Fort Vancouver Historic Structures Report

Recommendations

a. It is suggested that the entire site of the Old Office be excavated, and with great care, because even the footings may have been removed when the building was demolished in or about 1847 In that case the imprints of the footings might still be evident. The location of the chimney is an important question that may be answered through archeology.

b. It is recommended that the Old Office be rebuilt in accordance with the construction data supplied in the body of this chapter. The following detailed suggestions are made:

(1) It will make little difference whether the wall timbers are hewn or sawed, because they will be covered inside and out by boards (except for the interior of the garret, which probably will not be open to visitors).

(2) It is suggested that the exteriors of the walls be covered by weatherboards.

(3) It is recommended that the roof be shingled with hand split, drawknife-finished shakes, with about six inches exposed to the weather.

(4) The chimney probably was of brick, but its base could have been either brick or stone. Archeology may throw light on this question. If the base is of brick, the fireplace should have a simple mantel similar to that shown in Plate LXI. If the base is of stone, the fireplace should be designed as suggested in the main text.

(5) In the Coode watercolor the windows on the south side of the Old Office appear to be evenly spaced but smaller than those on the east wall. However, if the main interior partition touched the north and south walls at or about their midpoints, the windows on those walls could not have been evenly spaced as Canadian-style buildings ordinarily were constructed. Archeology may be of assistance on this point by revealing the location of the chimney, which evidently was at this partition. If the chimney base is not found, it is recommended that the partition be placed at the midpoints and that the locations and sizes of the windows be adjusted accordingly. There were no shutters.

(6) It is recommended that the windows be of the casement type, similar to those on the Priests' House as shown in the 1860 photograph.

c. The weatherboards on the exterior should either be left unpainted or given a thinned coat of Spanish brown paint. The door and the door and window trim should be painted Spanish brown and the window sash white.

d. The interior walls should be lined with vertical fir boards, random width, tongued and grooved, with beaded edges. The ceiling should be lined with similar boards, perhaps without beaded edges. In the office proper a chair rail and a small square finish strip at floor and ceiling would be in order. The floor was of planed boards.

e. It is suggested that the ground floor of the Old Office be completely refurnished and exhibited. It is suggested that only two of the small rooms at the rear be furnished as bedrooms; the third might contain a table, chair, and other items of the inventoried furnishings to form a separate office that might have been used by one of the chief factors. There is evidence that McLoughlin and Douglas occasionally transacted business in the office.