Front Street Weekly; Fort Vancouver; Landmarks of Westward Expansion

Lewis and Clark's cross-country journey to the Pacific, along with Robert Gray's discovery of the Columbia River, gave the United States a good claim to the land's west of the Rocky Mountains. But for nearly 40 years after Lewis and Clark's expedition, almost all business and trade in the Old Oregon Country was dominated by a company from England. Hello again, I'm Mark Sparks. And I'm Jane Ferguson. Our search for landmarks from the Old Oregon Country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Just across the Columbia River north of Portland to Fort Vancouver. Fort Vancouver is a national historic site. It was built on the exact location of the original Fort, which burned to the ground in 1866. Many of the Fort's buildings are still waiting to be rebuilt where they once stood inside the Fort. But since 1966, the National Park Service has rebuilt the walls of the Fort Stockade and several of the buildings, including the Bastion, the company Trade Store, the Blacksmith

Shop, the Bakery, and the Chief Factor's House. The modern day sounds of nearby traffic and airplanes are a reminder of how much things have changed. So it's lucky that here at Fort Vancouver, as we did at Fort Clatsop, we'll again have the help of trained interpreters to tell us the story of the inland fur trade. The modern day sounds of nearby traffic and airplanes are a reminder of how much things

have changed. So it's lucky that here at Fort Vancouver, as we did in Fort Clatsop, we'll again have the help of trained interpreters to tell us the story of the inland fur trade. So it's a reminder that here at Fort Vancouver, we'll again have the help of trained interpreters to tell us the story of the inland fur trade. So it's a reminder of how much things have changed. The Hudson's Bay Company was the first great English trading company in North America.

Their ships and trading posts in the New World were carefully controlled from the company's offices in Faraway, London. And for many years, Indians from all over the Central and Eastern parts of Canada brought first to Hudson's Bay Company trading posts to trade for blankets, beads, tools, and other supplies. A fair deal for both the Indians and the company meant the fur trade would continue in peace. And the idea of a fair bargain may have been the meaning of the company's motto, which in Latin means, a skin for a skin. The man who lived here was not only the chief factor of Fort Vancouver, but he was also

its founder. His name was Dr. John McLaughlin, and he was the man many people now call the father of Oregon. And to think he and his family could be living like this a little over 20 years after Lewis and Clark spent their hard winter, not all that far from here, at Fort Klatsop. Things were starting to change very quickly. They certainly were, and Lewis and Clark helped it all get started. In their accounts of their trip, they told of an abundance of beaver living along the streams of the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Northwest. Fur trappers and traders from England and the United States became very interested in the Northwest.

Beaver Peltz could bring a good price on the world market, and trappers and traders began to kind of race to see who would control the inland fur trade in the Northwest. Two English fur trading companies were already making their way west. The Hudson's Bay Company and their chief competitor, the Northwest Company of Montreal. But it wasn't American, John Jacob Astor, who made the first move. Astor was the richest man in America. In 1808, he organized the Pacific fur company and began plans to build a central trading station at the mouth of the Columbia. He sent one party by land and one by sea. Many setbacks awaited Astor's men. But in spite of their hardships by 1812, the American flag was flying over Astoria. Then came the war of 1812 between England and the United States, and the English, who had

a much stronger hold on the Northwest, purchased Astoria and renamed it Fort George. For the next 30 years, England would have nearly complete control of the Northwest, overseeing its trading outposts along the Columbia and beyond. Mmm, something smells delicious. The cook is preparing something special. I tell you what, let's explore the fort and meet back here when it's ready. It's a deal. Oh, I hope you don't mind eating in the kitchen. Why can't we eat in here? You'll find out. Until the closure of the fort in 1860, the Hudson's Bay Company employees and their families lived here in peace.

The high walls of the stockade were built mainly to prevent thieves from stealing supplies. And the cannons housed in the Bastion, a combination look out in gun tower, were never fired in anger. The cannons here were fired only to salute the arrival of special ships, but they were ready if there ever was a threat of danger. The Bastion was built in 1845, at a time when the fear of attack was very real. It wasn't an Indian attack, this British company feared. They were afraid the growing numbers of American settlers might decide to claim the fort for the United States, but that attack never came. The Hudson's Bay Company joined with the Northwest Company and became even more powerful. For the next 35 years, Fort Vancouver was the center of the fur trade in the Northwest. And under the watchful eye of chief factor McLaughlin, the fort community kept growing. Trappers and traders could find anything they needed here at the Fort's trade store.

Members of the neighboring Chinook and Clikittat Indian tribes were also frequent visitors. The Hudson Bay Point Blanket was a trademark of the company and was always a favorite trade item. These four marks mean this is a four point blanket. It would cost a trader four excellent Viva Peltz. Dr. McLaughlin knew that any tools or supplies that could be made here at the Fort would make it less dependent on shipments of supplies ordered from England.

So the role of the blacksmith here became very important. Michael Derrick is an interpreter here at the blacksmith shop. The blacksmiths were the king of the craftsmen. It was their presence here at Fort Vancouver that really made this so much more than just another fur trading post. They made this a strong and independent community. Was this made here at the Fort? Yes it was. It helped if the blacksmiths could make a mean Viva trap.

The work of the trappers was a dirty and often dangerous business and staying healthy in this rugged land wasn't easy. Tending to the needs of everyone who came to the Fort seeking help was very important to chief after McLaughlin and he wouldn't deny aid to anyone even his American competitors. In the name of the Hudson's Bay Company, Dr. McLaughlin was bringing civilization to

this part of the world. He made sure there would be a place where people could find supplies, get something fixed or see a doctor and he saw that they all had something to eat. Trappers, traders, clerks or sailors, everybody at Fort Vancouver needed to eat. At the Fort Bakery, bread and sea biscuits were prepared in brick ovens. Sea biscuits were rock hard crackers used on board ships and by trappers during long winters. But they lacked in flavor they made up for by lasting a long, long time. Winters for those Hudson's Bay Company trappers were long indeed.

In the east, Indians did almost all the trapping for the company. But here in the west, bands of trappers were sent out under orders from the company to spend the winters collecting furs. These bands were called brigades. And later on, Hudson's Bay Company Governor George Simpson sent them out on missions to discourage all other trappers. And what was Simpson's plan to keep other trappers out of the area? He had his brigades trap out whole regions. He had them go in and trap every fur bearing animal until they were none left.

Simpson's plan worked to a point. The company got rich and made it very hard on other trappers. But Beaver soon became too hard to find. And the American settlers kept coming to the Oregon country whether Simpson liked it or not. Well, there you are, you're just in time. What's that? A sea biscuit. The original job breaker, want a bite? No thanks, all wait for lunch. We're down in the kitchen, located just behind the chief factors house. David Hansen, the curator here at Fort Vancouver, is making soup. The first course for a traditional meal served in the dining room or mess hall. The midday meal was one of the big events of the day. If soup was the first course, how many courses were there? Seven or eight usually. The English loved doing things very formally. Here at the Fort, dinner time was very different from what the average American settler would have had. Who was served in the mess hall? Only the commission officers of the company and very special guests.

Were women included? No, I'm afraid not. Not even their wives? Not even Dr. McLaughlin's wife? No, that was the rule. I'm glad we don't have rules like that anymore. Remember when I said we'd be eating in the kitchen? Yeah. The American settlers who visited here didn't care much for some of the rules at the Fort, but they just had a very different way of doing things back then. Who ate at this table? The staff. Nothing fancy down here, but that was part of their world. Everyone had to know his place and learn to accept it. And Dr. McLaughlin knew that for most of them, living with the old rules was better than trying to survive with no rules at all. Thanks. Thank you very much, David. It smells delicious. Oh, brother. My pleasure. And I do hope you'll come back for Queen Victoria's birthday celebration. I do hope you'll come back for Queen Victoria's birthday celebration.

I can't get over it. Just finding food had been a matter of life and death for Lewis and Clark. But here at Fort Vancouver, only a few years later, Dr. McLaughlin could eat in a fine dining room with all the comforts. He really brought civilization to the Northwest. He also made the fur trade more successful than it had ever been before. He gave farming and industry their first real beginnings in the Northwest. He proved a community could not only survive here, but also grow and live in peace with the native people.

And in spite of being ordered to discourage Americans from settling and trading here, he offered help to anyone who needed it. After serving as chief factor here at Fort Vancouver for 22 years, Dr. John McLaughlin

would play another important part in the history of the Oregon country. But we'll be learning more about that later on. By the 1840s, there were very few beaver left in Oregon. And when the Hudson's Bay Company moved its headquarters out of Fort Vancouver in 1849, the inland fur trade was almost over. More and more missionaries and settlers were coming west. And it was time to decide once and for all whether England or the United States would control Oregon. After serving as chief factor here at Fort Vancouver for 22 years, Dr. John McLaughlin was to play another important part in the history of the Oregon country. But we'll be learning more about that later on.

By the 1840s, there were very few beaver left in Oregon. And when the Hudson's Bay Company moved its headquarters out of Fort Vancouver in 1849, the inland fur trade was almost over. More and more missionaries and settlers were coming west. But it was time to decide once and for all whether England or the United States would control Oregon. Our visit to the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site ends here in the Visitor Center. Take the fort, it's open daily from 9 o'clock till 5 o'clock. Here you'll find more displays and information about the history of the fort and the people who lived and worked there. And with the help of the fort's interpretive tours, you can get a clearer picture of

the contributions of Dr. McLaughlin and Fort Vancouver to the inland fur trade and to the history of Oregon. Thank you very much. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into

the state of Washington this time. Just across the Columbia River, north of Portland, to Fort Vancouver. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time.

Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time.

Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time.

Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time.

Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time.

Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time.

Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time. Our search for landmarks from the history of the old Oregon country has taken us into the state of Washington this time.

Thank you. Thank you.