Fort Vancouver Historic Structures Report

Recommendations

a. It is suggested that architects preparing the plans for the reconstructed Indian shop carefully examine the final report of the 1973 archeological excavations at the site of this structure when it becomes available. Such an examination could be expected to shed light upon such matters as the following:

(1) Whether the Indian shop of 1845-46 was the same structure as the "Missionary Store" of 1841.

(2) The exact dimensions of the Indian shop, a subject presently clouded by conflicting evidence.

(3) Whether concentrations of beads or other trade goods permit identification of the exact location of the trading shop proper; whether broken medicine bottles or other artifacts might indicate the site of the Dispensary; whether evidences of chimneys or hearths might point to the location of possible living quarters.

(4) Whether the sites of the privy and of any barriers connecting the Indian shop with the south palisade might throw any light on the possible existence and locations of doors in the south wall of the Indian shop building.

b. It is recommended that the Indian shop be reconstructed in accordance with the construction data supplied in the body of this chapter. For additional guidance, the 1860 photograph of the Bachelors' Quarters should be consulted, because the building techniques employed in the two structures must have been quite similar. Special attention is called to the following suggestions:

(1) The walls should be constructed of sawed timbers with no visible chinking.

(2) No visible diagonal bracing should be employed in this building. If no means of concealing such bracing (considered to be desirable because of earthquake and wind stresses) can be devised, other means of strengthening the structure should be found. The Hudson's Bay Company sometimes bored holes through three or four successive infill timbers and drove in very heavy wooden pins. This procedure, if the corners of the structure were firmly tied together, resulted in a very rigid building.

(3) The ends of the gables above the plates should be closed with vertical board siding, without battens. There should be no framing under these boards except for the end cross-tie beams and that required for the windows (which should run from cross-tie beam to plate).

(4) Because there seems to be no positive evidence as to the roof covering in 1845-46, it might add interest to the reconstruction project to use vertical board roofing such as was on the building in 1841.

c. The exterior of the Indian shop should be unpainted except for the door and window trim, doors, and shutters, which should be Spanish brown in color. The window sash should be white. The interior should not be painted.

d. It is suggested that the entire Indian shop structure, except possibly the garret, be refurnished and employed as a house exhibit. Because of the many furs and artifacts that would necessarily be lying and hanging about, visitors would have to be conducted through in small groups. At times when sufficient personnel were not available, perhaps the hall and trading shop only could be opened, with visitors being permitted to look into other rooms through doorways closed off by barriers. For use on such occasions, it might be desirable to provide a door between the shop and the fur room.

e. The temptation to refurnish the doctor's quarters with such amenities as upholstered sofas, mahogany tables and chairs, spool beds, etc., should be firmly resisted. The surgeon's status as a clerk allowed few luxuries.

f. In planning the outfitting of the doctor's office and Dispensary, it might be well to bear in mind that a number of medicine bottles, ointment jars, etc., have been recovered during archeological excavations at the post. Also, public-spirited local citizens have already gathered a splendid collection of nineteenth-century surgical apparatus, medicines, etc., which is available for use in the refurnishing project.