Fort Vancouver Cultural Landscape Report

HISTORIC CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES (continued)

LAND USES AND ACTIVITIES

Schematic map of the western third of historic Fort Plain showing land uses and activities.

From its inception, a wide variety of land uses occurred at Fort Vancouver reflecting both the fur-trade industry and agricultural operations. Land use activities included administration, domestic activities, trading, social/recreational activities, agricultural activities (large-scale cultivation, livestock, and local subsistence), industry, and service-related activities.

Administrative/Working and Residential Hub

The fort stockade served as the center of Fort Vancouver operations and internally supported many land uses including administrative activities (offices), trade activities (open space for trading and stores for selling supplies), warehouses, living and societal uses (dwellings, kitchens, privies, wash house, church, the schoolhouse, jail), and industry-related activities (blacksmith shop, harness shop, iron store).

Employee Residences

Kanaka Village served as the major residential area for Hudson's Bay Company employees. There were also dwellings in the river front area, and a few other scattered dwellings, located southeast of the stockade along the river, belonging to employees and possibly officers of the ship Modeste.

Agriculture

There were three land-use activities related to agricultural operations at Fort Vancouver; raising produce for large-scale cultivation, large-scale livestock breeding, and local subsistence. For detailed discussions of these agricultural practices refer to the individual topics addressed in the section on Vegetation, pages 57 to 78.

Large-scale cultivation

The goal of creating a self-subsistent HBC fur-trading operations in the Pacific Northwest was achieved at Fort Vancouver through large-scale crop cultivation. Cultivated fields on Fort Plain were located northeast, east, and south of the stockade. Related structures such as barns and root houses were sited within or adjacent to fields.

Livestock Breeding

In addition to raising produce to become self-subsistent, large-scale livestock breeding was also undertaken at Fort Vancouver. The prairie adjacent to the river was sown timothy and clover and used periodically for pasture. This pasture was also occasionally used for horse racing between the crew or officers of the ship Modeste, and Company employees. The prairie on the north edge of Fort Plain, above Upper Mill Road, was also probably used as livestock pasture.

Local Subsistence

Raising produce for local consumption primarily took place in the fort's garden and orchard. These two areas supplied fresh fruit and vegetables for HBC employees at Fort Vancouver. Evidence indicates most produce was served only at the mess table of HBC officers, clerks, guests, and to select employees and visitors in the Chief Factor's kitchen.

Industry-Related Activities

The river front area consisted of a cluster of buildings surrounding a pond. While individual structures came and went during the historic period, over time the use of the area remained fairly consistent. It supported many industrial activities, including ship building and repair, barrel making (coopering), shipping, storing, hide tanning, and, for a time, distilling. A few employee dwellings and a hospital were also located here. In addition, horses (probably used for pulling carts and wagons), working oxen, and pigs were housed in sheds and stables in the area. Generally, by 1846, industrial structures and activities were located closest to the river, stables were along the west or northwest edge of the pond, and dwellings were along the east side of the pond.

Service/Civic activities

North of Upper Mill Road there were two service/civic areas located in close proximity to the road. In the western area, buildings included a grist mill, stable, church (St. James Mission), and schoolhouses. The east service/civic area was the barn complex that was located east of the cultivated field.

Cemetery

In 1846, a cemetery containing the graves of Company employees was located north of St. James Mission on the west edge of the prairie.

Land Use Summary and Analysis

The landscape of Fort Plain functioned according to land uses appropriate to a fur-trading and agricultural establishment. Administrative areas, residential areas, industrial areas, and agricultural areas were all part of this large and complex operation. Presently, the reconstructed landscape features of Fort Vancouver represent only a portion of the historic land use practices. Existing reconstructed features such as the stockade focus on the administration of the fort, fur-trade and other work activities, and the chief factor's house. Additional interpretation of agricultural operations is represented through the interpretive orchard and garden.