After rebranding and refocusing, the organization that preserves and manages some of Vancouver’s most historic properties is now The Historic Trust.
The group was formerly known as the Fort Vancouver National Trust. It has been most visible recently as the organizer of July 4 celebrations at Fort Vancouver and its renovation of Providence Academy.
Mike True, president and CEO of the organization, explained Tuesday that the transition was more than a name change.
“The rebranding is internal, too. We will have programs drive the organization, not property management,” True said at a reception at the Red Cross Building in the West Barracks.
After the formal presentation, True explained the shift in emphasis. Efforts in Vancouver’s historic core “has been so property focused,” he said.
That has meant acquisitions and construction projects, which, in turn, have required funding and generated a lot of paperwork and permitting.
“As a result of our success, we’re at Stage 2 — building on that foundation,” True said.
So, while renovation continues on Providence Academy, built by Mother Joseph, other partners are working on innovative programs that will introduce the pioneering nun to the community.
Washington State University Vancouver is developing an “augmented reality” system that will enable visitors with mobile devices to meet historic figures.
“There will be first-person encounters with characters such as Mother Joseph,” said Richard Burrows, the Trust’s director of outreach and programs. There also will be virtual tours of the building, he said.
Visitors to Officers Row will encounter figures from history such as Gen. George Marshall and Ulysses Grant, but they can also hear stories from a nanny who worked for an officer’s family.
About 25 docents will go through training so they can lead tours of the Academy and Officers Row, starting in January, Burrows said.
The shift in focus doesn’t mean existing programs will be going away.
“We won’t drop programs,” True said. The Historic Trust’s calendar of Celebrate Freedom programs includes the Marshall Lecture and Awards, Flag Day Ceremony, Veterans Parade and Independence Day at Fort Vancouver.
The Historic Trust also runs the Pearson Field Education Center, which “is recognized for its STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs and its partnerships,” said Stacey Graham, chairwoman of the board of directors.
The Historic Trust is looking to go beyond its current boundaries and “work collaboratively,” Graham said. “It doesn’t have to be our grant, our site.
“We want to ensure that iconic buildings are preserved” around the region, she continued. “We want to find other organizations that can use our expertise at their historic sites.”
Through a master lease with the city of Vancouver established in 2006, the Trust has maintained and preserved the city-owned Officers Row and West Vancouver Barracks historic properties. They include the Artillery Barracks and the Red Cross Building, the site of Tuesday’s announcement.
The rebranding should ease some confusion, True noted. Under its previous identity as the Fort Vancouver National Trust, the group was often identified with the National Park Service and the reconstructed Fort Vancouver, and “this was confusing to some,” he said.
The National Park Service owns the reconstructed fort, parade grounds, visitor center and Pearson Air Museum, as well as the East and South Vancouver Barracks.
