The original settlers, the Native Americans, migrated here thousands of years ago.  After the Lewis & Clark Expedition scouted the area in 1805 and 1806, European explores and trappers found this area rich in natural beauty and resources, and in 1825 the British Hudson’s Bay Company established Fort Vancouver, their Columbia Department Headquarters.

Soon after, came the settlers migrating west for a better life, followed by the American military, sent to establish calm, and oversee the dispute with other countries that also claimed this land as their own.  The U.S. Army established Vancouver Barracks as the first American military post in the Pacific Northwest. 

Westward expansion, access to the Pacific Ocean and two World Wars, made Clark County a launching point for civilians and military personnel headed to the Pacific Ocean and beyond.  Visit the areas historic attractions and museums to learn more about the rich history of the area.

Historic Attractions

• Fort Vancouver/Officers Row – Visitors will take a step back in time as they visit the National Historic Reserve, the site of Fort Vancouver, Hudson Bay Company’s 1825 trading post. Visitors will see blacksmiths at work, the fur warehouse and the Chief Factor’s house. The Counting House is the newest addition to the Fort with interactive exhibit space designed for children to explore family life in the 19th century. The Fort comes to life with reenactments, and in early fall, 1800’s life is recreated with guided evening tours of the Fort by candlelight. A stroll down the tree-lined streets of Officers Row with rehabilitated homes listed on the national Historic Register will bring the visitor back to a time when life was much simpler. These historical homes located in a park-like setting now include museums, restaurants and offices.
• Pearson Air Museum – Pearson Air Museum offers a stunning collection of vintage airplanes, interpretive displays, an interactive children’s center, theater presentations, a restoration shop and gift shop. Located at the oldest continually operating airfield in the U.S., the main exhibition area hosts special events and dances throughout the year.
• Pomeroy House & Living History Farm – Experience 1920’s farm life at the Pomeroy Living History Farm. Period dressed interpreters help visitors participate in farm activities such as grinding grain, washing clothes, feeding livestock and making rope at this farmstead listed on the National Register for Historic Properties. Take a tour through the six bedroom log home, visit the tea room, and explore the gift shop featuring unique handcrafted items from the British Isles and around the world.  Special events held throughout the year include an Herb Festival, Pumpkin Festival, and Quilt Show.
• Chelatchie Prairie Railroad – A group of community volunteers came together in 1998 with the goal of restoring the 100 year-old line and building the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad into a functioning historical tourist train. With a choice of an open-air car or a historic passenger car, visitors enjoy a 10-mile round-trip scenic excursion from Yacolt to Chelatchie Prairie, through beautiful North Clark County. The excursion takes riders through a 330-foot long tunnel and stops at the scenic Moulton Falls.
• Cedar Creek Grist Mill – The picturesque Cedar Creek Grist Mill is the only grain-grinding mill in Washington that has maintained its original structural integrity, grinds with stones, and is water-powered. Built in 1876, the mill has been fully restored as a working museum and is registered as a National Historic Site. The covered bridge spanning Cedar Creek adjacent to the mill was rebuilt in 1994, and adds a scenic backdrop to this popular site drawing visitors from all over the world. Summer and Fall events at the Mill provide excellent opportunities for visitors to see the inner workings of this historic mill. The last weekend in October, guides demonstrate the water-powered mill while pressing apples into fresh cider.
• Pendleton’s Washougal Woolen Mills – Visitors can take a free tour and shop this famous fabric mill in business since 1863. Visitors will see first-hand the process of the 100 percent virgin wool go through the state-of-the-art dye house, spinning and weaving, to the finishing of the distinctive Indian motif blankets that have made Pendleton world-famous.When finished with the tour, visitors can shop at the Mill Store where they can select from Pendleton’s array of menswear, womenswear, blankets and fabrics.
• Cathlapotle Plankhouse – The Cathlapotle Plankhouse is a full-scale replica of a Chinook Indian cedar plankhouse located at the historically significant site of Cathlapotle, one of the largest Chinook villages encountered by Lewis and Clark on their journey. Visitors to the Plankhouse can learn about the culture and habitat of this area’s original inhabitants. The Plankhouse is on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, a 4,000-acre habitat for migrating birds and waterfowl which offers walking trails and a self-guided auto tour.

Museums

• Clark County Museum – The history of Clark County is on display at this Vancouver museum, which is housed in a former Carnegie Library. Built in 1909, this building is on the National Register of Historic Sites. Exhibits feature a Native American gallery, railroad exhibit, American military memorabilia and other artifacts dating back to the 13th century. Visit an old country store, country kitchen, and doctor’s office also on display here.
• Two Rivers Heritage Museum – Located at the confluence of the Columbia River and Washougal River, this historical museum features the heritage of the Camas and Washougal area. Located across the street from the Pendleton Woolen Mills, a visit can be combined with a mill tour and shopping trip to the Mill Store.
• North Clark Historical Museum – The North Clark Historical Museum shares the area’s historical legacy through educational exhibits on American Indian culture, pioneer heritage & logging. The museum is in the old Amboy United Brethren Church, a beautiful church dedicated in 1910, and serving as a landmark in Amboy.