Vancouver, Washington is located in the northwestern part of the state near the Columbia River. It was founded by explorers Lewis and Clark and was originally home to Fort Vancouver, a British fur trading post. Today Vancouver is a large suburban city near Mount St. Helens volcano, with families, schools, and activities like hiking and beach trips despite its rainy climate.

1. We are ImageWe are Image
Elementary!Elementary! Mrs.
Gephart’s
First Grade
Class

2. We are from the United States
of America
A diverse country in North America which borders
Canada to the north and Mexico to the south

3. We live in the state of Washington in
Northwestern USA
We have mountains
and forests…
We have big cities like
Seattle…
We even have
beaches on the
Pacific Ocean!
This is a state map of
Washington

4. Image Elementary is in Vancouver, a
large city in Washington
Vancouver has a very large
suburban area, where many people
have houses and apartments, and
there is also a downtown area with
lots of tall buildings and businesses.
In the distance is Mount Saint
Helens, an active volcano. The water
pictured below is the Columbia
River, which separates the states
Washington and Oregon.

5. Vancouver was founded by famous
explorers Lewis and Clark
The Lewis and Clark expedition was the first
expedition to reach the western United States. In
1803, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the
group to see if the Missouri River connected to the
Columbia River. The travels lasted until 1806. The US
was only thirty years old.

6. Fort Vancouver Historic Site
It now serves as a historical museum people can visit and tour
to learn about the way things were in the 1800’s.
Fort Vancouver is a national fur-
trading post built by the British
Hudson’s Bay Company in 1824.

7. Esther Short Park in downtown
Vancouver

8. Vancouver farming

9. Mount Saint Helens explosion
Vancouver is only 50 miles away from an active volcano, called
Mount Saint Helens. The last large eruption it had was in 1980,
which damaged many homes and killed 57 people, injuring
many others. The volcano was so huge that ashes reached 11
US states, and Canada. It remains active at all times, but is
monitored.

10. Vancouver today
Today, Vancouver, Washington is a thriving community with
many families and over 50 public schools! Though it always
seems to be raining, we make the most of our community with
hikes, beach trips, bike rides, or a simple walk in our
neighborhoods. We love it in Vancouver!