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Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken December 18, 2004.
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Vancouver Trout Hatchery ...
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The Vancouver Trout Hatchery is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 113. Downstream is the Interstate 205 Bridge and the small communities of Ellsworth and Image. Two miles upstream is Fishers Landing. The Vancouver Trout Hatchery can be reached from the Evergreen Highway, north of Washington State Highway 14. Today the Hatchery is also home to the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, the Biddle Natural Reserve, East and West Biddle Lakes, and numerous hiking trails. It is under control of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
This area was once the home to the a Hudson's Bay Company sawmill.
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Vancouver Trout Hatchery History ...
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The Vancouver Hatchery was constructed in 1938 and 1939 as part of the Federal Government Depression-era Works Programs Administration.
The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) purchased the original property, and,
in the 1990s they entered onto a twenty-year agreement with Clark Public Utilities to keep the hatchery open and producing fish.
The abundance of cold natural spring water made it an ideal location for the successful rearing of fish.
Today, the hatchery and its operations have been incorporated into Columbia Springs' educational programs.
The original 40-acre property is bisected by State Route 14 with 20 acres north of the freeway and 16 acres south.
The property north of Highway 14 is a protected watershed to provide water for hatchery operations.
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Fish ...
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In November 2008 the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center's website stated the Vancouver Trout Hatchery raised three types of fish: Rainbow, Brown, and Cutthroat, and produced 70,000 half pound catchable Rainbow Trout, 35,000 half pound Brown Trout, and 10,000 one pound Coastal Cutthroat.
Today (May 2015) the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center's website states:
- "The Vancouver Hatchery's production consists of Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and summer and winter Steelhead. Rainbow trout and Brown trout are raised to half a pound and then released into local lakes in Clark County. Steelhead are raised until they reach fingerling size and then sent ot Skamania Hatchery to acclimate to river water to be introduced into the river systems. Each year the hatchery raises approximately: 70,000 half pound catchable Rainbow trout, and 20,000 half pound Brown trout."
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Viewing Ponds ...
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Vancouver Trout Hatchery Viewing Pond sign, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 25, 2008.
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Rainbow Trout, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 25, 2008.
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Rainbow Trout, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 25, 2008.
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Brown Trout, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 25, 2008.
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Views ...
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Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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Pens, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken May 18, 2015.
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Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken December 18, 2004.
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Pond, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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Viewing Platform, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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Fall Colors, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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Red-flowering Currant, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken April 7, 2009.
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Anna's Hummingbird, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken April 8, 2009.
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Great Blue Heron, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken April 8, 2009.
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Great Egret, West Biddle Lake, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken November 21, 2008.
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Vancouver Trout Hatchery, etc.
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- After the Hudson Bay Company ...
- Biddle Nature Preserve ...
- Columbia River Fish Hatcheries ...
- Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center ...
- East and West Biddle Lakes ...
- Hudson Bay Company's Sawmills ...
- Joseph's Creek and Wood's Landing ...
- Journey of the Salmon ...
- Love's Gristmill Stones ...
- Springs along the Columbia Slope ...
- Water Wheel Replica ...
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After the Hudson Bay Company ...
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The 1850 Clark County Census lists a Wm. F. Crate, age 37, occupation Millwright, born in England, along with his wife Sarah, age 34, born in England, and two sons, Wm. F. Jr., age 5, and Adolphus, age 2, both born in Vermont.
The 1852 cadastral survey (tax survey) for T1N R1E shows "H.B.Cos Mills" (two mills) spanning both sides of a drainage in the southwest quarter of Section 3. The road from Lieser Point runs through the Mills and then swings north to the Mill Plain road, before splitting, with one branch swinging south to Fishers Landing.
The 1863 cadastral survey for T1N R1E shows that area of Section 3 being split (it appears to be along the drainage), with the western part belonging to the Donation Land Claim (DLC) of Wm. F. Crate (Claim No.38) and the eastern part belonging to E.J. Taylor (Claim No.39). No indication of the former Hudson Bay Company Mills.
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Biddle Nature Preserve ...
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The
City of Vancouver owns land on the west and east ends of Columbia Springs plus an area on the north side of Highway 14. The area on the west end is the Biddle Natural Preserve, donated by the Wood Family. Biddle Natural Preserve has a one-third mile interpretive trail and two bird-viewing blinds. The Biddle Natural Preserve is connected to Columbia Springs by a section of the Lewis and Clark Discovery Greenway trail.
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Pathway from the Vancouver Hatchery Complex towards the Biddle Nature Preserve.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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Biddle Nature Preserve, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken December 18, 2004.
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Columbia River Fish Hatcheries ...
Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center ...
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The Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, once known as "Evergreen Fisheries Park", is located on the site of the historic Vancouver Trout Hatchery. The center was created in 1997 in a partnership of Clark Public Utilities, Evergreen School District, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, City of Vancouver/Clark County, and Clark College, with a goal to provide environmental education for local students in grades K-12 and college. The center is located on more than 100 acres of urban green space, offering different microclimates and ecosystems. The Biddle Trail, located on the west end of the center, is a self-guided interpretive nature walk. Bird blinds provide ample opportunity for wildlife viewing as well as shelter in wetter weather. The park is open daily to the public.
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Sign, Vancouver Trout Hatchery and Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 25, 2008.
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Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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East and West Biddle Lakes ...
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West Biddle Lake, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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West Biddle Lake, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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West Biddle Lake, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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East Biddle Lake, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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Hudson's Bay Company Sawmill ...
The location of the Vancouver Trout Hatchery and the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center was once the location for a Hudson's Bay Company sawmill. The first sawmill was erected in the winter of 1828 to 1829, and the last sawmill continued in operation until 1856.
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Hudson's Bay Company Sawmills Sign, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 25, 2008.
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Joseph's Creek and Wood's Landing ...
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Joseph's Creek flows a short distance from the marshes east of the Vancouver Trout Hatchery to the Columbia River. Joseph's Creek is within the Columbia Slope Watershed. This creek and its surrounding springs contain one of the last three significant spawning grounds for the Columbia River chum salmon.
The 10 acres of Wood's Landing has fresh water springs, upland habitat, and nearly 1,000 feet of Columbia River shoreline. It is one of three prime Chum Salmon spots along the Columbia. Here, at Wood's Landing (once the homesite of Erskine B. Wood), chum salmon return in late autumn each year to lay their eggs in the spring water. Wood's Landing is located upstream of the Interstate 205 Bridge and downstream of the steamboat landing housing development on the north shore of the Columbia River, and includes Joseph's Creek. It is part of the Vancouver Trout Hatchery complex and is located 1/2 mile east of the main Hatchery complex.
In 2004 the City of Vancouver, along with Clark County, purchased this shoreline to preserve this spawning spot.
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Journey of the Salmon ...
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"Journey of the Salmon", Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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"Journey of the Salmon", Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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Love's Gristmill Stones ...
From 1862 until the early 1900s, Lewis Love operated a sawmill and a gristmill very near the location of the Hudson's Bay Company's sawmill. The stones from the Gristmill are now on display at the Trout Hatchery.
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What is a Gristmill?
A gristmill is a building where grain is ground into flour or maize into corn meal.
Millstones are 'Groovy'
Millstones are often made of a hard stone, most commonly granite. Notice that the surface is divided by deep grooves. These are called furrows and the smaller grouves are called feathering. They both provide a cutting edge and with the help of centrifugal force, the ground flour is channeled outward from between the two stones.
The Grinding Process
The two stones are laid one on top of the other. The bottom stone, called the bed, is attached to the floor. The top stone, the runner, turns to grind the grain. This particular runner stone is turned groove side up so you can feel the grooves. In an operating mill, this stone would be flipped so the grooves tough the bed, or the other stone. The miller adjusts the distance between the stones to regulate how finely the grain is ground.
Water Makes the Wheel Go Round
Classical mill designs used water to power gears to turn a millstone. The grain is poured etween the stones and ground as the wheel rotates.
Source:
Information sign, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, 2011.
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Sign, Gristmills, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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Lewis Love's ca.1866 Gristmill stones, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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Lewis Love's ca.1866 Gristmill stones, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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Lewis Love's ca.1866 Gristmill stones, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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Springs along the Columbia Slope ...
Springs are plentiful in the gravel deposits along the 25-square-mile Columbia Slope watershed which exists between Vancouver, Washington and Camas, Washington. The City of Vancouver once used springs near Ellsworth as a water source, and originally the water for the Vancouver Trout Hatchery came from springs issuing from the hillsides.
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Water Wheel Replica ...
In July 2011 a replica water wheel was assembled at the Vancouver Trout Hatchery. The replica wheel is 14-foot diameter and made of rough-hewn Douglas fir. The structure weighs over 7,500 pounds and rests on two 9-foot-high concrete pedistals. When finished the wheel will support 24 wooden paddles. It is expected to be complete in August 2011.
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Under construction, Water Wheel replica, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 31, 2011.
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Water Wheel replica, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken September 10, 2011.
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Water Wheel replica, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken September 10, 2011.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, November 4, 1805 ...
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