Olympic Peninsula & Washington Coast - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 296

British and the Americans until 1846). Within the stockaded grounds, you can learn how
the fort was once a center for the burgeoning Northwest fur trade and a bulwark in a
shaky 40-year alliance between the Americans and the British. As historical presenta-
tions go, it's one of the most entertaining and educational walkabouts in the state. Tours
generally leave on the hour.

Travelers should also pop into the visitor center (612 E Reserve St; 9am-5pm) ,
which boasts a small museum and a fascinating video on the Lewis and Clark expedition
that wound up near here in November 1805 - and the nearby Pearson Air Museum (
360-694-7026; 1115 E 5th St; adult/child $7/5; 10am-5pm Wed-Sat) , devoted to the colorful

history of Northwest aviation.
Along the northern side of E Evergreen Blvd are the historic homes of Officers Row .
Built between 1850 and 1906 for US Army officers and their families, they are currently
rented out as offices and apartments. Three of the homes are open for self-guided tours.
Grant House (1101 Officers Row; 11am-9pm) , built in 1850 from logs and later covered
with clapboard, now houses a restaurant. Marshall House ( 9am-5pm) , home to Gener-
al George Marshall in the 1930s, is a grand Queen Anne-style mansion. The OO Howard
House , built in 1879, was a non-commissioned-officer's club during WWII and was re-
stored in 1998. It now houses a small gift shop. Ask at the visitor center about guided
walks. Elsewhere, the lovely open spaces of the historic reserve are great places to enjoy
a picnic, fly a kite or take a stroll. A land bridge connects the reserve with the Columbia
River waterfront.

Sleeping

Briar Rose Inn B&B$
( 360-694-5710; www.briarroseinn.com ; 310 W 11th St; r with shared bath from $96; ) A
1908 Craftsman-style home turned B&B with antique-laden rooms, the Briar Rose is one
of the few accommodations in the vicinity of downtown Vancouver. Venture further out
and you're in big-chain hotel-motel land and a substantial hike from the downtown core.

Heathman Hotel HOTEL$$$
( 360-254-3100; www.heathmanlodge.com ; 7801 NE Greenwood Dr; r from $139; )
Calling yourself a mountain lodge when you're slap-bang in the middle of a metro area
and next to a freeway might seem cheeky to some, but this place carries the moniker with
an eye-catching lobby, beyond-the-call-of-duty service, sleep-invoking mattresses and
several notebooks' worth of thoughtful extras.