Hidden Houses

Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, located in Clark County. Incorporated in 1857, Vancouver has a population of 186,192 as of the 2020 U.S census, making it the fourth-largest city in Washington state. Vancouver is the county seat of Clark County and forms part of the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area, the 25th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Originally established in 1825 around Fort Vancouver, a fur-trading outpost, the city is located on the Washington–Oregon border along the Columbia River, directly north of Portland, and is considered a suburb of the city along with its surrounding areas.

The Vancouver Telephone Building is a historic building located at 112 West Eleventh Street in Vancouver, Washington. It was completed in 1934 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 6, 1986.

The Proto-Cathedral of St. James the Greater (formerly St. James Catholic Church) is a church building and parish of the Catholic Church located in Vancouver, Washington, United States. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Seattle and traces its roots to the initial arrival of missionary priests in the Oregon Country in the 1830s; its first dedicated church building was built in 1846. The church was elevated to a cathedral when the Diocese of Nesqually (the original name of the Archdiocese of Seattle) was established in 1850; the present-day church building was completed in 1885. It was reverted to a parish church when the present-day St. James Cathedral opened in Seattle in 1907. The church building was listed on the Washington Heritage Register in 1986. The church was formally dedicated as a proto-cathedral, i.e., former cathedral, in 2013.

The Kiggins Theatre is a single-screen movie theater in Vancouver, Washington. Named for former Vancouver mayor and businessman John P. Kiggins, it opened in 1936. It is located at 1011 Main Street in downtown Vancouver.

The Clark County Historical Museum, Vancouver, Washington, is located in a 1909 Carnegie library and is operated by the Clark County Historical Society, established in 1917. It opened at the old Carnegie Library building on May 24, 1964. The first museum director was Joe Pagel.The museum features rotating exhibits of local interest including a semi-permanent Native American craft exhibit. The Society is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and interpretation of the cultural history of Clark County and the Pacific Northwest, and to sponsoring educational programs and exhibits for the enrichment of all members of the public. The Clark County Historical Museum is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization. The Clark County Historical Society operates the Museum in partnership with Clark County and the City of Vancouver. Additional funding helps sustain the operation of the museum and comes in many forms including: Clark County Historical Society membership dues, private and foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, in-kind gifts, and donations.

The Elks Building in Vancouver, Washington was built in 1911. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.It was designed by Portland architect Robert F. Tegan.The local Elks club was for many years the most prestigious fraternal organization in Vancouver. Eventually the Rotary Club overtook it.

The House of Providence, also known as The Academy (or Academy building), is a former orphanage and school located in Vancouver, Washington. It was built c. 1873 by Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart.

The Slocum House is a Victorian style house located in Vancouver, Washington, in the United States. The style also has been called Carpenter Victorian to emphasize both the vertical, Italianate features and the skill of craftsmanship, believed to be the work of Edward Slocum, brother of the owner. Ornamental medallions inside the house were signed and included patent dates from 1842 and 1846, although the house is believed by some to have been constructed in 1867. The 1867 date is not supported by local newspaper reports as there was no dwelling on the land at this time, and Charles W. Slocum was still busy in other areas of the Pacific Northwest. However many websites and reference books do mention the 1867 date, perhaps using a common source.After returning to Vancouver, Washington Territory in 1869, Slocum became interested in building a mansion in the vicinity of downtown Vancouver. The foundation was laid in May 1877, further progress despite "its large dimensions, and the substantial character of the materials and work" was reported in late June 1877, and work was completed by the beginning of 1878. When completed and unveiled to society on New Year's Day in 1878, the local paper described it as follows: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Slocum received their friends at their elegant new home on New Year's day. They have now finished and nearly furnished one of the handsomest residences in Washington Territory. For completeness, neatness, convenience, and architectural beauty, it discounts any house we know of in the country. Their friends are glad to see them so agreeably situated. Charles W. Slocum had been trained as a carpenter in Rhode Island, and in 1857 he arrived in Vancouver and worked as a carpenter at the Vancouver Barracks. Later, he became superintendent of the barracks. In 1860, Slocum opened several general stores in the Pacific Northwest. He is credited with platting the town of Boise, Idaho, in 1863.The Slocum House is the only surviving structure in its former residential neighborhood of the Vancouver historic core. It was moved one block from its original location in 1966 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

The Pioneer Mother Memorial, also known as Pioneer Mother and Pioneer Mothers, is a 1928 bronze sculpture by American artist Avard Fairbanks, installed at Esther Short Park in Vancouver, Washington, in the United States. The memorial depicts a mother and three children, and commemorates pioneer mothers who settled in the Pacific Northwest. The main female figure may depict Esther Short, one of the first U.S. citizens to arrive in Fort Vancouver. Commissioned by Vancouver banker Edward Crawford and his wife Ida for $10,000, it is one of the city's oldest works of public art, acquired in 1928 and unveiled in 1929. The sculpture was renovated around the start of the 21st century and is maintained by the City of Vancouver's Parks & Recreation department.

The Evergreen Hotel is a former hotel located in Vancouver, Washington. At the time when it was built, it was the only hotel located between Portland, Oregon and Olympia, Washington.The hotel declined and eventually closed in the late 1970s. In 1987, it was converted into retirement housing. Today the building is closed to the public, although still a dominant feature in the historic South Main District in Vancouver.

Esther Short Park is a public park and town square located in downtown Vancouver, Washington. Established in 1853, it is the oldest public park in the state of Washington. and one of the oldest public parks in the West.It is located in the city's downtown between West Columbia and 8th Street. It was bequeathed to the city in 1862, and includes a children's playground, a rose garden, a large fountain system made of columnar basalt, the Salmon Run Bell Tower, and the historic Slocum House. The park also houses a weekend farmer's market. In the summer of 2007, the park hosted over 30 outdoor summer concerts, many free.

The Vancouver Wine and Jazz Festival is an annual music and fine wine festival that takes place every year at Esther Short Park in Vancouver, Washington. It has been held every year since 1998 (except 2020), and brought in approximately 13,500 people in 2012, and between 12,000 and 15,000 in 2011. The Wine and Jazz festival is part of the concert series of Bravo! Vancouver. The 2012 festival featured artists such as Diane Schuur, Arturo Sandoval, Al Jarreau, Coco Montoya, The Christopher Brothers, and John Hammond, Jr. The festival has brought visitors from 15 states and Canada.This festival went on hiatus in 2020.