Campfires to Candlelight

Saturday Sept 14th was a special day here at FV.  Although we made a few people unhappy when they found out that the fort was closed during the day, at least 1500 visitors were thrilled by the presentation of the hundreds of volunteers, dressed in costume, and rangers who worked very hard to make it such a success. 
   The path to the fort was lined with campfires.  Each campfire signified a period of time in the life of this area. 
  The first campfire was WWII complete with tents, soldiers. Even the buffalo soldiers were represented.  I had a discussion with the owner of the Ford-branded Jeep.
   The second campfire represented WWI.  I learned about leggings at that stop. 
   The third campfire was the Civil War, complete with a demonstration of the proper way to stand the weapons with the bayonets intertwined.
   The fourth campfire gave me a chance to listen to stories of the Chinook people and see salmon baking over the fire the way it has always been done.
   The fifth fire represented the people who braved the Oregon Trail to become Oregonians.  My granddaughter was very interested in watching the young ladies in long dresses dancing together and evetually was invited to jilon them.  She was enthralled.  When the dancing waned at that location we moved on.
   The final camp represented The Village. The Village was where the employees of the Hudson's Bay Company  and their families lived.  The population of the village was perhaps close to 700-800 in the summer, but shrank to about 300 after the fur brigades left in the fall for their trapping grounds.
   The last stop was entering the fort itself and it was alive with activity.  Candles were burning everywhere.  There was activity in every building.  Food was being prepared in the kitchen.  Sea Biscuits were baking in the bakery.  Clerks were in the Counting House.  Every building had costumed volunteers interpreting.  The Fort lived again.
   If you are in the Portand/Vancouver area on the second week-end in September,  don't miss this event!