SW Washington Regional History Day: Museum Closed
2024-03-09 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
CCHMuseum will be closed Saturday, March 9th as staff judges the SW Washington Regional History Day competition.

Covington House Open House
2024-03-17 12:00 - 15:00, 2024-04-21 12:00 - 15:00, 2024-05-19 12:00 - 15:00, 2024-06-16 12:00 - 15:00, 2024-07-21 12:00 - 15:00, 2024-08-18 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Historic Covington House, 4201 Main St, Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Movie Screening "Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts"
2024-03-30 16:00 - 17:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Clark County Historical Museum will host a screening of “Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts” by local documentarian, Dru Holley.
Established by Congress, the 14th Amendment promised citizenship in exchange for enlistment, prompting many African American men. They were denied due to Jim Crow laws but still served. The film examines the profound and often-contradictory roles played by Buffalo Soldiers in U.S. history, and how they fought on two sets of front lines: military conflicts abroad and civil rights struggles at home.
See the trailer: https://www.pbs.org/video/local-usa-buffalo-soldiers-fighting-on-two-fronts-trailer/
Stay after the screening for a post-film Q&A with Holley.
Admission is free. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis.

Big Apples, Big Business: How Washington Became the Apple State
2024-04-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Fourth Plain Community Commons, 3101 E 4th Plain Blvd Ste.101, Vancouver, WA, 98661, United States
Why do so many apples in the grocery store look the same? And why do so many come from Washington?
In this talk, explore how Washington became the top apple producing state in the country, and how, in the process, it transformed apples into an industrialized commodity. Many regions in the West attempted to grow apples, but in Washington, big apples became big business thanks to the work of scientists, investors, irrigators, railroad corporations, marketers, and apple growers. How does the history of Washington apples reflect larger changes happening in the American food system—changes that continue to affect our environment and the way we eat today?
Amanda L. Van Lanen (she/her) is a Professor of History at Lewis-Clark State College and the author of The Washington Apple: Orchards and the Development of Industrial Agriculture. She earned a Ph.D. in history at Washington State University, and blogs about food history at historyreheated.com.
The CCHM Speaker Series season is sponsored by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission. This month’s presentation is co-hosted with Fourth Plain Forward and brought to you by Humanities Washington and the League of Women Voters of Clark County. Admission is free and open to all.
For more information, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

Community Take Over with Fourth Plain Forward
2024-04-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Join Fourth Plain Forward during this month’s #CCHMuseum After Hours for a meet and greet with the artist behind Mother Camas, Toma Villa, before it’s unveiling on April 20th. Stop by to hear the inspiring story behind Mother Camas, see Toma’s incredible artwork, and learn more about this amazing nonprofit.

Roll 20: D&D and the Power of Community Storytelling
2024-04-18 19:00 - 21:00 | WA
Prepare to roll for initiative on a fascinating exploration of the world’s most popular tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, and its surprising impact on individuals and communities during Clark County Historical Museum’s History on Tap. “Roll 20: D&D and the Power of Community Storytelling,” presented by April Pereira, will delve into the unexpected benefits of D&D, showcasing how this imaginative game fosters creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and social connection. The presentation will take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at the Kiggins Theatre.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m.
Since its introduction 50 years ago, Dungeons & Dragons has grown from a niche hobby into a global phenomenon. Join Pereira as they look beyond fantastical creatures and thrilling battles to reveal the game’s deeper significance as a powerful form of community storytelling, one that unlocks creativity, builds meaningful connections, and shapes us into better versions of ourselves.
“Dungeons & Dragons is more than a game,” says Pereira. “It’s a celebration of the human capacity for imagination, collaboration, and connection. Whether you’re a seasoned dungeon delver or a curious newcomer, this presentation will offer a fresh perspective on the power of storytelling and its ability to bring people together.”
April (Buzby) Pereira (she/they) is the outreach and public programs manager at Clark County Historical Museum and founder of Lymantria Press. An author and community advocate, they’ve spent their career working with disenfranchised groups to foster community and find their voice. Pereira earned their masters of community and regional planning (MCRP) from the University of Oregon with a focus on social infrastructure, community building, and participatory governance. Their debut novel The Artificer’s Dilemma is due out Winter 2025. Pereira can be found at aprilpereira.com and lymantria.press.
Before the main event, see if you can figure out which tidbits of history are true and which ones are fake in our newest segment, “A History and A Lie.” Also, watch as contestants battle for the title of “King of Trivia” during Clark County Trivia.
Admission to History on Tap is $5 in advance. Day of admission is $10 for the public and free for CCHM Members. Purchase your tickets at the Kiggins Theatre Box Office or online at kigginstheatre.com.
The 2024 History on Tap season is presented by Vancouver’s Downtown Association. This month’s program is sponsored by Bounce-N-Battle. Program support provided by Versa Events.
About the Clark County Historical Museum
The Clark County Historical Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Clark County, Washington. The museum offers a variety of exhibits, programs, and events throughout the year. For more information, contact us at outreach@cchmuseum.org, visit the museum’s website at cchmuseum.org, or call (360) 993-5679.
About History on Tap
History on Tap is a series of casual talks built on the premise that history didn’t end on some dusty date on the calendar but is a dynamic story where every person is an active participant. This amusing, informative, and interactive program returns for a sixth season of bringing together two of the world’s favorite things – history and beer – in one of Clark County’s most treasured venues, Kiggins Theatre.

Our History, Our Museum: 60 Years of the Clark County Historical Museum
2024-05-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Community Take Over with QYRC
2024-05-03 17:00 - 20:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Have you ever wondered where the PNW’s love for hops and IPAs began? Or who was the first female riverboat captain on the Columbia? Have fun and meet others every First Friday while exploring our community’s history during #CCHMuseum After Hours!
It’s time for another Community Take Over! The Queer Youth Resource Center is taking over the Museum on Friday, May 3rd. Join us for an evening of fun and games and connect with local community organizations.

Clark County Historical Museum’s 60th Anniversary Celebration
2024-05-24 - 2024-05-25 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

CCHM @ Parkersville Day
2024-06-01 12:00 - 15:00 | Parkers Landing, 24 S A Street, Washougal, WA, 98671, United States
Opens with a Chinook blessing and songs with a 31 foot Chinook colorful canoe in the park. Enjoy free family games played at the park location in an 1880 grand event with candy prizes from the late 1800s or an event souvenir stickers. See art with a Columbia river travel history theme from Washougal school’s and hear the Washougal H.S. band play the Parkersville Day March. See a square dance demo and hear local history storytellers. Take a park tour to identify plants and trees. See displays. Enjoy Good Humor ice cream that started over 100 years ago. Learn history by experiencing the day. Rain or shine!

Resisting Erasure through Storytelling
2024-06-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Fourth Plain Community Commons, 3101 E 4th Plain Blvd Ste.101, Vancouver, WA, 98661, United States
Clark County Historical Museum, Fourth Plain Forward, and Humanities Washington invite the community to an engaging in-person conversation with Putsata Reang, a member of the 2024-2025 Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau program, on Thursday, June 6, 2024. This month’s CCHM Speaker Series presentation will take place at Fourth Plain Community Commons (3101 E 4th Plain Blvd Ste.101, Vancouver, WA 98661.)
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Presentation begins at 7:00 pm.
When Putsata Reang was eight years old, she didn’t understand why her skin was brown when almost all of her classmates’ skin was white. So she put an eraser to her arm and began to rub, hoping to become white. A decade later, feeling disoriented by the dawning realization that she is gay, Putsata put a razor to her wrist. But ultimately she was too ashamed to end her own life. That’s because when she was a baby, and her family fled war in her native Cambodia, her mother had saved her life.
Today, an increasing number of Americans like Putsata are at risk of erasure because of external forces such as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, and internal forces, such as shame and discrimination. Putsata discusses the dangers of dwelling on differences and encourages audiences to share their personal stories as an antidote to erasure.
Putsata Reang (she/her) is an author and journalist whose debut memoir, Ma and Me, was awarded the 2023 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association prize for nonfiction and was recognized as a finalist for the 2023 Lambda Literary Award. Her writing has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Ms. magazine, Politico, and The Guardian. Reang has held several prestigious residencies and was a fellow of the Jack Straw Writers program and Alicia Patterson Foundation for journalists.
The CCHM Speaker Series season is sponsored by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission. This month’s presentation is co-hosted with Fourth Plain Forward and brought to you by Humanities Washington. Admission is free and open to all.
For more information, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

Community Take Over with Our Bold Voices
2024-06-07 17:00 - 20:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Timeless Elegance: A Half-Century of Glamour
2024-06-12 19:00 - 21:00 | WA
The Clark County Historical Museum (CCHM) and the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Raintree Empire (ISCRE) are proud to announce a collaborative event celebrating 50 years of pride, inclusivity, and fundraising with an immersive presentation.
Timeless Elegance: A Half-Century of Glamour will explore the history of drag, storytelling, and the impactful fundraising and community outreach of the ISCRE, a vibrant Vancouver nonprofit organization. This special event is part of the History on Tap series at the Kiggins Theatre and will take place on Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, at 7:00 pm.
The presentation will be led by the renowned Epiphany Dale Monsoon Valentine, a pillar of the ISCRE community, along with fellow ISCRE members. The evening will feature a captivating exploration of drag performance, its rich history, and its role in social movements. The program will also highlight the ISCRE’s dedication to fundraising and community outreach, showcasing their 50-year legacy of making a positive impact in Clark County.
“We are thrilled to partner with the ISCRE for this unique event,” said Bradley Richardson, Executive Director of the Clark County Historical Museum. “Timeless Elegance promises an entertaining and educational evening that will shed light on the important contributions of drag performers and their art to our history.”
Before the main event, see if you can figure out which tidbits of history are true and which ones are fake in our segment, “One History and A Lie.” Also, watch as contestants battle for the title of “King (or Queen) of Trivia” during Clark County Trivia.
Admission to History on Tap is $5 in advance. Day of admission is $10 for the public and free for CCHM Members. Purchase your tickets at the Kiggins Theatre Box Office or online at kigginstheatre.com.
The 2024 History on Tap season is presented by Vancouver’s Downtown Association. This month’s program is sponsored by theARTScentered and Dandelion Tea & Apothecary. Program support provided by Versa Events.
About the Clark County Historical Museum
The Clark County Historical Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Clark County, Washington. The museum offers a variety of exhibits, programs, and events throughout the year. For more information, contact us at outreach@cchmuseum.org, visit the museum’s website at cchmuseum.org, or call (360) 993-5679.
About the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Raintree Empire (ISCRE)
The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Raintree Empire (ISCRE) is a non-profit organization that promotes equality, acceptance, and social justice for the LGBTQ+ community. Established in the mid-1970s, ISCRE is dedicated to supporting charitable organizations that serve LGBTQ+ people throughout Southwest Washington. For more information, visit ISCRE’s website at raintreeempire.org.
About History on Tap
History on Tap is a series of casual talks built on the premise that history didn’t end on some dusty date on the calendar but is a dynamic story where every person is an active participant. This amusing, informative, and interactive program returns for a sixth season of bringing together two of the world’s favorite things – history and beer – in one of Clark County’s most treasured venues, Kiggins Theatre.

Penguin Nation Mixer (at CCHM!)
2024-06-25 16:00 - 18:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
On Tuesday, June 25th, the Penguin Nation will gather at the Clark County Historical Museum. This alumni-led nonprofit is the perfect location for our next installment of the Penguin Nation Mixer series. Your RSVP includes access to the putt-putt course, drink tickets, and burgers from the Steakburger food truck as our 100 burger vouchers last (first come, first served). More food options will be available for purchase.
The goal of our Penguin Nation Mixer series is to create an opportunity for alumni, business partners, community partners, faculty and staff, and those wanting to connect to Clark College to come together to strengthen our networks and connections to each other.
This event’s featured activity is the Bounce’n Battle 9-hole putt-putt golf course throughout the exhibits of the Clark County History Museum, plus the Steakburger to-go Food Truck (if you know, you know!).
Special thank you to Umpqua Bank for contributing to the success of this event and working to ensure access to education for all in our community. Your sponosorship and support are appreciated.
RSVP is required to attend this 21 and over event (due to our beer/wine drink tickets). There is no cost to attend. Doors open from 4 pm to 6 pm. Come out for an afternoon of fun and connections.
We hope to see you there!
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Clark College defines an alumnus (as someone that has taken at least one class at Clark College, a degree isn’t required). This event is a great opportunity to connect to Clark College either personally or for more info on opportunities for your business/employer. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend as one of Clark College’s four tenants include community engagement.
Please direct any questions to alumni@supportclark.org. Either Chandra Chase, AVP Alumni Relations and Community Engagement, or Dominick Allen, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement, will respond.

Here’s the link to RSVP – https://june25mixer.eventbrite.com

Wander Clark County Walking Tours: Old City Cemetery
2024-06-29 09:00 - 10:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Clark County Historical Museum is celebrating our Main Streets and the people who helped shape our community during its 2024 Wander Clark County Summer Walking Tour Series starting Saturday, June 29th at 9:00 am.
This annual and popular series offers Clark County residents and visitors the opportunity to visit several of the area’s most fascinating neighborhoods and city centers. This year’s tours will highlight the following locations:

Jun 29 Old City Cemetery
Jul 13 Celebrate Main Street: Historic Ridgefield
Jul 27 Celebrate Main Street: Old Town Battle Ground
Aug 10 That’s Entertainment: Celebrating Downtown Vancouver
Aug 24 (Her)Story: Remarkable Women of Clark County
Sep 7 Celebrate Main Street: Downtown Camas

Guides will lead up to 30 people for approximately a mile, making frequent stops along the way to view buildings, tell stories, and answer questions. Good walking shoes and balance aids are recommended; terrain varies and, except for Old City Cemetery, consists mostly of city sidewalks.
All are welcome on the tours, though they are best suited for those 13 years and older. Tours happen rain or shine. Please dress and hydrate appropriately. There are no restroom stops on the tours.
Tickets are $10.00 for non-members. CCHM members are free but RSVP is required. To purchase your tickets, go to our Eventbrite ticketing page.
For questions, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

Liberty Factory: A Look at the Kaiser Shipyards
2024-07-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
The Clark County Historical Museum (CCHM) welcomes author and maritime journalist, Peter Marsh, to the Speaker Series program with his presentation, “Liberty Factory: A Look at the Kaiser Shipyards,” on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at 7:00 pm. This presentation will occur at the Clark County Historical Museum (1511 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660.)
In this talk, Peter Marsh will describe the amazing history of Henry Kaiser’s WWII Oregon shipyards and their impact on the ports and populations of the lower Columbia River from 1940 to 1945.
Peter Marsh was born and raised in Greenwich in SE London–the home of 0 degrees longitude and GMT. He has lived in the USA for over 50 years and began building and sailing a 20’ micro cruiser in Portland in 1981. After sailing from Olympia to Glacier Bay and back twice in 1982 and 1988, he began reporting about yachts and commercial craft on the lower Columbia River for the Freshwater News boating paper. In the 1990s, he became acquainted with Larry Barber, the last marine editor of the Oregonian, who continued writing about the local baiting scene after he retired.
Barber had been the leading reporter covering WWII ship building in Portland, especially the achievements of Henry Kaiser’s three emergency shipyards. He reprised some of these stories for the boating paper, most notably the exploits of the Kaiser yard in St. Johns in North Portland that launched 334 Liberty ships in four years. He called the story “Liberty Ship Capital of the World,” and continued to recall the incredible exploits of Kaiser’s two Portland yards and the Vancouver yard, “the Escort Carrier Champions,” until he died in 1996.
Larry’s widow gave Peter her husband’s archives but it was another 20 years before he finally began to seriously study them with the goal of producing a book to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the war in 2020. This is the first book to review the region’s forgotten history of wartime shipbuilding, which employed over 180,000 people—30,000 of them women who were trained in a few weeks to become welders, machinists, electricians etc.
“Liberty Factory: A Look at the Kaiser Shipyards” is part of the CCHM’s ongoing Speaker Series, which features talks by local historians, authors, and experts on a variety of topics related to Clark County history.
The CCHM Speaker Series is presented by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission. This month’s presentation is sponsored by the Building Industry Association. Admission to the presentation is $5 for the general public and free for CCHM members, veterans, and active-duty military personnel.
For more information about the Clark County Historical Museum or the Speaker Series, please contact us at outreach@cchmuseum.org, visit the museum’s website at cchmuseum.org, or call 360-993-5679.

Wander Clark County Walking Tours: Historic Ridgefield
2024-07-13 09:00 - 10:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Wander Clark County Walking Tours: Old Town Battle Ground
2024-07-27 09:00 - 10:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Stomp and Shout: The Untold Story of Northwest Rock & Roll
2024-08-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Fourth Plain Community Commons, 3101 E 4th Plain Blvd Ste.101, Vancouver, WA, 98661, United States
Northwest Rock & Roll’s historical highpoints are well documented—in the late 20th century, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and other grunge gods took the world by storm. Previously, Seattle’s Queensrÿche and Heart had ruled the heavy metal realm. And prior to that, The Wailers, The Kingsmen, Paul Revere and The Raiders, and The Sonics had all fueled local teen dances with garage-rock versions of the region’s signature song, “Louie Louie.”
Yet these iconic bands are only half the story. In this talk, join author Peter Blecha to discover the lesser-known but vitally important bands and scenes that laid the foundation for what was to come—finally connecting all the dots between the fabled Northwest era of Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, and Jimmy Hendrix, and the R&B-spiked roots of a distinct regional artform: the “Original Northwest Sound.”
Peter Blecha (he/him) is the director of the Northwest Music Archives, an award-winning author, a founding curator at MoPop, and a longtime staff historian at HistoryLink.org. Blecha’s newest book, Stomp and Shout: R&B and the Origins of Northwest Rock and Roll, draws on his deep knowledge as a leading expert on Pacific Northwest music history to chronicle both well-known and overlooked icons of the early Northwest Sound.

First Friday Open House
2024-08-02 17:00 - 20:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Wander Clark County Walking Tours: Downtown Vancouver
2024-08-10 09:00 - 10:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Wander Clark County Walking Tours: Remarkable Women of Clark County
2024-08-24 09:00 - 10:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Orugas a Mariposas
2024-09-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Fourth Plain Community Commons, 3101 E 4th Plain Blvd Ste.101, Vancouver, WA, 98661, United States
Clark County Historical Museum and Fourth Plain Forward, as part of the 2024 CCHM Speaker Series, welcomes Diana Avalos Leos with her presentation “Orugas a Mariposas.” The event takes place on Thursday, September 5th at the Fourth Plain Community Commons (3101 E 4th Plain Blvd Ste.101, Vancouver, WA 98661.) Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
Presentation begins at 7 p.m.
***PLEASE PARK ON THE STREET OR IN THE UMPQUA PARKING LOT***
Latino Leadership Northwest has been a vital force in Latino student education and leadership development in SW WA since 2011. Their unwavering mission empowers Latino youth to build relationships, advocate for their education, and take pride in their achievements, while also providing a safety net of resources for their families. In this presentation, Avalos-Leos will explore the history of the Latino/a community’s leadership in Clark County and this vital organization.
The CCHM Speaker Series season is sponsored by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission. This month’s presentation is co-hosted with Fourth Plain Forward and Fourth Plain Community Commons. Admission is free and open to all.
For more information, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

Clark County Local Authors Fair
2024-09-06 17:00 - 19:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Calling all book lovers! The Clark County Historical Museum (CCHM) and StorySpark Collective are thrilled to bring back the Clark County Local Authors Fair on Friday, September 6th, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Join us at the museum (1511 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660) to meet a fantastic array of 15+ local authors, both established and up-and-coming, who will showcase their work across a variety of genres. Get ready to discover your next favorite read! Some of the featured authors include Jeff Davis, Russell Mickler, Patty Grasher, Donna Sinclair, Deb Cushman, Gina Mercado, and many more!
The Local Authors Fair is a free event open to the public. It coincides with Vancouver’s Downtown Association’s First Friday Art Walk, so you can make an evening of exploring art, literature, and local culture.
The #CCHMuseum After Hours events are known for offering a variety of experiences. Expect to encounter community takeovers, pop-up exhibits, workshops, live performances, and author readings throughout the evening. This is a fantastic opportunity to support local businesses and the arts scene while celebrating the power of storytelling.
For additional details, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

Wander Clark County Walking Tours: Historic Downtown Camas
2024-09-07 09:00 - 10:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
