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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, just upstream of the Interstate 205 Bridge, and two miles downsteam from Fishers Landing. The Hatchery can be reached from the Evergreen Highway, north of Washington State Highway 14. Today the Vancouver Trout Hatchery is also home to the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, the Biddle Natural Reserve, West Biddle Lake, and numerous hiking trails. The Hatchery 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 noth 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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The Vancouver Trout Hatchery raises three types of fish: Rainbow, Brown, and Cutthroat. According to the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center's website (November 2008) the hatchery produces: 70,000 half pound catchable Rainbow Trout, 35,000 half pound Brown Trout, and 10,000 one pound coastal cutthroat.
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Trout Hatchery 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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Brown Trout, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken July 25, 2008.
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Brown Trout, Vancouver Trout Hatchery, Vancouver, Washington.
Image taken June 23, 2009.
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Views around the Hatchery ...
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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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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 spings issuing forth from the hillsides.
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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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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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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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East and West Biddle Lakes ...
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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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West Biddle Lake, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken October 21, 2005.
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Wood Ducks, West Biddle Lake, Vancouver, Washington.
Vancouver Trout Hatchery/Columbia Springs Education Center.
Image taken November 21, 2008.
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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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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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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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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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Love's Gristmill Stones ...
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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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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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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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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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