Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Traditional Use Study

Project ID: P15AC01372

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: Portland State University

Fiscal Year: 2015

Initial Funding: $88,680

Total Funding: $104,951

Project Type: Research

Project Disciplines: Cultural

National Park: Fort Vancouver NHS

Principal Investigator: Spoon, Jeremy

Agreement Technical Representative: Langford, Theresa

Abstract: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (FOVA) serves to protect and commemorate one of the most historically significant landmarks in the western United States. From 1825 through 1849, Fort Vancouver was the site of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s headquarters for all operations west of the Rocky Mountains; through the latter half of the 19 century, the site was reoccupied by a military fort that administered the “Indian Wars of the Pacific Northwest. In this capacity, the Fort was a primary hub for cross-cultural interactions throughout the historical Pacific Northwest. The list of American Indian tribes, Canadian First Nations, and Native Hawaiian organizations that
have historical ties to this site, and continue to share stories of their ties to It, is notably long and diverse. This project seeks to recover, document, and share with the public this rich history, rooted largely in the perspectives and recollections of indigenous peoples. The National Park Service and Portland State University will collaborate to develop a Traditional Use Study or TUS. A TUS produces information that will allow for the better management and protection of cultural resources. A Working Group” format for collaborating with multiple Native American tribes andNative Hawaiian organizations will be utilized to share knowledge, perspectives, and concerns from a diverse range of stakeholders. This process will document this oral history through a systematic ethnographic or oral history interviewing process involving interested tribal communities in support of both FOVA interpretation and archaeological resource management. The project will produce a Traditional Use Study for FOVA that will be shared to increase public awareness, knowledge, and support for FOVA’s unique cultural resources and archaeological heritage.