The Straight Grain Newspaper and Vancouver Barracks in 1918
Vancouver, WA – On Thursday, July 12, the Clark County Historical Museum (CCHM) will be hosting their next First Thursday Speaker Series event, which is sponsored by Clark County’s Historic Preservation Commission. Our speaker, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Assistant Curator, Meagan Huff, will highlight a little known aspect of life at the Vancouver Barracks - The Straight Grain, the official newspaper of the Army post during the World War I era. This program will use newspapers from the Fort’s archives to shine a light on the everyday lives of soldiers at the Spruce Mill in 1918. General admission is $5.00, seniors and students are $4.00, children under 18 are $3.00, and the evening is FREE with a CCHM membership. Doors open at 5:00pm, the event begins at 7:00 pm. The museum encourages attendees to get there early, as it is first-come, first-served seating.
In the fall of 1918, the Vancouver Barracks was home to thousands of soldiers operating the Spruce Production Division’s massive Spruce Mill, which milled lumber from the forests of the Pacific Northwest to be sent to Allied aircraft manufacturers. The Straight Grain was an integral part of their daily routines, and it didn’t just report the news – it was also a place where soldiers could submit their stories, jokes, poetry, artwork, cartoons, and opinions.
Brad Richardson, CCHM’s Executive Director, said, “We’re very excited to work with Meagan and Fort Vancouver’s National Parks Service to bring this fascinating piece of military and local area history to light. Our community partners are constantly uncovering pieces of Clark County history, and as the County’s museum, we’re thrilled to provide an opportunity for these stories to be heard and discussed.”
Meagan Huff – She grew up in Vancouver, Washington, and has worked at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site since 2010. She holds a Master in Arts degree in Museology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Art History from the University of Washington. She works in the national park’s Cultural Resources Division, which manages a museum collection of 2.8 million historic and archaeological artifacts.
CCHM is honored to be able to share this thoroughly unique window into Clark County’s past with our community.
For more information, please contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or by email at events@cchmuseum.org.
###
The Clark County Historical Museum is operated by the Clark County Historical Society (CCHS), which is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization governed by a Board of Trustees. CCHS works in partnership with Clark County and the City of Vancouver to operate the museum in a 1909 Carnegie Library building. Our vision is to facilitate a more educated and connected community through meaningful engagement with history. CCHM is located at 1511 Main St, Vancouver, WA 98660 – just off the I-5 and Mill Plain Blvd. Daily hours of operation: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM. For further information, call 360-993-5679, email info@cchmuseum.org, or visit cchmuseum.org. CCHM’s First Thursday Speaker Series is sponsored by Clark County’s Historic Preservation Committee.