Vancouver area’s history was the favorite subject of Glenn Ranck, public official, editor and Spanish-American War veteran. Ranck also was credited with naming most of the city’s streets west of Main Street while he was working as a city surveyor.
He was the son of William Ranck, who came to Vancouver in 1858 and married Kate Neer several years later. The elder Ranck was a wagon shop operator, judge, county commissioner, fire chief, state legislator and Republican Party leader.
Glenn Ranck went overseas with the First Washington Volunteer Infantry in 1898, and was wounded in the Philippines.
He operated a store in Camas, edited the weekly Vancouver Chronicle for several years, served two terms in the State Legislature, and was employed several years as registrar of the U.S. Land Office in Vancouver. He also worked as a deputy Clark County treasurer, city treasurer, justice of the peace, school board clerk and in other public positions.
Ranck wrote a book and many articles on early history. He was one of the first proponents of organizing a historical society here. When he died in 1939 at the age of 69 he was president of Vancouver Historical Society.