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The Vancouver, WA
area has a vast array of tourist activities, from museums to National
Parks.
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Vancouver, WA
lies on the north bank, directly across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon. It is less than 90 miles upstream from
where the Columbia enters the Pacific Ocean.
The river is open to ocean-going ships at this point.
Vancouver lies on the western
plain of the Cascade Mountains which rise
abruptly east of the city. Mount Saint Helens National
Volcanic Monument
is less than two hours from Vancouver
by car. Visit their web site.
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/
Mt. Hood
and the Columbia River Gorge lie 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
Vancouver is growing by leaps and
bounds and is a bedroom community to Portland
because of its close proximity but is also a great city in its own right
with its connections to the Columbia River,
the forest industry, and light industry.
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Vancouver
facts:
- 1825
– Headquarters for Hudson’s
Bay Company.
- 1826
– Northwest’s oldest apple tree planted that is still alive.
- 1827
– First sawmill in the Pacific Northwest
- 1849
– American troops arrive and establish Fort Columbia (later Fort
Vancouver)
- 1857
– City of Vancouver
incorporated.
- 1905
– Pearson Field established, it is the oldest continuously operated
airport in the US.
- 1908
– First rail line down Washington Side of Columbia
- 1910
– Rail bridge over the Columbia River.
- 1917
– First auto bridge over the Columbia
- WWI
– world’s largest lumber mill for airplane spruce
- WWII
– Major ship building center.
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Photo from Fort Vancouver National Historic Site web
page. (link below)
Fort Vancouver
National
Historic Site
The National Park Service maintains this historic site. The Visitor Center
is open all year 9am-5pm in the summer months and 9am to 4 pm in the winter
months.
http://www.nps.gov/fova/
The 366-acre park was established
in 1996. The park includes Fort Vancouver,
Vancouver Barracks, Officer’s Row, Pearson Field, the Water
Resources Education
Center, portions of the Columbia
River waterfront, and now the Historic John McLoughlin house in Oregon City, OR.
Directions:
From
I-5, take the Mill Plain exit and head east. Turn south onto Fort Vancouver Way.
At the traffic circle, go east on Evergreen
Boulevard and follow signs to the Fort Vancouver Visitor
Center. The
reconstructed fort site is south of the visitor center – follow the park
road which connects the visitor center parking lot to the fort parking lot.
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Photo from Grist
Mill web site
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The Cedar Creek Grist Mill
Open Saturday 1 to 4pm Sunday
2 to 4 pm.
http://www.cedarcreekgristmill.com/
This historic Grist mill has
been restored to operating condition and grinds flour which is given out as
samples to visitors
Location:
Ten miles east of Woodland on NE Cedar Creek Road.
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The Chelatchie Prairie Railroad
The Chelatchie Prairie Railroad Association
PO Box
1271
Battle Ground,
WA 98604
Phone:
360-686-3559
http://www.bycx.com/
They have directions, fares, and schedules on their web
site. The logo at right is from their
web site.
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