Walk and Talk Tours
Walking and Talking Tours provide so many opportunities to explore. The slower pace of a walking tour allows you interact with the environment, notice things more appropriately, ask questions, and quench your curiosity. Expert docents guide you through unique people and times in order to find the personal connection to your own life and aspirations.
Providence Academy Tours
Providence Academy was built by Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart in 1873 and served as a school, orphanage, and governance offices for the Sisters of Providence. Mother Joseph, along with four other Montreal nuns, traveled to Vancouver to serve the social and religious needs of locals. Providence Academy has four stories and is constructed in brick in a neo-Georgian style. It operated as a school until 1966. The Academy is open for walk in tours on Wednesday to Friday from 10am to 2pm by reservation or for walk-in tours. Learn more about the preservation and renovation of the Academy.
Marshall House Tours
The Marshall House is named in honor of General George C. Marshall, who lived there from 1936 to 1938, serving as Commander of the Barracks and the regional Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This home’s Queen Anne architecture is the most popular of high Victorian styles, with ornate features including stained glass, decorative woodwork, and a round turret. The museum-like setting features period furnishings, military memorabilia, and an interpretation of Marshall’s study. Walk-in tours are now available from Wednesday – Friday from 10am – 2pm.
Self-Guided Botanical Tour
Trees and other botanical features are signature landscape elements contributing to the experience of visiting and living and working at the 366-acre Vancouver National Historic Reserve (VNHR), created by an act of Congress in 1996. The Botanical Tour Map was produced in part with funding from the City of Vancouver Lodging Tax Grant Program and with the assistance of the City of Vancouver Urban Forestry Program. The Historic Trust thanks them for their support for the project. The Historic Reserve grounds are open for self-guided tours, and you may print our botanical tour map.
The Historic Trust and the City of Vancouver are grateful for grant funding from the Heritage Capital Projects program managed by the Washington State Historical Society. This support has contributed significantly towards the preservation, public usage, and community enjoyment of these buildings which help tell the story of our state.
