Fort Vancouver National Historic Site - Archaeology & Collections (U.S. National Park Service)

Image of a student at an archaeological excavation onsite

NPS Photo

Archaeological excavations are not just a thing of the past - each year, volunteers, students, and staff participate in many digs that contribute to the park's collection of more than two million objects.

For the Vancouver National Historic Reserve, archaeology and the collections it creates have a special significance. The material culture, both in the site's collection and still in situ, is what remains of the original sites and their inhabitants. The archaeological artifacts and features are often the primary resources for reconstructing and interpreting the site. Vancouver's role in regional history is reflected in the enormity of the archaeological resources here.

The Northwest Cultural Resources Institute (NCRI), based at the Vancouver National Historic Reserve, was created to facilitate and support research relating to archaeology, history, and museum management. For more information, please download the fact sheet below. In addition, the institute’s first newsletter is now available.

NCRI Fact Sheet (658 KB .pdf file)

NCRI Newsletter (2747 KB .pdf file)

A staff member hard at work on an dig in the park

NPS Photo