News Release

Archaeologist Robert Cromwell Presents Research on Ceramics at Early British Forts Sites on March 21

Ceramics made by the Spode Company, like this bowl, are often found by archaeologists at Fort Vancouver.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: March 3, 2020

Contact: Tessa Langford, Cultural Resources Program Manager, [phone]

This event has been postponed, and will be rescheduled at a later date. Thank you for your understanding.

National Park Service Archaeologist, Dr. Robert Cromwell, will present a program on Saturday, March 21, 2019 at 1:30 pm titled, “Tracing the Fur Trade, Early British Fort Sites Along the Columbia River and Their Ceramic Wares.” The program will explore the archaeologically recovered British and Chinese ceramics from the earliest of the British fur trade forts along the Columbia River.

The origins of this study arose from the 2005-2006 excavations of the Middle Village site (also known as Lewis & Clark’s “Station Camp”) where several traditional Chinookan plank houses were discovered with hundreds of 1790-1810 European and Chinese manufactured ceramic sherds scattered. In an attempt to find the origins of these wares, Dr. Cromwell widened the scope of his research to look at the early 19^th century Northwest Company forts along the Columbia River.

Dr. Cromwell was able to analyze and compare the archaeological ceramic assemblages from the Northwest Company’s Fort Okanogan, Fort Spokane , Fort George and the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort Vancouver. All of these posts were supplied from England via a precarious ocean-based sea route of over 17,000 miles, and in the case of posts such as Fort Okanogan and Fort Spokane, up to an additional 300 mile up-river and overland portage.

The program is free to the public, but seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. It is presented by the Friends of Fort Vancouver and the National Park Service.

Robert Cromwell is a historical archaeologist who has been researching both 19^th century ceramics and the fur trade in the Pacific Northwest for nearly 30 years. Bob has worked for the National Park Service at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site for nearly 20 years .

What: Robert Cromwell presents the program “Tracing the Fur Trade, Early British Fort Sites Along the Columbia River and Their Ceramic Wares.”

Where: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Visitor Center, 1501 E Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661

When: 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2020

Cost: Free