The event will be held at the Red Cross Building, 605 Barnes Rd., at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25

VANCOUVER – In recognition of National Historic Preservation Month, The Historic Trust and Vancouver Barracks Military Association (VBMA) are partnering to present a panel discussion on Officers Row at 35: Origins, Preservation, and the Future. The event will be held at the Red Cross Building, 605 Barnes Rd., at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25. The event is free to attend, but reservations are requested to ensure available seating: https://bit.ly/3poFQFc.

The buildings of Vancouver Barracks, the first American military installation in Washington, represent many different eras historically and architecturally. Join us to explore the military history of Officers Row, and learn about the people and events which created its community-oriented present.

Jeff Davis from the VBMA will share information about the creation and history of Officers Row. He will be joined by a panel of civic leaders past and present who will speak to the foresighted City decision to claim and preserve the site for the community.

Pat Jollota, Gayle Rothrock, and Julie Garver were key figures in the rehabilitation of Officers Row, and will speak to the planning, fundraising, coordination, management, and stewardship that went into creating the beautiful and beloved resource we enjoy today. Officers Row and the West Barracks are managed through a public-private partnership between the City of Vancouver and The Historic Trust. Deputy City Manager Lon Pluckhahn will join the panel to speak to the future of stewardship and the partnership that keeps the Historic Reserve vital and active.

Panelist biographies

• Jeff Davis – Major Jeff Davis (U.S. Army, Ret.), archaeologist, has been active with the Vancouver Barracks Military Association for many years. A native of Vancouver where his Army father was based, Davis joined the Army Reserves out of high school and served for many years around the world, and also at Vancouver Barracks. He is very knowledgeable about the history of Vancouver Barracks, and has authored and contributed to many books and other publications on military and Northwest history, including the paranormal side of the latter, and has an active public speaking and tour guiding schedule.

• Gayle Rothrock – A long-time Vancouver resident, Gayle Rothrock was a strong proponent for the city of Vancouver’s rehabilitation of Officers Row, and instrumental in the successful fundraising needed for the renovation. Her professional and volunteer career has spanned more than 40 years of experience in public and nonprofit administration and mediation. She has also taught at the college level, including two years for The Evergreen State College at its satellite location on Officers Row. She worked for the state legislature and has served on multiple state and non-profit boards. Rothrock was a Marshall House docent for eight years.

• Julie Garver – Julie Garver served as Project Assistant for the City of Vancouver’s rehabilitation of Officers Row, including public involvement programs, event rentals, and construction projects from 1987 – 1998.  She was the Project Manager for the rehabilitation of the General O.O. Howard House. Currently, she is Senior Housing Developer for Innovative Housing, Inc., which remodels older apartments and historic buildings and also builds new apartments for affordable housing in Washington and Oregon. Garver served two terms on the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission. 

• Pat Jollota – Local historian Pat Jollota took on a new career in heritage writ large after retiring from the Los Angeles Police Department and moving to Vancouver. She has authored multiple books on Clark County history, worked at the Clark County Historical Museum as curator of education for 22 years, and made innumerable public presentations on local history. Jollota’s community activism encompasses 20 years on the Vancouver City Council and service on multiple non-profit boards, including the Children’s Justice Center.

• Lon Pluckhahn – Lon Pluckhahn moved to Vancouver in August of 2021 to serve as one of Vancouver’s two deputy city managers. In that role, he oversees multiple departments including the parks, recreation, and cultural services department that is responsible for Officers Row, as well as the community development, economic prosperity and housing, public works, and policy and program management teams. Pluckhahn served in several city manager positions in the Midwest during his more than 25 years working in the public sector, and has developed expertise in capital projects, economic development, and planning.

Information provided by The Historic Trust.