Vancouver is becoming a great destination because of its diverse attractions, best outdoors, charming hospitality, colorful past and rich art and cultural scene. This place is worth a visit. So if you’re on board, here are some important and interesting facts to know to make your trip a memorable and exciting one.
Image By plfy [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons Vancouver Geographic and Demographic Fast Facts
- Vancouver lies in the U.S. state of Washington, on the northern banks of the Columbia River.
- It is located in the southwest part of the Washington, United States, just north of Portland.
- The city is surrounded by the Cascade Mountains (east), the Pacific Ocean (west), and the Mount St. Helens (north).
- It is the fourth largest city in Washington.
- It is the county seat of Clark County and also part of the Portland-Vancouver metro area.
- It is the twenty-third largest metropolitan area in the U.S.
- The main thoroughfares servicing Vancouver include I-205, I-84 and I-5. Also, Washington state highways 500 and 14 service the city.
- It has one sister city- Joyo, Japan.
- The ethnic composition of Vancouver includes White-80.9%, African American-2.9%, Native American-1.0%, Asian-5.0%, Pacific Islander-1.0%, from other races-4.3%, and from two or more races-4.8%.
Vancouver History Fast Facts
- Vancouver was originally known as “Fort Vancouver”.
- In 1825, Fort Vancouver was established by the Hudson’s Bay Company.
- It became the hub for cultural, commercial and political activities in the Pacific Northwest.
- It is home to the oldest apple trees in Washington that was planted in 1826. The tree is regarded as the “great grandfather” of the Apple Industry of Washington State.
- In 1857, it was incorporated as a city and renamed as Vancouver.
- Vancouver served as the Washington territory capita from 1859 to 1860. Later it was moved back to Olympia.
- The city was named after Captain George Vancouver, a British explorer who discovered this place in the eighteenth century.
- The first rail line reached Vancouver in 1908 through the Washington side of the Columbian River.
- It was home of the largest spruce lumber mill for construction of the airplane during WWI.
- During World War II, it served as the major shipbuilding center.
- Major shipbuilding center during World War II
- The city is home to the U.S. oldest operating airfield- the Pearson Field.
Vancouver Government and Economy Fast Facts
- Vancouver has a council-manager form of government.
- The economy of Vancouver is based on the economics of the neighboring city- Portland, Oregon.
- The economy of Vancouver is dominated by service and high tech industry.
Vancouver Important and Interesting Fast Facts
- Vancouver is nicknamed as “Vantucky” or “The Couve”.
- In Vancouver, there is no income tax.
- Gregory Jack “Greg” Biffle, famous NASCAR driver was born in Vancouver.
- Vancouver hosts the largest jazz festival in the Pacific Northwest- the Vancouver Wine and Jazz Festival that attracts several thousands of people.
- The oldest residence in the city is the Grant House that was constructed in 1849. Today, it serves as a well-known restaurant.
- In 1999, the city got a “Walkable Community Award” by Walking Magazine. It has over 40 miles of urban trails.
- Vancouver was ranked ninety-one on the list of “Best Places to live in the US” by Money Magazine (2005).
- In 2005, the city was labeled as a “Preserve America Community” for its preservation efforts of the natural and cultural heritage resources of the community.
- Vancouver was ranked sixth on the list of “Best Places to live for families in America” by WallterHub (2015).
- As per Amazon.com (2015), the city is ranked 5th most romantic city in the country on the basis of the purchases made by the residents at the online retailer.
- The city shares its name with the Vancouver city in the British Columbia, Canada. Both the cities- Vancouver, Washington and Vancouver, Canada were named after Captain George Vancouver.
- Vancouver is ranked tenth on the list of the most peaceful metro area in the America by The Atlantic (2012).
- The daily newspaper of Vancouver is the “The Columbian”.
