CCHMuseum @ Heroes Night
2023-06-24 15:00 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Pearson Air Museum, 1115 E 5th St, Vancouver, WA, 98661, United States
#CCHMuseum is excited to be part of this event celebrating our community’s veterans and first responders. Enjoy a free, family-friendly time of music, food, and a car show!
Stop by our booth during the event to enter to win a History of Clark County gift basket. Basket includes an annual family-level membership.

Wander Clark County: Downtown Vancouver (WA) SOLD OUT
2023-06-24 09:00 - 11:00 | Corner of 5th & Main Streets, 500 Main St, Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Take a tour through the notable buildings and events in the history of Downtown Vancouver, Washington.
Wander Clark County summer walking tour series occurs most Saturdays from June thru August at 9am. For a full list of tours go to cchmuseum.org/programs-events/walking-tours.

Covington House Open House
2023-06-18 12:00 - 15:00 | Historic Covington House, 4201 Main St, Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

CCHM @ Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
2023-06-17 13:00 - 19:00 | Esther Short Park, 605 Esther St, Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Wander Clark County: Old City Cemetery SOLD OUT
2023-06-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Old City Cemetery, 2700 E Mill Plain Blvd, Vancouver, WA, 98661
Whether you are a history buff, love funerary art, or are just curious about the people who shaped this community, a visit to historic Old City Cemetery is a treat! Join Clark County Historical Museum as we explore one of the city’s earliest cemeteries. Hear the stories of the visionaries who built Vancouver – their struggles and triumphs in building a new life for their families.
Wander Clark County summer walking tour series occurs most Saturdays from June thru August at 9am. For a full list of tours go to Wander Clark County: Historic Walking Tours.

Vancouver Writers Guild Workshop
2023-06-15 18:30 - 19:30, 2023-04-20 18:30 - 19:30, 2023-03-16 18:30 - 19:30, 2023-02-16 18:30 - 19:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

2023 CCHM Gala & Fundraiser: Casino Royale
2023-06-10 17:00 - 20:00 | Summit Grove Lodge

Pride Block Party with QYRC & Dandelion Teahouse
2023-06-10 13:00 - 19:00 | Dandelion Teahouse & Apothecary, 109 West 7th Street, Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

CCHM Closed
2023-06-10 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States

Clark County Pride Rainbow Walk
2023-06-04 11:00 - 16:00 | Holley Park, 1000 East 4th St, La Center, WA, 98629, United States

CCHM @ Parkersville Day
2023-06-03 12:00 - 15:00 | Parkers Landing, 24 S A Street, Washougal, WA, 98671, United States

#CCHM After Hours Open House
2023-06-02 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-05-05 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-03-03 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-02-03 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!
Each monthly event showcases a different theme with experiences such as pop-up exhibits, workshops, live performances, author readings, and more. While you’re here, be sure to explore our award winning exhibits to learn about the women who helped build the Clark County or dance through the history of music in our community.

A Search for Acceptance: The Joys and Challenges of Clark County's LGBTQ+ Community from Early Contact Through Today
2023-06-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
From the life and times of Kutenai spiritual leader, Kocomenepeca, through the waves of public “hysteria” over homosexuality throughout the 1900s and the tragedy of Nikki Kuhnhausen in 2019, Clark County’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning population has long found themselves the target for criminalization, victimization, and erasure. Yet, in spite of the challenges they have built a strong and vibrant community in Clark County that celebrates its rich history. With each setback, they have continued to persevere and push for the protections and rights afforded the “straight” community. In this talk, April will look at the history of the LGBTQ+ community in Clark County – both their struggles and their victories.

The Historic Music Preservation Project: Preserving Historic Music for Future Generations
2023-05-04 19:00 - 20:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Clark County Historical Museum and the Historic Music Preservation Project (HMPP), are excited to have Sammuel Murry-Hawkins, HMPP Executive Director, present “The Historic Music Preservation Project: Preserving Historic Music for Future Generations” for this month’s CCHM Speaker Series. The event will occur on Thursday, May 4, 2023 in person at the Clark County Historical Museum (1511 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660). Doors open at 5 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m.
The Historic Music Preservation Project is dedicated to the preservation and cataloging of historic popular dance sheet music published between 1880 and 1955.
The organization is the sole curator of the historic Herman Kenin Dance Band Library, a 4000+ title collection once in the possession of the famous Portland dance band leader.
The Historic Music Preservation Project’s commitment to introducing this music to a new audience is achieved through the performance of The Ne Plus Ultra Jazz Orchestra, an 11 piece ensemble which presents this music exactly as it was heard in its heyday. The organization also presents a quartet, Ensemble Gitane, performing music from the collection is the hot jazz style of Django Reinhardt.
Sammuel’s musical interests were cultivated as a child. At age 10 his parents purchased a flute for the budding musician, and this would remain his primary instrument until age 25, when Sammuel purchased his first banjo ukulele. With this controversial conversion from classical culture to an instrument better suited to the comic tunes of the 1920s, it became obvious that a period of music hitherto unknown to the young man would shape his musical career as well as his personal life. Classically trained in voice in addition to flute, Sammuel’s period sound has been influenced largely by Joey Nash, Rudy Vallee, and Russ Colombo.
The CCHM Speaker Series is sponsored by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission and League of Women Voters of Clark County. General admission is $5; seniors and students are $4; children under 18 are $3; and the evening is free for CCHM members, veterans, and active-duty military personnel.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as seating is limited.
For more information, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

GiveBig!
2023-05-02 - 2023-05-03 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
History is a part of us all. It can help us understand where the world around us began and how it influences us today. It gives us understanding. The events, workshops, programs, and exhibits that our museum hosts go beyond just the artifacts.
Help us keep history alive to share with generations to come. Donate today!

I am Also Entitled to be Recognized: The Journey of Moses Williams, Buffalo Soldier
2023-04-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Clark County Historical Museum kicks off its 2023 History on Tap season at the Kiggins Theatre on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023 with historian Gregory P. Shine presenting “I am Also Entitled to be Recognized: The Journey of Moses Williams, Buffalo Soldier.” The program will explore the life, military service, and Pacific Northwest connections of Sgt. Moses Williams – a decorated Buffalo Soldier and Medal of Honor recipient – and share new research that sheds light on key turning points in Williams’ fascinating life.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m.
Williams, a nineteenth century U.S. Army soldier who served in the Ninth U.S. Cavalry – one of four all-African American regiments known as Buffalo Soldiers – and at several western posts as an ordnance sergeant, is buried in the Vancouver Barracks post cemetery. As Shine’s program will illustrate, Williams’ journey from rural Louisiana, through assignments at remote forts in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, and Oregon, reveals much about the history of the American West.
Gregory P. Shine is a historian, writer and educator who has been connecting people to the history of the American West for over 30 years. Throughout his career, Greg has worked for the U.S. National Park Service – including 14 years locally as the chief ranger and historian at Fort Vancouver N.H.S. – and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, where he currently leads the agency’s national Interpretation program. Greg also taught history at Portland State University for nearly a decade. An active community volunteer, he is a longstanding member of the editorial board of the Oregon Encyclopedia, a project of the Oregon Historical Society. Greg is a popular speaker on topics related to Pacific Northwest history and has appeared on episodes of PBS’s History Detectives and OPB’s Oregon Experience. Most recently, Greg was a consulting historian to the documentary film Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts.
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”. And watch as the Passages to Success crew battle for the title of “King of Trivia” during Clark County Trivia.
Admission to History on Tap is $15 in advance/$12 for CCHM Members, $18 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at the Kiggins Theatre Box Office or online at kigginstheatre.com/movies/history-on-tap.
The History on Tap season is brought to you by My Family Guide. Program support provided by Versa Events.
More About Moses Williams
To learn more about Moses Williams, the Buffalo Soldiers at Vancouver Barracks and in the Pacific Northwest, the history of Blacks in Oregon, and related topics, visit the Oregon Encyclopedia online at https://oregonencyclopedia.org.

Community Takeover: Summer of Pride
2023-04-07 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 AfterHours!
It’s Community takeover time! This month Summer of Pride Clark County is taking over the museum with an evening of music, food, and trivia. Join us from 5pm to 8pm to meet great people and learn more about one of our many amazing community partners.

Hidden Histories: The South Vietnamese Side of the Vietnam War
2023-04-06 19:00 - 20:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Clark County Historical Museum and Humanities Washington, as part of the 2023 CCHM Speaker Series, are excited to have Julie Pham bring her impactful presentation “Hidden Histories: The South Vietnamese Side of the Vietnam War” to Southwest Washington. The event will occur on Thursday, April 6, 2023 in person at the Clark County Historical Museum (1511 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660). Doors open at 5 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m.
The Vietnam War is seen by much of the Western world as being fought between the Americans and North Vietnamese Communists, with the South Vietnamese largely absent. Yet many Vietnamese refugees who came to America after the war served in the South Vietnamese military, and there is little recognition and understanding of their contributions and role in the war. In fact, in American and Vietnamese Communist histories, the South Vietnamese are painted as corrupt, apathetic sidekicks to the Americans. How did the South Vietnamese military really experience the Vietnam War? Historian Julie Pham draws from interviews she conducted with 40 South Vietnamese military veterans in the United States, and illuminates how people can remember historical events differently.
Julie Pham (she/her) is the CEO of CuriosityBased, a consulting practice focused on fostering curiosity in the workplace. Her family owns Northwest Vietnamese News. She published Their War: The Perspectives of the South Vietnamese Military in the Words of Veteran-Emigres in 2019. She earned her PhD in history from the University of Cambridge as a Gates Cambridge Scholar.
Pham lives in Seattle.
The CCHM Speaker Series is sponsored by the Humanities Washington, Clark County Historic Preservation Commission, and the League of Women Voters of Clark County. Thanks to support from Humanities Washington this event is free to the public.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as seating is limited.
For more information, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.
About Humanities Washington
Humanities Washington is a nonprofit organization dedicated to opening minds and bridging divides by creating spaces to explore different perspectives. For more about Humanities Washington, visit www.humanities.org.
About the Speakers Bureau Program
In communities throughout Washington State, Speakers Bureau presenters give free public presentations on history, politics, music, philosophy, spiritual traditions, and everything in between.
Their roster of over 30 Speakers Bureau presenters is made up of professors, artists, activists, historians, performers, journalists, and others—all chosen not only for their expertise, but also for their ability to inspire discussion with people of all ages and backgrounds. Hundreds of Speakers Bureau events take place each year. Find a Speakers Bureau event near you.
To reach as many Washingtonians as possible, Humanities Washington partners with a wide range of organizations, including libraries, schools, museums, historical societies, community centers, and civic organizations. Qualifying nonprofit organizations are encouraged to host a speaker.
The Speakers Bureau program is made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Washington via the Office of the Secretary of State, the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University, and generous contributions from other businesses, foundations, and individuals.

Museum Closed
2023-03-04 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Clark County Historical Museum will be closed as staff participates as judges in the Southwest Washington History Day Competition. We will reopen at 11am on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

Defending Democracy: Founding of League of Women Voters in Clark County
2023-03-02 19:00 - 20:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Clark County Historical Museum continues its 2023 Speaker Series on Thursday, March 2, with “Defending Democracy: Founding of League of Women Voters in Clark County.” The event will occur in person at the Clark County Historical Museum (1511 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660). Doors open at 5 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m.
On the heels of the ratification of the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote in 1920, feisty Ruth Karr McKee gathered Vancouver’s key women activists to found the League of Women Voters of Clark County (LWVCC). Join LWVCC members, Liz Backstrom and Tracy Reilly Kelly, as they explore this astonishing advocate, as well as what the early League did for progressive, non-partisan action. Their discussion will cover 1920 up to the early World War II years.
Tracy Reilly Kelly retired as Program Manager of Community Education at Clark College. Initially a history major, Tracy received her BA in Human Services from Evergreen State College and an MS in Teaching Health Education at Portland State University. In 2008, Tracy was honored as a Woman of Achievement by the YWCA of Clark County and Clark College. She currently teaches at Clark part-time.
Elizabeth Backstrom is the Director of Grants and Contracts for YWCA Spokane, working remotely and enjoying life in Vancouver. She majored in journalism at Western Washington University and earned an MPA at Eastern Washington University. She enjoys reading, writing, and history. As a night owl, she gets through the day on coffee, humor, and sheer determination. She joined the LWVCC in August 2021 because of a longtime passion for voting rights and a belief that with enough effort, democracy can work for everyone.
The CCHM Speaker Series is sponsored by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission and League of Women Voters of Clark County. General admission is $5; seniors and students are $4; children under 18 are $3; and the evening is free for CCHM members, veterans, and active-duty military personnel.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as seating is limited.
For more information, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

Museum Closed Sat, March 4, 2023
2023-02-28 08:00 - 17:00 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
#CCHMuseum will be closed Saturday, March 4th as staff volunteer at the Southwest WA History Day Competition. We will reopen at 11am on Tuesday, March 7th. Have a lovely weekend!

Chkalov’s Transpolar Flight to Vancouver
2023-02-02 19:00 - 20:30 | Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
Chkalov was a Soviet Pilot who, when attempting to fly from Moscow to Oakland, had to emergency land at Pearson Airfield in 1937. During this month’s presentation, Columbia River High School student, Luke Hildreth, will be presenting the findings of his History Extended Essay, in which he explores the question, “How significant was Chkalov’s flight to Vancouver and what was its significance on politics, culture, and aviation in both the Soviet Union and America?”

The 1930s Northwest Aviators with David Hedberg
2022-12-01 19:00 - 21:00
In the 1930s, barnstorming, or “Air Circus”, tours swept through the nation introducing the fledgling aviation industry to the general public through aeronautic feats and challenges. The Northwest Air Tour was one such group that traveled throughout Oregon and Washington promoting aviation to the masses.
In our final History on Tap of the 2022 season, founder and principal historian of Outdoor History Consulting, David Hedberg, looks at the people behind this story and how the environment of the sky and early aviation transcended race, class, and gender identities.
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”. And watch as the team from passages to Success continue their battle for the title of “King of Trivia” during Clark County Trivia.
Admission to History on Tap is $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at the Kiggins Theatre Box Office or online at kigginstheatre.com/movies/history-on-tap.
The History on Tap season is brought to you by Passages to Success. Special thanks to all our season sponsors Vancouver’s Downtown Association, Mickler & Associates, and Ryan Philbrook, Voice Overs. Program support provided by Wager Audio.
For more information, contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

Slocum House Exhibit Preview
2022-11-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Slocum House, 605 Esther Street, Vancouver, WA, 98660, United States
When: November 19th, 2022 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm (Opening remarks at 6 pm.)
Where: Slocum House (605 Esther Street, Vancouver, WA 98660)
Cost: Free for CCHS Members (Limit 40 people)
What: Overshadowed by a concrete enclosure of modern developments, the Slocum House represents two moments in our city’s history. First, it is a dazzling vestige of a once wealthy residential neighborhood, busy with the city’s early elite. Second, the home, whose foundation is no longer situated on its original locale, stands as a haunting reminder of what happens when history stands in the path of revitalization and development. In our latest exhibit, to be located at the Slocum House, we explore the effect of Urban Renewal in the 1960s movement on the city’s story and character through the lens of the house.
Opening remarks at 6 pm. Limit 40 people.

Slocum House Exhibit Preview
Free
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