Fort Vancouver

On a field trip today with Jett's fourth grade class to Fort Vancouver, which was headquarters for the Hudson Bay Company's Columbia Department in the early 19th century. What a fascinating day, I learned a lot! The buildings are all reconstructions, giving a glimpse of the life in the fort. We had several entertaining and knowledgeable guides helping us to get a picture of what it was like. The lady in the main blip was hosting the fur warehouse, describing the fur's journey from a trap to a hat. Behind her are the leather wrapped fur bundles, ready for shipment.
In the extras we are at the company trading store, the man is explaining about the "Chinook Jargon", a trade language used in the Northwest. He is holding "La peep" - the pipe. The other extra is in the Bastion, built to protect the fort and to fire salutes to arriving ships. It held eight cannons, a big interest to the boys (and girls).
There was a blacksmith at work, and a carpenter in his shop. My favorite bit of information was this: In the main house, where the officers and clerks ate five course dinners, in the evenings they cleared even the table and chairs away, and danced!