I got out for a Sunday morning walk to work out my final route for my Fort Vancouver – Vancouver walk. I did a track on my Garmin GPS and had the route come in around 5.5 miles. There is so much to see on this route it could be a whole day event but done on the quick could be done in 3 to 4 hours. This time out I got more photos of the Ester Shore Park and made sure Firehouse Glass Studio would welcome visitors. I also found that the whole length of the new Water Front Park was open. Now I need to get the route mapped and up on the website.
The Walk begins at the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center.
Looking down the path at Officer Row.
The only house open for the public to visit.
About midway down Officer Row is the Grant house. It is now used as a restaurant.
Just off of Officer Row and leading to the Barracks is the O.O. Howard House.
Former Red Cross building and the Artillery units Barracks.
The Bastion was build late in HBC Fort Vancouver’s history to protect it from the American settlers.
These two replica HBC houses show what the Village was like.
As part of the land bride are plantings of native plant use by the Indians.
The land bridge has two viewing areas with interpretive signs. This one looks to the river when the view is not blocked by a train.
The path from the land bridge heads down to the river.
Fort Vancouver was always linked the Columbia River. With this park and Land Bridge it is once again.
The early Fort Vancouver Village was a company town. When they started to form the town of Vancouver it’s layout began from a tree that stood here.
It looks like the ribs of a wreck sailing ship that has been beached but is suppose to be monument to early explorers.
The plaza is to remember the service of veterans but the murals have made it more.
A concrete retaining wall has been covered with murals in remembrance of veterans service.
Starting down the path at the new Waterfront Park.
Viewing Platform
Looks like the new viewing deck is the new place to get married.
The Columbia River remain important for river commerce.
A smaller viewing platform is at the far end of the park.
A second section of the Waterfront park has opened. There is still an interactive water plaza to come.
Firehouse Glass is a share space for glass blowers working in soft glass.
I stopped in and was invite in to watch some glass object being made. After pulling glass from the glory hole it is work and shaped into a piece of art.
Shared studio space allows for collaboration of artist.
Still in the progress of being formed. You can watch glass blowers at work through the windows.
There are windows looking from the gallery into the hot shop.
Firehouse Glass has a small gallery where some of the work is shown.
This part of downtown was once fill with card rooms and Pawn shops. There are still a few pawn shops left.
The Academy is a piece of Vancouver history.
The Freeway has split downtown Vancouver. This bridge leads back to Fort Vancouver.
This monument is in honor to the many firsts that happened at Fort Vancouver.
This replica cannon site by the main entrance to the fort.
Central to the Vancouver Barracks it the parade field.
A row of barracks by the parade field. At one time there were more.
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