Not only Canada has Vancouver. The state of Washington in the USA also has a city with that name. The same name - everything that unites settlements. In other aspects, they are quite different. Let’s take a closer look at the American city.
State of Washington, Vancouver
The city is located on the left bank of the Columbia River. It is the center of Clark County and the fourth largest city in Washington State. Vancouver is connected by a bridge to Portland in Oregon. Together they form one of the largest agglomerations in the country.
The American magazine Money once called it the best place to live in the United States, and in 2016 it became 39th on the list of the best cities for family life. Now about 173 thousand people live in it.
The city is located north of Portland, next to the place where the Willamette River flows into Columbia. The coast of the Pacific Ocean is located at a distance of only 90 kilometers from it. Vancouver is surrounded by national parks, reserves and lakes. A familiar landscape here is a view of the snow-capped peaks of the Cascade Mountains.
The Columbia River, which runs through it, crosses three US states and the province of Canada. It stretches for 2000 kilometers and connects to the ocean near Vancouver in Washington. Due to this, the port operates in the city, which admits sea vessels.
History
From the Canadian city of Vancouver, Washington is nearly 500 kilometers away. They are both named after the English navigator George Vancouver, who explored these lands in the 18th century. The American city is smaller, but older than the Canadian "brother." It was founded in 1825.
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, Chinook tribes and cliques lived in these territories. Now indigenous people represent only one percent of the local population. In 1824, Fort Vancouver was built near the modern city, becoming the largest fur trade center in the region. London ships arrived here to deliver local fur to China, where goods were made from it for sale in England. Today, the fort can only be seen in the historical reserve nearby.
The city is known not only in America. In the XX century, they learned about it outside the continent. In 1937, Valery Chkalov made the famous non-stop flight across the North Pole, starting in Moscow and landing in Vancouver. Having overcome 9130 kilometers, the Soviet team left a mark in history, and one of the streets was named after the commander Chkalov in the city.
Life in Vancouver
Vancouver in Washington is closely connected with neighboring Portland due to the fact that they belong to different states. The fact is that Washington has a rather high sales tax, but there is no profit tax; in Oregon, the opposite is true. Therefore, locals prefer to go shopping in Portland, avoiding the fees from every purchase, but they better live and earn money in Vancouver.
The main industry here is electronics and high technology. In addition to business and management, many residents are engaged in the field of science and art, and local authorities actively support this area.
The city has two colleges and the University of Washington, and right in the center recently decided to open the “art quarter”. Now, next to restaurants, boutiques, there are various galleries, exhibitions are opening and performances are taking place, and the walls of more than 20 business buildings are painted with murals.
sights
Vancouver in Washington is a fairly lively city. A lot of events take place there annually: farm and craft fairs, a festival of jazz, tulips, wine and craft beer. In the vicinity of the city there are many natural attractions and opportunities for outdoor activities, such as kayaking or mountain hiking.
In Vancouver itself, a large number of historical buildings have survived - from craft bungalows and rural huts to samples of Victorian style and military era architecture. The most famous are the Covington House, the Providence House, the Evergreen Hotel, and the US National Bank. In the center is the oldest state park Esther Short, founded back in 1853.
To the north of the city is the starting station of the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad, built in the 20th century. Now it carries out tours. The road goes from the city of Yakolt, crosses the Lewis River, Vancouver and the Moulton Falls National Park, in which the train stops for half an hour. The trip is unforgettable, because tourists are taken on a steam train of the 40s.