Lewis and Clark Trail History
Historical Fort Vancouver
Although Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific Coast in 1805, that part of their journey was no more than a scouting mission. The Oregon Country had already been claimed by Great Britain, France, Russia, and Spain, and its status was not officially established until the Oregon Treaty was signed by the United States and Great Britain in 1846.
Those two nations had earlier arranged a temporary compromise in the form of the Anglo American Convention of 1818, which provided for joint control in the territory. If it were sometime between 1818 and 1846, and you searched online for a map of the Pacific Northwest, this is what you would have found:
Notice a spot on the Columbia River, a little inland from Fort Astoria, that goes by the name of Fort Vancouver. Do you see how the name of almost every town on the map starts with the word "Fort"? They were all part of the trading network belonging to the British-chartered Hudson's Bay Company. The hub of that network was Fort Vancouver, established in 1824.
Throughout the 1820s and 1830s the Hudson's Bay Company controlled nearly all trading operations in the Pacific Northwest. Furs were shipped eastward for export to London, and westward to China. Incidentally, while exploring that region Meriwether Lewis had started to plan the establishment of a vast American trading empire. This vision involved establishing peace between the various tribes, purchasing from the beaver pelts, and marketing them to China, among other places.
During that time Hudson's Bay Company policy was to actively discourage U.S. settlement of the territory. In the 1830s the company undertook a policy to exterminate all fur-bearing animals from the Oregon Country, in order to maximize its remaining profit and to delay the arrival of settlers from the U.S. This policy was undercut to some degree by the actions of John McLoughlin, Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver, who regularly provided relief and welcome to immigrants arriving at the post over the Oregon Trail. McLoughlin was later to become known as the "Father of Oregon".
Fort Vancouver TodayTodays Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is located in the Vancouver/Portland metropolitan area, enveloped by highway, rail, air, and maritime commercial networks. Fort Vancouver's story is told through engaging programs and a world-class archaeology collection.
In nearby Oregon City, Oregon you can visit the McLoughlin House, which is a unit of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. The house was restored to help recognize the life and accomplishments of John McLoughlin, and also includes the home of the family of Dr. Forbes Barclay, a Hudson's Bay Company associate and early Oregon City civic leader.
