Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver, Washington is the county seat of Clark County and the state of Washington’s second fastest growing county for the last decade. Vancouver is on the Columbia River, the natural boundary between Washington State and Oregon, in the extreme southwest corner of the state. The city has a total land mass area of approximately 46 square miles.
The community of Vancouver, WA was named after Capt. George Vancouver (1757-1798) who explored the coasts of British Columbia and proved the non-existence of a Northwest Passage at this latitude. In 1806 the Lewis and Clark expedition camped in the area and Lewis wrote that it was “the only desired situation for settlement west of the Rocky Mountains.” The first permanent white settlement did not occur until 1825, when Fort Vancouver was established as a fur trading post of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The area was settled by both the US and Britain under a “joint occupation” agreement, which ended on June 15, 1846, with the signing of the Oregon Treaty. The Treaty gave the United States full control of the area. The city of Vancouver was incorporated on January 23, 1857.
The Census 2000 Demographic Profile for the city of Vancouver, Washington counted a total population of 143,560 with a labor force of 72,865. The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce advances the business community and promotes the area’s strong steady growth by providing networking opportunities, education and information.
Vancouver, Washington is home to the Clark County Historical Museum, which opened New Year’s Eve, 1909, sharing space with Vancouver’s first public library. Listed on the National Historic Register, it was the first public building in Vancouver to have electricity installed. Vancouver Community Library is the hub of an extensive library system known as the Cascade Link.
The most prominent historic site in the area is the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, established in 1848. Battle Ground Lake State Park is a camping park with 280 acres of forested land in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. The lake itself is of volcanic origin and is considered to be a smaller version of Crater Lake in Oregon. Paradise Point State Park is an 88-acre camping park with 6,180 feet of freshwater shoreline, immediately east of the interstate.
Mountain biking is quite popular as a number of scenic trails of every size and description can be found in the immediate area surrounding Vancouver, Washington. Larch Mountain Loop, Tarbell Trail Loop and Yacolt’s Larch Mountain are all within the city limits of Vancouver, WA with almost a dozen others within a few miles drive. Vancouver itself has over 60 designated park and recreation areas and subscribes to the Urban and Community Forestry agenda.
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is Southwest Washington’s own symphony. The Symphony’s Music Director and Conductor, Maestro Salvador Brotons, is a widely respected composer and conductor who regularly guest conducts around the world; and his compositions have received critical acclaim.
Clark College in Vancouver, WA offers accessible, comprehensive education, services to support student success, and community partnerships to enhance student learning. Washington State University at Vancouver began offering courses in Southwest Washington in 1983 as part of the Southwest Washington Joint Center for Education. The Salmon Creek campus opened in 1996. Washington State University Vancouver offers junior, senior and graduate level courses in more than 35 fields of study. Students may pursue one of WSU Vancouver’s fifteen bachelor’s and nine master’s degrees.
Vancouver, Washington is proud of its rich heritage, friendly neighborhoods, vibrant economy and quality services. “A colorful past, a bright future.” The city of Vancouver awaits you.
