SENATE RESOLUTION

                         2000-8728

By Senators Bauer and Rasmussen

     WHEREAS,  Fort Vancouver was established by the Hudson's Bay Company on March 19, 1825, becoming the first permanent nonnative settlement in what is today the state of Washington; and

     WHEREAS, In the fields, forests, and rivers at Fort Vancouver, the Hudson's Bay Company began many of the Pacific Northwest's first industries:  Agriculture, lumber, and fisheries; and

     WHEREAS, Fort Vancouver was home to an incredibly diverse group of people from around the world including English, Chinook, Scottish, Klickitat, Iroquois, French-Canadian, Hawaiian, and Metis; and

     WHEREAS, Fort Vancouver, despite being a British Fort, aided American missionaries and Oregon Trail settlers who arrived in the 1830's and 1840's; and

     WHEREAS, Fort Vancouver was the social, economic, and political center of the Pacific Northwest in the 1820's, 1830's, and 1840's; and

     WHEREAS, The site of Fort Vancouver, its waterfront, portions of its agricultural fields, and employees' village are preserved and shared with the public by the National Park Service for both present and future generations; and

     WHEREAS, The year 2000 is the one hundred & seventy-fifth Anniversary of the establishment of Fort Vancouver; and

     WHEREAS, The National Park Service has planned several events to commemorate the one hundred & seventy fifth Anniversary of the establishment of Fort Vancouver, including a living history reenactment of the 1825 opening of the fort;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate recognize the one hundred & seventy fifth Anniversary of the establishment of Fort Vancouver and its importance to our state's history; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate=s office to the Fort Vancouver Historical Site.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 2000-8728,

adopted by the Senate March 6, 2000.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate