Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Cannon Carriages
Cannon Carriages
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National Monument
1948 National Historic Site 1961 Park Size 210 acres Annual Visitors 968,000 Park Fee $10 to visit fort, free to walk grounds Superintendent Tracy Fortmann Park Partner Friends of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Location Clark County, WA and Clackamas County, OR |
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site protects an impressive collection of historic resources chronicling the diverse human history along the Columbia River as a fur trading post, military fort, airfield, and home to the "Father of Oregon."
Part of their collection are two reproduction British Naval 18-pound cannons, which are placed facing the front gate at the fort. They are often the first thing visitors see when they enter the fort, giving a powerful sense of the military might the Hudson's Bay Company must have wielded during their colonial occupation. Though the cannons are in good shape, the carriages that support them have deteriorated to the point that they can no longer be repaired, making them unsafe and unsightly. The Fund for People in Parks gave a grant to rebuild the carriages by hand, utilizing downed oaks from the site and from both National Park Service staff and the park's cadre of volunteers. Construction of the new carriages will wrap up by Fall 2024. Project Cost: $13,969 Project Begun: 2021 The Fund for People in Parks: $11,934 National Park Service: $2,035 The cannons are one of the most visible features of the Fort Vancouver landscape and are placed facing the front gate, as they were historically. Every visitor passes closely by them, while on a guided or self-serve tour Several visitors have expressed dismay at their state and they wish they could be repaired. Replacement of the carriages will enhance the landscape of the fort and further protect the iron tubes." |
