Research

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is home to several resources that are frequently used by staff, volunteers, academic and independent researchers, including a museum collection of archaeological artifacts, historic items, and archives, as well as a research library.

Learn more about conducting research at Fort Vancouver below.

Submitting a Research Request

After you have identified your research topic, download and complete the necessary research request and access forms below, based on the kind of research you are interested in conducting. Completed forms may be submitted to Cultural Resources Program Manager Tessa Langford via email, or can be sent by mail to:

Attn: Tessa Langford
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
800 Hatheway Road, Bldg. 722
Vancouver, WA 98661

After your research request and access forms are received, you can expect a response within five business days. At least 48 hours advance notice is required for access to the park's museum collection or library (one week advance notice is recommended), but does not guarantee staff availability.

If, after reading through the information below, you still have questions about conducting research at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, email your question(s) to Cultural Resources Program Manager Tessa Langford.

Researching at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Are you interested in visiting Fort Vancouver National Historic Site to conduct research in the park's research library or museum collection? All researchers who visit the site to conduct research must read, fill out, and submit research request forms. Access to the museum collection or library is by appointment only and subject to staff availability.

Contact us (see above) to receive these forms.

Photocopies and Image Reproductions

If you would like a copy or scan of any images or documents in the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site museum collection or library, please contact us to receive an Image Request Form and a Copyright and Privacy Restrictions form. There may be a fee for large quantities of photocopies or for scanning images or documents.

Researching From a Distance

Not every researcher is able to conduct research in person. If you have a query about the history of the site, are conducting genealogy research, or have another research question, contact us via the instructions in the "Submitting a Research Request" section above. If you are requesting images from the park's collection, you may also be asked to fill out our Image Request Form and Copyright and Privacy Restrictions forms.

Genealogy Research

We are frequently contacted by individuals researching ancestors who once lived here, often either at the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Vancouver or the US Army's Vancouver Barracks. While the park does have a few original documents and resources relevant to this type of research, we are not a repository for primary sources related to Hudson's Bay Company or US Military service.

If you are researching a Hudson's Bay Company employee, we recommend that you additionally contact the Hudson's Bay Company Archives, part of the Archives of Manitoba.

If you are researching an individual who served at Vancouver Barracks, we recommend you request their military records from the National Archives.

Other Online Resources

Historical Studies
Access historical studies produced and digitized by Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

Information about People, Places, and Museum Collections
Access articles on a wide variety of topics related to Fort Vancouver, Vancouver Barracks, Pearson Field, and the McLoughlin House on our website.

Beyond Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Check out this list of links to take you to resources beyond our website.