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News Release Date: March 10, 2020
Contact: Theresa Langford, Cultural Resources Program Manager, (360) 816-6252
This event has been postponed at the request of the speaker, and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Author and naturalist Jack Nisbet returns to Fort Vancouver on April 4, 2020, offering a free, two-hour workshop titled “As the River Changed.” Later, Tom Holloway joins him for a public talk on the boats used by fur traders throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The “As the River Changed” workshop will be a walking tour through Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. The route will begin at the Visitor Center and continue through the Fort Vancouver Village and across the Confluence Land Bridge to the Columbia River. Together with Jack, participants will explore the landscape and waterway from prehistoric times to the period of contact. The focus will be on river transportation, from dugout canoes to the unique cedar plank bateaux that Canadian fur agent David Thompson paddled downstream from the Columbia’s source lakes in 1811. This workshop is limited to 20 people, on a first-come first-served basis. Reservations may be made by calling (360) 816-6244. Participants should wear weather-appropriate attire and comfortable walking shoes.
In the afternoon, Nisbet is joined by National Park Service volunteer Tom Holloway to present “David Thompson, Pierre Lacourse, and the Boats that Carried the Columbia Fur Trade, 1810-1850.” The two presenters will explore the origin and evolution of the canoe-like, cedar-plank boats used to move cargo and passengers on the Columbia and other western rivers in the fur trade era. First developed by North West Company explorer David Thompson, the boats needed to be large enough to transport large loads, light enough to be carried around falls and rapids, and made from locally available materials. After 1825, “Columbia Boats” built by Pierre Lacourse and other French Canadians carried the annual brigades that distributed supplies from Fort Vancouver inland, and brought back the furs collected at far-flung posts.
“Jack Nisbet and Tom Holloway have a wealth of knowledge about Pacific Northwest history and the fur trade,” said Cultural Resources Program Manager Theresa Langford. “This workshop and talk offer two great opportunities to learn about a fascinating aspect of our local history, and the incredible importance of the Columbia River.”
“As the River Changed” Workshop
What: A two-hour workshop led by author and naturalist Jack Nisbet. Take a walk from the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center across the Land Bridge, to explore the landscape and waterway from prehistoric times to the period of contact. The focus will be on boat transportation, from dugout canoes to the unique cedar plank bateau that Canadian fur agent David Thompson paddled downstream from the Columbia’s source lakes in 1811.
When: Saturday, April 4, 2020, 10 am to Noon
Where: Meet at the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center, 1501 E Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661
Cost: Free
Reservations: This workshop is limited to 20 people, on a first-come first-served basis. Reservations may be made by calling (360) 816-6244.
Accessibility: Participants should wear weather-appropriate attire and comfortable walking shoes. The walking tour will take place mainly on paved trails, but may include off-trail areas.
“David Thompson, Pierre Lacourse, and the Boats that Carried the Columbia Fur Trade, 1810-1850” public talk
What: A public talk led by author and naturalist Jack Nisbet and National Park Service volunteer Tom Holloway
When: Saturday, April 4, 2020, 1:30 pm
Where: Meet at the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center, 1501 E Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661
Cost: Free
Reservations: Not required
Accessibility: The Visitor Center is accessible to people with disabilities.
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