Vancouver

The city of Vancouver in Clark County, despite being the fourth-largest city in Washington state, is often overshadowed by its namesake in British Columbia, Canada, and by its larger neighbor across the Columbia River, Portland in Oregon.  Nevertheless, Vancouver has much to offer visitors with an interest in history and more modern features.

The City of Vancouver web site has a good collection of maps that will be very useful for planning travel and creating driving directions.

The city was named for Captain George Vancouver, a British naval officer who was born in King's Lynn, West Norfolk, England in 1758 and began his career under the great English navigator, Captain James Cook, as a teenager.  Contrary to what people may presume, Captain Robert Gray, discovered the Columbia River before ship's under Vancouver's command explored the river in 1792 and named a number of locations they discovered. Vancouver passed the river's entrance on his journey to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. 

The Lewis and Clark Expedition is another historical event of importance in the histories of Vancouver and Washington. The expedition camped at what is now Vancouver's Marine Park on March 30, 1806 during its return journey. The park and the nearby Wintler Community Park offer excellent views of Portland and Vancouver.  The four-mile-long paved Waterfront Renaissance Trail, leads from downtown to the Old Apple Tree, Marine and Wintler Community Parks. Confluence Project

A third major event in Vancouver's history occurred with the establishment of Fort Vancouver which is now a National Historic Site on a hill overlooking the Columbia River.  Dr. John McLoughlin, on behalf of the British-owned Hudson’s Bay Company established the fort In 1825, as a base for its activities in the region. When the Hudson's Bay Company relocated to Canada, the U.S. Army assumed control of the fort.  The original fort was completely destroyed in a fire in 1866. Ulysses S. Grant and General George C. Marshall are other notable persons with connections to the fort and Vancouver. Fort Vancouver, the Vancouver Barracks, Officers Row and the Pearson Field form the Vancouver National Historic Reserve which can be accessed from Interstate 5 and from state route WA14.

The Online Encyclopedia of Washington History has several articles on the history of Vancouver and its people, including an overview of the history of Clark County, the naming of Point Vancouver, the opening of Fort Vancouver, a history of Pearson Field, and the establishment of Camp Columbia by the United States Army at Fort Vancouver.  Use the search option on the encyclopedia's web site for more articles.

Esther Short Park is named in honor of a local pioneer and is the state's oldest public square. With its 69-foot-high bell tower and bronze sculptures of salmon it is now the epicenter of a revitalized downtown and the venue for a variety of cultural events throughout the year. The city's new convention center is adjacent as are shops, restaurants and the Vancouver Farmers Market. 

The Tour Through Time guides visitors to buildings and districts of historical and architectural interest in Vancouver and Clark County.  This web site describes a walking tour a short distance north of the park that includes the Hough Neighborhood which has Main Street, Mill Plain, Fourth Plain and the Burlington Northern railroad tracks as its borders.

Vancouver has a good selection of hotels and motels to make it a very good base for exploring Southwest Washington

Our highway logs for Interstate 5 and state route WA14 will help visitors with travel planning and driving directions.

Transportation:  The C-Tran is a local public transit providing bus services throughout Vancouver and adjacent areas.  It also operates express services to downtown points in Portland where it connects with that city's Tri-Met system.

Airports:  Portland International Airport is the closest airport providing commercial passenger services.  It is near the south bank of the Columbia River and between Interstate 5 and Interstate 205, both of which cross the river from Vancouver.  Pearson Field Airport in Vancouver offers general aviation services.  It is also home to the Pearson Field and Air Museum.

Useful Links:  The City of Vancouver, Vancouver Parks and Recreation Trails,   Calendar, Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, Vancouver's Downtown Association, and the Clark County Vancouver Community Profile

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