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Contact: Park Ranger Robert Gutierrez, (360) 816-6247 The National Park Service is pleased to announce a new opportunity to go back in time and experience the 19th century US Army Post and the Hudson's Bay Company employee Village. This new event - Village & Barracks Come Alive! - is a new way in which visitors to the national park can learn about 19th century life in Vancouver - from the city's fur trade past to its military history. On Friday, August 8th from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Saturday, August 9th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, reenactors will bring both historical stories to life. In the Hudson's Bay Company employee Village to the west of Fort Vancouver, costumed youth volunteers will interpret 1840s games, dances, and cooking. Across from Pearson Air Museum, in the grassy area where the Vancouver Barracks stables were once located, reenactors and horses from the 1st Oregon Volunteer Cavalry will interpret army life in the 1860s. "The National Park Service continues to focus on interpretive and educational programs that speak to our rich Pacific Northwest history. We are pleased to provide a myriad of learning opportunities for families and students of all ages, including camps and public events," said Superintendent Tracy Fortmann. She added, "We have been focusing quite a bit on our military history through educational programs, camps, recent exhibits on the Civil War in the Northwest and the history of the military in Vancouver, and our recently released eBook, Revealing Our Past. We are honored to partner with the 1st Oregon Volunteer Cavalry, who provide excellent interpretation of Army history in the Northwest, and who are on-site at the national park on a regular basis." "This event gives park visitors a great opportunity to see what camp life was like in the Village in the 1840s, and to contrast it with military life in the 1860s," said Park Ranger Robert Gutierrez, "On Friday evening, this event also offers a unique opportunity to visit the park 'after hours,' until 9:00 PM. Through these reenactments, visitors get the full sensory experience of history, and have the great opportunity to interact with figures from the past." What: Village & Barracks Come Alive! Where: 1840s reenactments will take place at the Fort Vancouver Hudson's Bay Company Village to the west of Fort Vancouver, along the Land Bridge Trail. 1860s reenactments will take place on the Fort Vancouver NHS meadow across from Pearson Air Museum. When: Friday, August 8th, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Saturday, August 9th, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Cost: Free 
NPS PHOTO: TROY WAYRYNEN |
Last updated: February 28, 2015