CENTRAL PARK — The city of Vancouver and the Clark County Historical Museum dedicated a new historical interpretive panel at Vancouver’s Old City Cemetery on March 31. The event included remarks from Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Clark County Historical Museum staff and family members of some individuals highlighted on the new panel and laid to rest in the cemetery.
It is Clark County Historical Museum’s practice to emphasize the mosaic of Clark County stories by including historical individuals who represent varying backgrounds and communities. The new interpretive panel includes a thoughtful cross-section of the community, from Vancouver’s founding mother Esther Short, to Melceina Elliott-Arnold, a dedicated advocate for sick and wounded soldiers during the Civil War.
In 2020, Clark County Historical Museum worked with the city to nominate Vancouver’s Old City Cemetery for the Clark County Heritage Register. The nomination was approved by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission, marking the first such recognition for the cemetery. During the nomination process numerous historical materials and stories were uncovered about those laid to rest in the cemetery, leading to the creation of the new historical interpretive panel.
The museum connected with the families of individuals who would be highlighted to complete the interpretive work. Clark County Historical Museum’s designer, Masako Brachmann, brought the text to life through an engaging design that can share many stories in a single panel.
