columbia barracks became vancouver barracks and was the biggest us military base in oregon, washington or idaho for many years. during world war i the vancouver barracks had a lumber mill to cut spruce wood to make biplanes. another ship yard built ships for world war ii. shipyard workers came and vancouver grew from 18,000 to over 80,000 people. vancouver grew again and in 1997 grew again to almost its present size. about half as many people live just north of vancouver as live inside the city. about one in three vancouver workers have jobs in portland, oregon.