Archaeology Citizen Science at Fort Vancouver

The Public Archaeology Field School and research project at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site provided an intensive program to teach citizen scientists archaeological field techniques, including survey, testing, and excavation while recovering scientific data from one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Pacific Northwest. The project’s goals were to archaeologically test portions of the Vancouver Barracks to assess the scientific and historical values of the resources and to gather data on areas that may be affected by utilities upgrades and related construction activities tied to building rehabilitation, landscaping and parking. Citizen scientists collected evidence of the tangible remains of the Vancouver Barracks and earlier Hudson’s Bay Company Fort Vancouver to improve the interpretation of U.S. military- and fur trade-era history at Fort Vancouver.