Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

North from Salem, I spent the night in Portland. I'd expected to finally take a wander around the city, but it would've required too much time. I was there for a conference almost 10 years ago, but I don't recall exploring the city for whatever reason. I seem to recall a boat tour up the Columbia, and I did take a drive with a friend to the Oregon coast, which was terrific -- lots of interesting cliffs and rock features out in the water. The whole NW from Portland to Vancouver, BC, deserves a trip one day.

This time I simply crossed the border into Washington to see Ft Vancouver NHS in the town of Vancouver (which is easily confused with the Canadian city, as indicated in the first paragraph in Wikipedia.) It's an old trading post (especially of fur) of the Hudson's Bay Company, a British corporation that marked British claims on the area and was a center for colonization. I say it's an old trading post...it's actually a recreation of the old trading post. A few foundations of old buildings exist, but otherwise, it's all just a model. Granted, it's far more interesting than Ft Caroline in Jacksonville, but still.

So, they've rebuilt the "ancient" buildings (circa 1825) and filled them with period furnishings. After becoming part of the US, the area was converted to an Army post, and some buildings from that era are also reconstructed. There's no one wandering around in period dress like in Williamsburg, so the whole thing falls rather flat. That matches the surroundings too as even a trip up into the watch tower didn't command much of a view due to the shallow river valley it sits on.

Ratings (out of 5)

Significance: 2 -- historically, regarding the HBC and the old Fort (no battles here)

Beauty: 1 -- a shallow valley and wooden structures.

Fun: 1 -- hardly any -- just wandering through period buildings. Many locals were using it for running trails as it is a substantial area of protected grounds.

Facilities & displays -- 3 -- fine. Clear signs, helpful rangers

Overall recommendation: 1 -- only if you're a completist who happens to be in Portland

Accessibility: just across the river from Portland.

Time: 1 hour, if you watch the movie and wander the grounds.