Research

The museum collection at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site offers rich opportunities for research. Fort Vancouver NHS also curates historic and archaeological collections from San Juan Island National Historical Park, Fort Colvile, Fort Nez Percés, and the Cathlapotle and Meier Indigenous village sites. Collections held at Fort Vancouver NHS are frequently used for research by park staff, volunteers, and both academic and independent researchers.

Learn more about conducting research at Fort Vancouver NHS below.

Who can research in the museum collection?

Anyone can conduct research in the Fort Vancouver NHS museum collection if the research conforms to National Park Service policies and guidelines. Researchers may be National Park Service staff, artists, contractors, historians, researchers, scientists, or the general public. Collections are open to researchers based on the park's written access and use procedures.

 

What can I research at Fort Vancouver NHS?

Researchers interested in Pacific Northwest history often find our collections extremely useful. See below for relevant collections and access information.

Researching the Fur Trade Era

Fort Vancouver Archaeological Collection

Our large collection of archaeological artifacts has been collected through authorized archaeological excavations at the site of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort Vancouver, its employee village, and the Columbia River waterfront. Research with cataloged collections may be requested.

Fort Vancouver Historic and Archival Collections

The park has a small, limited collection of historic objects and archives associated with Fort Vancouver. Research with cataloged collections may be requested. Most historic objects and archives historically associated with the fort are kept in institutions in Canada. If you are interested in archival research regarding Fort Vancouver, we recommend referencing the Archives of Manitoba’s Hudson’s Bay Company Archives.

Fort Colvile Archaeological Collection

This collection of archaeological artifacts comes from the site of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort Colvile, formerly located in what is now northwest Washington State. It originated at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area and is now held at Fort Vancouver NHS. This collection is cataloged, and research may be requested.

Fort Nez Percés Archaeological Collection

This collection of archaeological artifacts comes from the site of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort Nez Percés, formerly located along the Columbia River near present-day Wallula, Washington. We are currently cataloging this collection. Research with this collection may be requested, and requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Researching the US Army Period

Vancouver Barracks Archaeological Collections

Our collection holds thousands of artifacts excavated from the site of Vancouver Barracks, including the Parade Ground, Officers’ Row, East and West Vancouver Barracks, South Vancouver Barracks, and the location of the World War I Spruce Mill. Research with cataloged collections may be requested.

Vancouver Barracks Historic Collections

Our collection also holds many historic objects, generously donated to our collection by members of the community whose ancestors served or lived at Vancouver Barracks. This collection includes objects related to the experiences of soldiers, officers, and families at the barracks from 1849 to 1945. Research with cataloged collections may be requested.

Vancouver Barracks Archival Collections

The park holds a small number of original archival collections related to the experiences of specific soldiers at Vancouver Barracks but does not hold US Army records. At Fort Vancouver NHS, we can provide access to relevant duplicates of official records held in our vertical files collection, including Quartermaster’s Records and historic maps. For service records and other official records related to Vancouver Barracks, please contact the National Archives and Records Administration.

Researching Pearson Field

The park has limited historic and archival collections related to Pearson Field and individual pilots, including Leah Hing. Research with cataloged collections may be requested.

Researching the McLoughlin House

The park has historic collections and archives related to the McLoughlin family and their residence in the McLoughlin House in Oregon City, Oregon. This collection is cataloged, and research may be requested.

Researching the Cathlapotle Village Collection

On behalf of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the archaeological collection from the Cathlapotle village site near Ridgefield, Washington is curated at here. This collection is cataloged, and research may be requested. Research requests regarding this collection must be approved by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and, in many cases, Tribes with whom the US Fish and Wildlife Service consults. Museum staff at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site can help facilitate this review and approval process.

Researching the Meier Site Collection

This archaeological collection comes from the “Meier” site, an Indigenous village site located near present-day Scappoose, Oregon. This collection is not currently cataloged. Research with this collection may be requested, and requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Researching the San Juan Island National Historical Park Collection

San Juan Island National Historical Park has a museum collection of over 900,000 items The archeological artifacts, historic objects, natural history specimens, and archival documents are curated at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and the Burke Museum at the University of Washington. The majority of the museum collection is archaeological, offering incredible research potential on Coast Salish lifeways, British colonialism, the transition to American homesteading, and other natural and cultural changes to the island.

Research with cataloged items may be requested and will be granted on a case-by-case basis. Contact Curator Tessa Langford by email or by mail at:

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

 

How do I get started?

After you have identified your research topic, please contact us. There are two ways to do this:

Email Curator Meagan Huff with your research topic and any information you can provide on your project and goals.

You can also reach us by mail at:

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

What happens next?

You can expect a response from us within 20 business days. We will be in touch with you to ask for clarity on your request, if needed. We will send you standard researcher registration forms to complete and send back to us.

If you haven’t stated so in your initial request, we may also ask if you need to visit the site to conduct your research. If you need to visit the site to see collections in person, you will need to schedule an appointment with us. Two week’s advance notice is recommended.

If you cannot visit the site in person, we may still be able to assist with your request.

Image Reproductions

If you would like a digital scan of 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 or for scanning oversize 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.