"First English Speaking Community in the... " a Vancouver Travel Page by glabah

Fort Vancouver was constructed by the Hudson's Bay Company as part of their effort to obtain furs (mostly beaver, but many other animals were trapped as well) for the contemporary styles of Europe.

By the 1830s they had launched the first steam boat on the Columbia and Willamette River system - and one of the first steam boats to touch the Pacific Ocean.

The site remains under continued scientific investigation, as artifacts are continually dug up and analyzed. The preservation process may be watched through one of the windows of one of the buildings at the fort.

Growing up in Oregon City, the OC school system occasionally took us to Fort Vancouver as part of various history lessions. However, some of my more recent photos from 2007 are here for you to see.

Vancouver is an actively growing suburb of Portland, with a number of restaurants and a fairly active convention center. Downtown Vancouver is undergoing rebuilding, and a new Waterfront Trail leads along the Columbia River waterfront between restaurants and condominiums and the river. A Red Lion hotel sits right at the western end of this trail, and has a wonderful view of the river (I've attended events in the dining hall there, but never spent the night).

Vancouver also has some extremely nice parks, should your children need some time out of the car. Vancouver Lake Park and Frenchman's Bar Park are located on what was once intended to be a main highway, but wound up being turned into an end. Due to the proximity of a large wildlife refuge, your chances of seeing interesting bird life here is reasonably good, with bald eagles showing up occasionally.

If you are a rail fan, the Vancouver yard is quite busy, and visible from local roads.

Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area - including many trails and some resorts

Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Portland, Oregon - home of a number of items including opera and stage events, hiking in local parks, artists events, and several museums.