Fort Vancouver (Vancouver, Washington)
Vancouver · Washington · Fur Trade Era
History & Significance
Construction began in late 1824, and HBC Governor Sir George Simpson dedicated the fort on March 9, 1825. The London-based Hudson's Bay Company established it as headquarters for interior fur trade operations, replacing the less suitable Fort George at the mouth of the Columbia.
Simpson selected a location north of the Columbia River, positioned opposite the Willamette River's mouth, believing the river would form the eventual border between British and American territory. Chief Factor Dr. John McLoughlin managed the fort for nearly 22 years (1824–1845), applying Upper Canadian law, maintaining peace with indigenous peoples, and providing aid to American settlers—earning him recognition as the Father of Oregon for allowing Americans to settle south of the Columbia.
From Russian Alaska to Mexican California, HBC employees at the fort counted, cleaned, and shipped furs collected across more than a dozen trading posts, serving as the great commercial center for the company's western continental operations. By the 1840s, Fort Vancouver housed the largest population of Native Hawaiians outside the Hawaiian Islands, along with representatives from over 25 American Indian tribes and French-Canadian, Irish, English, Scottish, and Métis workers.
The Oregon Treaty of 1846 placed the fort within American territory, and though HBC retained navigation rights, operations became unprofitable and ceased. The original structures were destroyed by fire in 1866.
Key Facts
Map
View larger map ↗ · © OpenStreetMap contributors
🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Reconstructed palisaded fort with period buildings showing fur trade operations
- Hudson's Bay Company regional headquarters for Pacific Northwest beaver trade
- Diverse workforce including French Canadians, Métis, Hawaiians, and Indigenous peoples
- Columbia River setting and 1846 Oregon Treaty boundary history
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Vancouver
- https://www.nps.gov/places/fortvancouver.htm
- https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/fort_vancouver/
- https://www.nps.gov/fova/learn/historyculture/hbcfort1.htm
- https://historylink.org/file/5251
- https://clark.wa.gov/community-planning/fort-vancouver
- https://www.nps.gov/articles/fovaclrhbc.htm