Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Adrienne LaChapelle

Brigadier General John Gibbon

Charles W. Grayson

Chumtalia

Cockqua

Danny Grecco

David Douglas

Dr. Forbes Barclay

At Fort Vancouver, the Hudson's Bay Company's fur trading outpost in the Pacific Northwest, Christmas and New Year's Day were a time to celebrate and enjoy a break from the rigors of daily life.

The great majority of women at Fort Vancouver in the first half of the 19th century were American Indian. These women were vital parts of the fort's community, as well as important players in the political and economic landscape of the fur trade.

In 1867, the U.S. Army's Sherman Base Ball Club and the City of Vancouver's Occidental Base Ball Club were part of a rising tide of public interest in the new sport of "base ball." Today, games between these base ball clubs are recreated annually at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

Wind-driven waves and abnormally high sea levels contributed to hundreds of millions of dollars in flood and storm damage in the San Francisco Bay region, including Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Pinnacles National Monument. In addition to California, the 1997–1998 El Niño and the following 1998–1999 La Niña severely impacted the Pacific Northwest, including many National Park System units.

Every year, the National Park Service benefits from the extraordinary contributions of dedicated volunteers. Meet the six recipients of the 2012 Hartzog Awards honoring that service.

Congratulations to the national and regional recipients of the 2013 Freeman Tilden Award for Excellence in Interpretation and Education.

As many of us stay home to help slow the spread of COVID-19, we find ourselves cooking at home more often. Learn about the history of dining and food at Fort Vancouver, and try your hand at historically-inspired recipes developed by Volunteer-in-Parks Bob Prinz, who demonstrates historic cooking techniques in the Kitchen at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

In 2025, historically accurate reproduction carpet was installed in the Chief Factor's House at Fort Vancouver. This carpet replaced carpet installed in the 1970s, and helps the house retain the appearance it would have had in 1845. Learn about the process behind this important project.