Clark County Historical Museum

CCHM Speaker Series: Fort Vancouver’s First Centennial & Its Coin with Martin Middlewood
2025-09-11 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Fort Vancouver’s First Centennial & Its CoinDate: Thursday, September 11, 2025Time: Doors open at 6 PM | Talk begins at 7 PMLocation: Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660Cost: Free for CCHM Members | $5 for Non-Member
Join historian and award-winning writer Martin Middlewood for a fascinating journey into the chaotic, ambitious, and little-known story of Fort Vancouver’s 1925 Centennial celebration—a commemoration powered by community pride, political wrangling, and a special 50-cent commemorative coin.
Learn how forgotten history was revived, coins were flown in on a daring one-day trip to San Francisco, and last-minute challenges reshaped the celebration. Middlewood will place the event in its national context and reveal what happened after the fanfare faded.

Speaker Series: The Murder of JoAnn Dewey, presented by Pat Jolotta
2025-10-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Historic Covington House, 4201 Main St, Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Before midnight on March 19, 1950, startled bystanders outside Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Vancouver, Washington, witnessed a horrifying scene: two men forcing a screaming young woman into a car. That woman, JoAnn Dewey, was never seen alive again.
Dewey had recently moved to Portland to work and share an apartment with a friend. On this fateful night, she missed her bus home and walked to the hospital, planning to spend the night with another friend. By the next morning, a massive search for her was underway.
The case culminated in the longest trial in Clark County history at the time and ended with a death sentence for the Wilson brothers. Yet the story did not end there—appeals, escapes, and shocking courtroom testimony kept the case in the headlines until their execution in 1953.
Local historian and author Pat Jollota will lead us through the twists, turns, and dark truths of this remarkable case, shedding new light on one of the region’s most disturbing chapters.
Please Note: Due to ongoing upgrades to the Clark County Historical Museum’s roof, this month’s Speaker Series will be hosted at the Historic Covington House. Seating is extremely limited. Registration is required. This event is free and open to the public.
About Pat Jollota
Pat Jollota is a beloved historian, author, and former Vancouver City Council member whose work has shaped how Clark County remembers its past. Over two decades on the council, she championed historic preservation and community initiatives, including helping establish the Arthur D. Curtis Children’s Justice Center. As curator of the Clark County Historical Museum, she inspired countless residents with her deep love of local history. Jollota is the author of numerous books, including Naming Clark County, The Murder of JoAnn Dewey in Vancouver, Washington, and Haunted Vancouver. Recognized as Clark County’s First Citizen in 2012, she continues to be celebrated for preserving the stories that define our community.

Speaker Series: “What Is a Chief? How Native Values Can Teach Resilience”
2025-11-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
The Clark County Historical Museum (CCHM) concludes its 2025 Speaker Series with “What Is a Chief? How Native Values Can Teach Resilience,” featuring Native artist and former tribal leader John Halliday. The event will take place Thursday, November 6, 2025, at the Clark County Historical Museum (1511 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660).
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but registration is required. Visit cchmuseum.org for tickets.
At age 55, John Halliday became legally blind. A Muckleshoot Tribal member of Duwamish ancestry, Halliday credits his Native American worldview, cultural traditions, and values—practices that have sustained Native tribes long before colonization—with helping him overcome the challenges of losing his sight.
Too often, our understanding of American history begins with the arrival of European powers, overlooking the thriving Indigenous communities that already existed. Through his personal story, Halliday offers audiences a deeper understanding of Washington State history from a Native perspective, and how these enduring cultural values can teach us about resilience and leadership today.
About the Speaker
John Halliday (he/him) is a legally blind Native American artist of Muckleshoot, Duwamish, Yakama, and Warm Springs descent. He recently retired from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, where he served as Deputy Regional Director for the Navajo Region, and has also held leadership roles as CEO for the Muckleshoot and Snoqualmie Tribes.
As an artist known by the name Coyote, Halliday’s work has been featured at Lakewold Gardens, ANT Gallery, and the Sacred Circle Galleries of American Indian Art. He currently resides in Steilacoom, Washington.
This program is sponsored by Humanities Washington and the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission.
Register here

CCHM Speaker Series: How America Talks (Differently) About Slavery
2026-02-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
CCHM Speaker Series Presents: How America Talks (Differently) About Slavery
The Clark County Historical Museum is proud to present the next installment of its Speaker Series, How America Talks (Differently) About Slavery, on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at the Clark County Historical Museum.
Since colonial times, religious and political divides have shaped how Americans discuss and interpret the history of slavery. From The New York Times’ 1619 Project to the Trump administration’s 1776 Report, competing visions of race and slavery reflect long-standing tensions between critiquing and celebrating America’s past.
In this timely and thought-provoking talk, attendees will explore the ongoing debates surrounding the history of slavery and how these conversations continue to influence education, politics, religion, and culture. The presentation will examine how struggles over historical memory extend beyond the classroom into the public sphere, revealing the central role these debates play in America’s fractured civic life and national identity.
The evening will feature guest speaker R. Charles Weller, PhD, Associate Professor of History (Career) at Washington State University and Senior Research Fellow at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Dr. Weller’s work focuses on religious-cultural identity and relations in Western-Asian and world history. He has published extensively in both English and Kazakh and is currently working on a multi-volume study examining how Jewish, Christian, and Islamic sacred law traditions have shaped American legal heritage. Dr. Weller resides in Redmond, Washington.
Admission to this program is free and open to the public. However, space is limited, and advance registration is required to ensure a seat. Register here.
This program is made possible with generous support from Humanities Washington, the Vancouver NAACP Branch 1139 – B, and the Historic Preservation Commission.

CCHM Speaker Series: Hidden Layers: Women’s Undergarments and How They’ve Shaped Ladies’ Liberties
2026-03-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Camas Public Library, 625 NE 4th Ave, Camas, WA, 98607, United States
What do corsets, petticoats, bloomers, and modern foundations have in common?
They tell the story of women’s lives, liberties, and changing roles in society.
Join the Clark County Historical Museum for Hidden Layers: Women’s Undergarments and How They’ve Shaped Ladies’ Liberties, an engaging and entertaining Speaker Series presentation that explores how fashion has both restricted and liberated the female body over time.
From garments designed to constrain movement to innovations that prioritize comfort and freedom, women’s undergarments have long reflected society’s expectations around modesty, beauty, and independence. Blending humor with historical insight, this talk “pulls back the layers” to reveal how intimate apparel mirrors broader movements for gender equality and social change.
The program is presented by Diane Johnston, a theatrical costume designer with more than 35 years of experience creating costumes for productions throughout the region. Johnston holds an MFA in costume design and is a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required as seating is limited. Register here.
This program is made possible with generous support from Humanities Washington, the Camas Public Library, and the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission.

Vancouver’s Poet: The Life and Works of Mary Barnard
2026-04-02 19:00 - 20:30 | Fort Vancouver Visitor Center, 1501 E Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver, WA, 98661
Discover Vancouver poet Mary Barnard with historian Betty Bell; her modernist poetry, ties to Ezra Pound, and famed translations of Sappho.

Join us for an inspiring evening with local literary historian Betty Bell as she partners with the Clark County Historical Museum to share the remarkable story of Vancouver poet Mary Barnard for our Speaker Series.
From her early years exploring the forests and beaches of the Pacific Northwest to her studies at Reed College and her time in New York City’s literary circles, Barnard developed a distinctive voice in 20th century modernist poetry. Betty Bell, personal friend and literary executor for Barnard, will guide us through Barnard’s life, her connections with literary figures such as Ezra Pound, and her lasting contributions to the literary world, including her celebrated translation of Sappho, which remains a classic today.
Attendees will also enjoy readings from Barnard’s work, highlighting the vivid imagery and precise language that made her a treasured figure in American poetry. Through Bell’s engaging storytelling, you will discover the personal and professional journey of a writer whose quiet brilliance left a lasting legacy in Vancouver and beyond.
This installment of the Clark County Historical Museum Speaker Series will be presented at the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center with generous media sponsorship from The Columbian.
Cost: Free (Registration Required. Register HERE)
Location:
Fort Vancouver Visitor Center
1501 E Evergreen Blvd
Vancouver, WA 98661
