Introducing Officer's Row

Today, if a visitor to Vancouver were to ask someone on street where to find Fort Vancouver, he or she would probably be sent to the reconstruction of Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort Vancouver next to Pearson Air Park.

If this same person had visited Vancouver any time between the 1850s and 1940s, he or she would be directed to the American Fort Vancouver, also known as Vancouver Barracks.

Officer’s Row was a community of housing for military officers within Vancouver Barracks. War heroes, a future president, peacemakers, and various infamous characters have all lived in or visited these houses.

We hope you enjoy this app. Feel free to explore beyond what the tour currently provides.

The tour begins inside the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center.

See the History

For over a century, the homes along the northern edge of Evergreen Boulevard in the Historic Reserve area served as residential housing for many of the soldiers, officers and families stationed at Vancouver Barracks. The oldest homes on the Row date to the early days of Vancouver Barracks in the mid-1800s.

By the time the City of Vancouver moved to restore Officers Row in the mid-1980s, the houses had fallen into disrepair. In 1980, the property was declared surplus by the U.S. Army, then was deeded to the city in 1984 for $1. The city began a $10.9 million rehabilitation effort in 1987. In 1988, the first tenants moved in.

Today, Vancouver's stately historic boulevard is a signature asset, and source of pride for residents. Officers Row currently boasts 34 residential units, plus office space and the Grant, Marshall and Howard houses. The Fort Vancouver National Trust handles the Row's operations for the city.

Connect with Park Staff

A visit to the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Visitor Center is your ticket to learning more! The access to Park Service staff, books, films, and other reference materials makes this an excellent historical resource.

The Marshall House

Built in 1886, this beautiful Queen Anne style home replaced the Grant House as home for the commanding officer of the Department of the Columbia. The Marshall House enjoyed wide popularity in the 1880s and '90s as the center for social activities in local military and civic circles. It has irregularly sized sections or wings covered by a large sloping, cone shaped roof. The home features a broad, veranda style porch in the front as well as a turret-like window column at one corner.

The house was rededicated on November 11, 1988 and today is available as event space for weddings, parties, dedications, and more.

Honored Guests

Some noteworthy individuals to live or stay at the Marshall House include Lieutenant General John M. Schofield on June 26, 1895 and shortly after him, Secretary of War Daniel Scott Lamont.

During George C. Marshall's stay in Vancouver, he entertained three surprise visitors to the city. On June 20, 1937, three Soviet flyers, Valerie Chkalov, Georgi Baidukov, and Alexander Belyakov, landed in Vancouver. These three were the first to fly from Europe to North America by the way of the North Pole. This first transpolar flight took over sixty-three hours of non-stop flying. Having been notified of the Soviets surprise arrival, Marshall thoughtfully wisked the Soviet away to stay at the Marshall House.

General George C. Marshall

Marshall was commanding officer at Vancouver Barracks from 1936-38. Marshall later became the U.S. Army Chief of Staff during World War II, and later served as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. He authored the Marshall Plan, which helped rebuild the economies of Western Europe and the Pacific Nations after World War II. General Marshall was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953 in recognition of these efforts. Today the city of Vancouver holds an annual Marshall lecture in honor of the famous General.

The Grant House

The Grant House is a log cabin-like structure and is the oldest building on Officer’s Row. It began construction in 1849, after Major J. S. Hatheway and the First U.S. Artillery landed at the Hudson’s Bay Company docks at Fort Vancouver. The house was completed in 1850, and was to be the post’s headquarters building and home for the commander. Inside the building and to the right of the main entrance is the room which was called the formal parlor. This room was used for informal gatherings or games. To the left of the entrance were the offices, and beyond that were the private quarters of the post commander. Wives and daughters of the officers lived upstairs.

After World War II the U.S. Army declared the Grant House to be surplus property and deeded it to the Vancouver School District. The Grant House was used to instruct local students in the history of the Washington Territory and State. In 1949, the Soroptimist Club received permission to renovate the house with the idea of using it as a club as well as for school tours. However, eventually, the City of Vancouver traded some property with the school district to obtain the Grant House and thus it went through major renovations in the 1980s along with the rest of Officer’s Row. Today, the Grant House holds a restaurant.

Famous Guests

Among the famous generals to visit the Grant House were Winfield Scott, William T. Sherman, Gerorge Crook, O.O Howard, George Pickett, and U.S. Grant. Many of these famous people, including Grant, never actually lived in the house, but did visit for gatherings, card games, or official business.

General Ulysses S. Grant

In July of 1852, the Fourth Infantry regiment sailed from New York to the West Coast. Most companies of the regiment were based in the Pacific Northwest. One of the officers in the regiment was a then unknown Captain named Ulysses S. Grant. Grant served as quartermaster for a year-and-a-half in Vancouver.

Although the Grant House is named after U.S. Grant, he never actually lived there. Instead, Capt. Rufus Ingalls invited Grant to share the house he was living in near the Columbia River.

Some historians believe Grant wanted to bring his family out west and settle in Vancouver, however, this became impossible after all his business ventures in the area failed. Years later Grant made a name for himself in the Civil War by becoming commander of the Union Army. He served as president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. Grant visited Officer's Row once more in 1879. His return was a cause for celebration and to honor him the oldest house in the Row was name after him.

Two Small Houses

The second oldest houses on Officer’s Row were built in 1867. Architecturally, they are the smallest and simplest houses of the row. Both houses are rectangular and have sloping gable roofs and a veranda-type porch in the front. Also, these two houses are the only ones on the row to have only one chimney.

Simply Luxurious

Despite the fact that these houses are the plainest of the row, at the time they were built, they were considered the quite luxurious compared to other barracks’ accommodations. The houses were built when General Crook was in Eastern Washington and Idaho participating in campaigns against various Native American tribes. At the end of the campaign, in 1868, Crook’s officers stayed at the row and found the houses to be far better than the accommodations they were used to.

Northern Entrance People

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Replicas Stand Guard

These cannons are replicas of Napoleon 12-Pound Light Field Cannons. They were built over two years from 1990-1992 by Mountain View High School metal and woodworking students as part of the dedication of the nearby Medal of Honor monument.

Original Guardians

During the Civil War, two cannons sat in front of the headquarters building at Vancouver Barracks. These cannon were Napoleon 12-Pound Light Field Cannon Model Number 1857. The cannon were brought to Vancouver Barracks by Colonel George Wright. He feared that a Confederate warship might enter the Columbia River and be in a position to bombard Portland. While this turned out to be an unwarranted fear, just the presence of the two cannon made Wright feel more secure.

General George Wright

Colonel George Wright was commander of the Army’s Department of Oregon prior to the Civil War. His headquarters was Fort Vancouver. Once the Civil War began he brought two cannon to Vancouver in order to protect the Columbia River from Confederate warships. Wright was then promoted to brigadier general and put in charge of the whole Pacific Division and moved to headquarters in San Francisco. Wright died in a shipwreck shortly after the Civil War ended.

The Medal of Honor Monument

In 1991, the Congressional Medal of Honor society held its annual convention in Vancouver. During the convention, then Chairman of Joint Chief of Staff General Colin Powell dedicated a monument to the four men buried in Vancouver Barracks Cemetery. The monument is located in Officers Row near the O.O. Howard house and the intersection of Fort Vancouver Way and Evergreen Blvd.

Medal of Honor Tradition

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Four Brave Men

These four Medal of Honor recipients are buried in the Vancouver Barracks Cemetery:

Herman Pfisterer (1865-1905)

MOH Citation: "Gallantly assisted in the rescue of the wounded from in front of the lines and under heavy fire from the enemy."

William Wallace McCammon (1838-1903

MOH Citation: "While on duty as provost marshal, voluntarily assumed command of his company, then under fire, and so continued in command until the repulse and retreat of the enemy on the following day, the loss to this company during the battle being very great."

James Madison Hill (1845-1919)

MOH Citation: "Gallantry in action."

Moses Williams (1845-1899)

Citation: "Rallied a detachment, skillfully conducted a running flght of 3 or 4 hours, and by his coolness, bravery, and unflinching devotion to duty in standing by his commanding officer in an exposed position under a heavy fire from a large party of Indians saved the lives of at least 3 of his comrades."

The Howard House

Built in 1879, this impressive example of late-19th century Italianate-style architecture is named for its first inhabitant, Gen. Oliver Otis Howard (1830-1909). Today the Howard House is the home of the Fort Vancouver National Trust. It can be reserved for meetings or small receptions in a conference room or the courtyard.

At Home With the Troops

General O. O. Howard wanted his Department of the Columbia Headquarters to be in same area as where his troops were stationed. This meant moving the headquarters from Portland to Vancouver and building a suitable house for the war hero, Howard. Once built, the building housed many famous guests from William T. Sherman to President Rutherford B. Hayes. At the time the house was known as the NCO Club.

General O. O. Howard

Oliver Otis Howard was a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Civil War. He was the first head of the Freedman's Bureau, established in 1865 to aid former slaves. From 1874-1880, Gen. Howard was Commander of the U. S. Army's Department of the Columbia in Vancouver. He was shot twice in the arm during the Civil War battle known as Fair Oaks in 1862, and had to have it amputated.

Howard University in Washington, D.C. was named in recognition of his work.

The Parade Grounds

This large open area has been used for marches, concerts, and outdoor events since the mid-1800s. Today events such as Vintage Base Ball and concerts hosted by the National Park Service are held on occasion in the Parade Grounds.

Practice Fields

Troops who marched on these grounds fought in the Indian Wars, the Philippines, and kept the peace during the Alaska Gold Rush.

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The Bandstand

In the late 1800’s, the Band Stand at Vancouver Barracks was a place where garrison soldiers and Vancouver citizens gathered for events and infantry band concerts. Today, the bandstand is a popular venue for events including weddings and receptions. It also acts as a shelter from the weather.

Entertaining the Troops

Vancouver Barracks has been an open post for most of its history. This allowed Vancouver citizens and soldiers alike to enjoy concerts and other events held at the bandstand during the late 1800’s. Vancouver resident, Mrs. Hannah Jewitt reported attending regular Sunday band concerts from 2 pm to 5 pm in the 1870’s. Band concerts in those years were performed by the 21st Infantry.

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