
Sites -> Fort Vancouver National Site -> Place -> Overview
Confluence of the Columbia River and the Klickitat Trail
Here on the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington, was a gathering place for Native peoples, before the establishment of historic Fort Vancouver. When the railroad and highway went through, a short walk from the river to the fort was cut off. Now, a wide curving landscaped bridge offers a way for people to walk from the riverfront, up and over the railroad and highway, to reach the Fort Vancouver National Site.
Jones and Jones Architects designed the Land Bridge following discussions with artist Maya Lin. At the river end of the bridge, a Welcome Gate marks the entry. Beginning with an Entry Grove, native plantings border the walkway from the gate, up a ramp and over the bridge, and circles down a mound on the other end.
Drawing from the history and archaeology of the site, the bridge design features scenic viewpoints at intervals: a River Overlook, Prairie Overlook, and Village Overlook. Each circular overlook is detailed with words from Native languages, metal Spirit Baskets with imagery connected to local petroglyphs, and signage giving historical context for the view.
Journey Book is an immersive exploration of the People, Places and Art of the Confluence Project that is designed to be experienced through a Flash-enabled browser. For the best experience, please revisit the site from a Flash-enabled computer.
This site requires Flash Player 9.0.28 or higher
Click here to download the latest Flash Player.
Click here to learn how to enable Javascript.