Beneath the Barracks: Archeology Considerations for Utilities Upgrades

Preparation for the redevelopment of East Vancouver Barracks resulted in extensive archaeology. Test units were excavated across the site to document the extent of archaeological sites.

NPS Photo

When Fort Vancouver National Historic Site took over the U.S. Army’s Vancouver Barracks in 2012, many of the utilities systems were decades old – some had not been updated since they were built in the first half of the 20^th century. Bringing those systems up to standard was a top priority for creating a sustainable, historic campus for public service.

Over the past decade, NPS staff have overseen contracts to replace the utilities and rebuild or upgrade three parking lots with accessible routes and lighting (they’re currently working on the design of the fourth and last lot).

Given Fort Vancouver’s significant archeological resources, it’s no surprise then that amongst all this groundwork, care of subsurface resources was at the forefront of the team’s considerations. Not only are there artifacts from the military presence of the past 175 years, but generations of Indigenous and fur trade use lie in the soil. While historic records give us insights into what specific people of the time considered worth recording, these underground objects tell us what everyday life was like – and it is paramount to preserve them.

Archeology was a main piece of the utilities upgrade plan, which involved updating buried water and sewer lines and burying electrical lines.

While archaeologists were testing the site ahead of utilities work, they came upon very sensitive resources. We stopped work and informed the tribes with whom we consult, who asked us to reengineer the plan to avoid these resources. We went back to the City of Vancouver and to the engineering firm – we brought everyone in as a stakeholder in this process.

—Alex Patterson, Facilities Manager at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Image credit: NPS Photo / T. Fortmann

The team had to get creative – the standard processes for underground utility lines were not going to work. The solution: place the lines on the current ground surface, add fill material on top, and raise the grade, essentially creating new land to hold the utility lines and protect everything below it.

“We worked with a historic landscape architect who guided us in the principles of preserving a cultural landscape,” Alex added. “The best thing to do, of course, is to maintain it as is. In order to get these utilities up-to-code and make this site usable, that wasn’t an option. The next best thing, then, is to raise the landscape vertically and maintain the directional path of flow – to alter the grade versus the horizontal path.”

Before buildings are rehabilitated or infrastructure is upgraded, archaeologists investigate the area for cultural resources. This often includes shovel tests on a grid covering a wide area.

NPS Photo

An array of military artifacts reflect daily life at Vancouver Barracks for both soldiers and civilian employees.

NPS Photo

Looking back on the 2012 Master Plan, Fort Vancouver staff have had to make adjustments at several points along the way, balancing the needs of rehabilitating a historic site and protecting many types of cultural resources. But the foremost consideration is always the standards of preservation and consultation with stakeholders and the public.

As of 2023, utilities are in place, archeological resources are in place, and every barracks building has been repainted and re-roofed. Nine of the buildings have been updated or completely rehabilitated and leased to tenants. The next 10 years will be spent focusing on the remaining buildings, designing them for modern use and comfort while respecting and preserving their historic fabric. “We’re making them usable for the long term. It’s a big challenge, but really fun,” Alex said.