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Our offices are located on Officers' Row, along the northern edge of Evergreen Boulevard on the Historic Reserve.
The homes on Officers' Row were built between 1849 and 1906 as residential housing for soldiers, officers, and their families who were stationed at Vancouver Barracks.
Ulysses S. Grant was stationed here in the 1850’s. The Grant House, located next to the Community Foundation, was the first house built on Officers' Row. It was constructed as the commanding officer's quarters and later served as an officer’s club for over a quarter of a century.
General Oliver Otis Howard served as Commander of the U.S. Army’s Department of the Columbia in Vancouver from 1874 to 1880. He later became first head of the Freedman's Bureau, established in 1865 to aid former slaves. Today, the Howard House serves as a visitor information center, featuring exhibits on the area's rich history.
The Marshall House is named for George C. Marshall who served as commanding officer at Vancouver Barracks from 1936 to 1938. He later became the U.S. Army Chief, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense. The Marshall House is also open to the public.
In the mid-1970’s, a grassroots effort began to preserve the properties on Officers' Row. In 1980, they were declared surplus by the U.S. Army and, in 1984, were deeded to the City of Vancouver for one dollar. Three years later, the City initiated a $10.9 million rehabilitation effort. Tenants started occupying the restored homes in 1988.
The Community Foundation moved to Officers' Row in 2003. We occupy an 1840’s building that was once home to the Army’s senior officers.
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