a fur trading company. Employees of the Hudson's Bay Company trapped and prepared furs from North America to send to Europe to be made into luxury goods like hats and coats. Who and what was here before the fort was built?Fort Vancouver is built on the homelands of Indigenous peoples, who have lived along the Columbia River and its tributaries for a very, very long time! Before the fort was built, this place was a prairie. Here, Native people hunted, collected camas roots, and passed through on their way to other villages to trade. Why was Fort Vancouver built here?The Hudson's Bay Company built many other fur trading forts in the Northwest and Alaska. They built Fort Vancouver to serve as a headquarters for these forts. Furs from the other forts all came to Fort Vancouver before they were sent by ship to England. Supplies from England came to Fort Vancouver first, then were sent out to the other forts in the area. Why is Fort Vancouver an important place?Many different kinds of people came to Fort Vancouver to find work, to live, and to trade. For those of us who still live in the Northwest, and for all Americans, the fort is a place where we can remember and learn from the past. Explore the Buildings of Fort VancouverNext, journey on by exploring these buildings at the fort through special videos, activities, and readings! 
The Chief Factor's House
Start your journey at the Chief Factor's House, where the leaders of Fort Vancouver lived with their families! 
The Fur Store
Visit the Fur Store at Fort Vancouver, where furs were packed and prepared for shipment to England. 
The Indian Trade Shop
Visit the Indian Trade Shop at Fort Vancouver, where the people who lived there could buy supplies. 
The Bake House
Learn about the Bake House at Fort Vancouver, where bakers made bread and sea biscuits for the people who lived and visited the fort. 
The Blacksmith Shop
Visit the Blacksmith Shop at Fort Vancouver, where blacksmiths worked to make tools for the people who lived there. 
Learning About Fort Vancouver
How do we know what we know about Fort Vancouver? Learn about archaeology and museum collections at the fort! |
Last updated: November 29, 2023