Are you a local history buff? Check out Esther Short Park. Not only is it Washington’s oldest park, it’s located in the center of charming Vancouver and is a short drive from one of the Pacific Northwest’s greatest cities, Portland, Oregon. Dotted with history and brimming with beauty year-round, Esther Short is downtown Vancouver’s heartbeat, and it just turned a whopping 171 years old!

Nicknamed The 'Couv by some residents to differentiate it from British Columbia's much larger Vancouver up north, Vancouver, Washington's original inhabitants were the Chinook and Klickitat nations.

After the first Europeans arrived in the late 1700s, the area became a touchstone for colonists traveling west. In an endorsement that would become prophetic, famous vanguards of American expansion, Lewis and Clark, described it as "the only desired situation for settlement west of the Rocky Mountains." By 1825, the town was taking shape on the outskirts of nearby Fort Vancouver.
Vancouver, Washington City Government/Facebook
Just 28 years later, in 1853, Esther Short Park became Washington's first public park.

Esther Short was one of Vancouver's first settlers, but the story of how she, her husband Amos, and their ten children acquired the land is steeped in controversy.

The plot was initially owned by a local man named Henry Williamson, who entrusted the land's care to his friend, David Gardner, when he left for California. In Williamson's absence, the Shorts occupied his land, frustrating Gardner, who accused them of squatting. But the Shorts refused to leave, and tensions escalated until Esther's husband, Amos, killed Garder in one of their routine disputes. Shockingly, not only did Mr. Short get away with this crime, he parlayed his court experience into becoming the town's judge!
Duane Acton/Google Reviews
Legally, Henry Williamson was still the property's owner, but Esther was shrewd, filing a claim to the plot that she'd eventually win. Armed with this land title, she set to work opening businesses, including a ferry dock and restaurant. It was only when her husband died in a shipwreck at the mouth of the Columbia that she turned a portion of her property into a public plaza, creating one of the West's oldest parks.

Short was no helpless damsel, and her cutthroat legacy typifies the lives of many pioneer women in Washington. You can see a statue erected in her honor at one of the park's entrances.
Duane Acton/Google Reviews

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Thankfully, today, Esther Short Park sees far less human drama. It's better known as the location of the Vancouver Farmers Market, which is open weekends from March through October.
Steve Young/Google Reviews
Still, you can't miss the park's relics of the past, including the historic Slocum House. Though one can only imagine what Esther Short might've done to live in this stunning Victorian-Italianate building, it was constructed 16 years after her death by businessman Charles W. Slocum, attracting praise as one of the area's most elegant homes.
kenny zingdale/Google Reviews
Unlike other Northwest parks, which can get dreary and damp in winter, Esther Short Park is a worthwhile visit any time of the year.
Luana/Google Reviews
Still, my favorite time to visit is fall, when the scenery comes alive with autumnal color, elevating this idyllic plaza into one of Washington's best places to see the seasons change.
Greg Nate/Google Reviews

Washington’s oldest park is the perfect launch spot for exploring vibrant Vancouver. To make the most of your visit and possibly see Portland, too, I recommend staying the night nearby.

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605 Esther St, Vancouver, WA 98660, USA