A Day in Vancouver

Inside the 3-story Bastion.

We visited the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, which I couldn't believe we hadn't been to before.  It's very easy to get to, and really neat.  The original fort, which played a prominent role in the settlement of Oregon, burned down in 1866.  The reconstruction, which is ongoing, is really impressive.     The entrance fee is only $3 per person or $5 per family, and is valid for 7 days.  They have been furnishing the reconstructed buildings, including cannons in the Bastion.  Archaeologists have been working there for 63 years, and have recovered nearly 2 million objects. 

The day we visited, three blacksmiths were working, and Jasper was fascinated to watch them.  One took the time to show him how to start a fire with a piece of charcoal made from cloth and flint stones.  Then he made Jasper a beautiful iron hook.  He's been insisting on carrying it everywhere with him.  It's amazing how quickly this art has nearly been lost.  When I told my mother about seeing a blacksmith, she recalled her grandfather taking her along to the blacksmith when their draft horses needed shoeing.

Jasper with the Old Apple Tree.

We found we were able to walk along a lovely pedestrian walkway to the Old Apple Tree Park, where the oldest apple tree in Washington was celebrating its 184th birthday.  From the Bastion, you can see an apple tree orchard and two small reconstructed worker's homes that lay outside the fort itself.  If you continue further on the path that leads to these buildings and over a pedestrian bridge, you will find the ancient apple tree.

Next we headed to a Vancouver library to see the Oregon Shadow Theatre perform "Jack and the Dragon", a tale set in Appalachia and featuring lots of lovely quilt and whirligig motifs, crazy sound effects, lots of drama, and loads of silliness.  We love the Oregon Shadow Theatre and try not to miss them when they perform locally.  Although they are based in Portland, they seem to perform more often much further to the north. As usual, they take the time after the show to let the kids see exactly how the puppets are constructed and to see their unusual instruments .  Here are some pictures from their lovely show.