Echoes of Fort Vancouver: How the Fur Trade Shaped Clark County

Echoes of Fort Vancouver: How the Fur Trade Shaped Clark County

Opening December 13, 2025

The Clark County Historical Museum (CCHM) is proud to present Echoes of Fort Vancouver: How the Fur Trade Shaped Clark County, opening Saturday, December 13, 2025. Join us for a free public opening reception from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.

Timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort Vancouver, this exhibit traces the deep roots of regional trade networks, beginning long before European arrival, and reveals how centuries of exchange helped shape the cultural and economic landscape of what is now Clark County.

About the Exhibit

Echoes of Fort Vancouver guides visitors on a journey through interconnected systems of trade, adaptation, and community. From the expansive Indigenous networks that once linked the Pacific Northwest to the global fur trade that brought new peoples and economies to the region, the exhibit offers an in-depth look at how commerce helped define the area’s identity.

Visitors will discover how the fur trade influenced industries, agriculture, settlement patterns, and cultural exchange, leaving legacies that still resonate today.

Exhibit Highlights

Crossroads and Trade Routes

Explore the sophisticated Indigenous trade systems that flourished long before European contact.

The Hudson’s Bay Company

Learn about the rise of one of the world’s most powerful trading enterprises and its pivotal North American operations.

Life at Fort Vancouver

Meet the diverse peoples, from Native and Métis families to Hawaiian laborers and European settlers, who built and sustained the fort’s vibrant community.

Growth, Change, and Tension

Examine the profound impacts of American migration and shifting political power in the mid-19th century.

Industry and Agriculture

Trace the early foundations of Clark County’s economy, shaped in part by fur trade–era practices and infrastructure.

Pacific Islander and Native Nations Today

Discover the enduring presence and contributions of Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native communities in Clark County’s cultural landscape.

Artifacts and Special Features

The exhibit showcases:

  • Historic maps and artwork illustrating the vast reach of Hudson’s Bay Company territories
  • Reconstructed views of Fort Vancouver
  • 17th-century fur trade imagery from the Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Objects and stories that reveal the human experiences behind the trade

A featured section, “Impact of the Fur Trade,” confronts the ecological consequences of the era, including overharvesting of beaver populations, and contrasts these histories with modern conservation efforts.

Exhibit Sponsors

CCHM gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the partners who made this exhibition possible:

  • Clark College Foundation
  • C-TRAN
  • Heritage Bank
  • RealVest
  • Riverview Bank
  • WSU Vancouver (WSUV)

About the Clark County Historical Museum

Since 1964, the Clark County Historical Museum has been dedicated to preserving and sharing the history, art, and culture of Southwest Washington. Through exhibitions, lectures, tours, and community programming, CCHM connects people with the region’s past to inspire a stronger future for Clark County.