A Mongrel Crowd of Canadians, Kanakas and Indians: The United States National Park Service Public Archaeology Programme and Fort Vancouver's Village

Abstract

Fort Vancouver, on the lower Columbia River, contains the remains of the Hudson's Bay Company's western fur trading operations. This article highlights a long-term public archaeology and museum collections programme tied to the Fort Vancouver Village. Public archaeology has developed new understanding and interpretation of the villagers’ lives, while correcting public misconceptions regarding the site's history, significance, and location. National Park Service archaeologists have increasingly addressed community engagement and new opportunities to collaborate in preservation. Directed outreach efforts have developed into partnerships that enrich and reinvigorate the park's significance to the visiting public and the communities that surround it or connect to it through their history.

Keywords:

• colonial archaeology
• Pacific Northwest
• National Park Service
• community engagement
• partnerships