Fort Vancouver Cultural Landscape Report

Operations at Vancouver Barracks

As noted above, approximately sixty-four acres of Vancouver Barracks were reactivated as a military post in March, 1947, to serve as Pacific Northwest headquarters for reserve military training. The post served as home to the 104th "Timberwolf" Division. In the late 1940s the Camp Hathaway staging area was demolished. Barnes Hospital was converted to the Veterans Administration Hospital. By June of 1949 the post included headquarters of Sixth Army's Northern Military District, embracing Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana. Vancouver Barracks did not participate in the Korean War in any major way. [1221]

The Oregon Military District was phased out under a reorganization of the army on February 1, 1958. That year, Vancouver Barracks became a satellite of Fort Lewis, Washington, maintained by a detachment of the garrison from that post. The Oregon Sector of the Tenth U.S. Army Corps became the post's chief tenant. The post did not participate in the war in Vietnam.

In addition to the garrison headquarters and the Oregon Sector of the Tenth U.S. Army Corps, by 1970 Vancouver Barracks served as home for two units of the Washington National Guard, and as an Air Reserve Center. The buildings south of East Fifth Street served as vehicle maintenance and storage facilities for the army, the U.S. Air Reserve Center, and the national guard. Barracks buildings were converted to offices and storage. Family housing was confined to the 1930s duplexes, and two historic buildings on McClelland Road were used by the post commander and deputy post commander. At that time, there were eighty-two buildings and structures on the barracks grounds; eighteen were slated for surplus.

Officers' Row was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 11, 1974. In 1986 the U.S. General Services Administration deeded Officers' Row to the City of Vancouver, to be preserved as an historic site. The buildings underwent a two year rehabilitation and were dedicated on November 11, 1988.

Vancouver Barracks is an army installation under the command of Fort Lewis, and occupies fifty-two acres of the original military reservation. Vancouver Barracks was determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district on May 30, 1979. As of 1988, in addition to the Vancouver Barracks Headquarters, with a small staff of military and civilian personnel, the post is home to the 104th Division of the U.S. Air Reserve, the Washington Army National Guard 146th Field Artillery unit and recruiting; and several 124th Army Command Units. [1222]