Camas [kæ mus] is a city located in Clark County Washington with a population of about 16,000. Officially incorporated on June 18, 1906, the city is named after the camas lily, a native flower.

Situated in the eastern hilly portion of Clark County lies the City of Camas, home to approximately 16,000 residents and several large, hi-tech manufacturing industries. Located along the banks of the Columbia River, this "small" city has become a "big" player in the locating and sitting of international companies.

Traveling east on Pacific Rim Blvd., one passes modern manufacturing companies and industries located in the Cascade Business Park. Companies such as Sharp Microelectronics and Sharp Labs of America, Linear Technology, Wafer Tech, Underwriters Laboratories and others have built and located in this newer area. 

This same drive affords a view of Prune Hill, an ancient and dormant volcanic hill named for its earlier prune orchards. Rising gently over the western half of the City, this area has become a showcase for large homes that hug the hillsides, providing expansive views of downtown Portland and surrounding areas. Descending from the top of the hill and past the lake, one enters the more established areas of the City and its picturesque, downtown environs. With its goal of increasing business opportunities and making downtown "the place to be," the City has established a Downtown Visioning Committee to conceptualize and implement strategies for attracting additional growth in this vital area of the community.

From its origins over 100 years ago as a paper-mill town, which still boasts a mill operated by Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Camas has expanded, developed, and successfully blended a mix of cultures, values, and vision. These ideals have been instrumental in promoting diverse economic growth, encouraging development of livable, family-oriented neighborhoods, protecting open-space, building parks and other recreational amenities - in short, balancing the nexus between jobs, housing and recreation. Prioritizing the quality of life for all residents has made Camas a truly unique community. (Article courtesy of Mary Kufeldt-Antle)

The Growth of Camas

Several events in the early 1980s directly affected the growth of the City of Camas. One was the 1982 opening of the I-205 Glenn Jackson Bridge, which provided easier access to the Portland International Airport and the Portland metropolitan area. Another turning point came when the Crown Zellerbach Corporation considered closing the Camas plant, spurring city officials to look beyond the mill for economic stability. Although Crown Zellerbach decided to reinvest in Camas by modernizing the equipment and facilities, Mayor Dean Dossett recalled that the possibility of mill closure "sounded a warning bell" to city officials, who made plans to expand the city's tax base by luring high-tech businesses to Camas.

The Camas Mayor and City Council worked with private developers to plan the industrial-zoned Cascade Business Park. The city invested $1.8 million to build Pacific Rim Boulevard and install sewer and water lines for the privately-owned business park. Camas also annexed more than 2,000 acres so that the business park, which is located west of Prune Hill, would be inside city limits

Recently the city spent $2.16 million on infrastructure and wetlands mitigation for the business park's Parker Street extension

Land annexations, new residents, and the high-tech industry have transformed Camas. Since 1983, the city has annexed 43,000 acres. Since 1990, developers have built 1,750 new homes. Roughly 6,400 more people lived in Camas in 2000 than in 1990, bringing the population to 12,949.

Despite the changes, the paper mill remains a large part of the City. Mayor Dossett has himself worked for the mill since 1963. The mill is currently the second largest city employer, with 1650 workers, and pays 13 percent of the city's tax base, which comes primarily from property and sales taxes.

The east side of town borders Washougal, Washington and the west side of town borders Vancouver, Washington. Camas is part of the Portland, Oregon greater metropolitan area, with Portland across the Columbia River. At this juncture the river is nearly a mile wide; vehicular traffic flows across the Columbia via Interstate bridges on both I-5 and I-205.

The Early Inhabitants

Long before the 1980's camas was inhabited by Several loosely related Indian bands known as the Cascades occupied and used the land spanning from the mouth of the Willamette River eastward past the Cascade Rapids. Bonneville Dam now obscures three series of rapids where the Native Americans fished and controlled travelers' passage through and around the rocky rapids. These groups, which spoke a dialect of the upper Chinookan language, included the Watlallas, the Clah-clah-lahs, and the people who lived just north of the outlet of the Washougal River, sometimes identified as the Washougally

The Cascades peoples, organized primarily in independent family groups, fished salmon from the rivers, and gathered berries, nuts, and roots from the land. They hunted deer, elk and mountain goats in the hills and mountains. Among the nutritional plants they collected was the camas flower's bulb, which was plentiful in the Camas and Washougal area.
 

Much of the above information was provided curtsy of Center for Columbia River History's Camas Community History Exhibit

Camas is one of those truly American towns that give the feeling of security and warmth to all that live here.  The residents are open and friendly and if you are looking for the "Old Home Town" feel this is the city for you.

Almost ready to relocate to Camas or somewhere else in Clark County, Washington? Just considering the possibility of living here?  No matter where you are in the relocation process I am  here to help you and provide any information you may need.
 

Bookmark www.VancouverWaRelo.com and keep this "one-stop" site for all, your relocation and home buying needs in Clark County and Vancouver Washington, at your fingertips.  Don't miss the Property Listings that are updated and changed daily.

Need more information about Vancouver and Clark County?  I am the expert on the area and have listed and addressed many subjects, here on the site, that are going to be important to you during your relocation (I also offer a free relocation packet that will be sent to you upon request.).  But, no matter how much information is here for you there are times when you want to talk to an experienced Realtor who is an expert on relocation and the Vancouver/Clark County area.  Don't hesitate to contact me with all your questions and I will make sure they are answered promptly and with the utmost confidentiality.

    

You can depend on me to make sure that all your relocation goals will be met!

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MEET DARLENE

About Darlene:  Meet Darlene a top agent with the ReMax Equity group servicing Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Testimonials:  What Darlene's clients are saying about here and why they think she is the top relocation real estate agent in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Quick Response:  Darlene guarantees a quick response to your email request for information about relocating to Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.  
Privacy Guarantee:  Darlene guarantees that she will respect your privacy.
No Obligation Guarantee:  Darlene's help by email is free and without obligation for Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Contact Information:  How to contact Darlene for relocation information servicing Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Hint, Tip and Questions:  A page for those that have a question they would like to ask Darlene or want to read the hints and tips to help make the relocation more successful
Certified Residential Specialist:  Find the schedule of upcoming CRS classes in lark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.

FIND PROPERTY, HOMES, CONDOS, IN CLARK COUNTY, VANCOUVER, CAMAS, BATTLE GROUND, LA CENTER, RIDGEFIELD, WASHOUGAL, WOODLAND AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Featured Home:  Homes, properties & real estate in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Search the MLS:  Search the MLS for homes, properties and real estate in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
New Construction:  New homes for sale, new construction and newly build properties and real estate subdivisions in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Property:  List  of property and links to all featured homes, MLS and new construction in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.

CLARK COUNTY NEIGHBORHOODS, CITIES, VANCOUVER, CAMAS, BATTLE GROUND, LA CENTER, RIDGEFIELD, WASHOUGAL, WOODLAND AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Clark County:  An area map of and links to Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Camas:  The City of Camas, schools, library, hiking trails, Chamber of Commerce, history of Camas and other useful links and information about the city and area.
Battle Ground:  The city of Battle Ground, schools, library, hiking trails, Chamber of Commerce, history of Battle Ground and other useful links and other information about the city and area.
La Center,: The city of La Center, schools, library, hiking trails, Chamber of Commerce, history of La Center and other useful links and other information about the city and area.
Ridgefield:  The city of Ridgefield, schools, library, hiking trails, Chamber of Commerce, history of Ridgefield and other useful links and other information about the city and area.
Washougal:  The city of Washougal, schools, library, hiking trails, Chamber of Commerce, history of Washougal and other useful links and other information about the city and area.
Woodland:  The city of Woodland, schools, library, hiking trails, Chamber of Commerce, history of Woodland and other useful links and other information about the city and area.

SERVICES FOR PEOPLE RELOCATING  TO CLARK COUNTY, VANCOUVER, CAMAS, BATTLE GROUND, LA CENTER, RICHFIELD, WASHOUGAL AND WOODLAND  WHO NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR NEW COMMUNITY; BANKING, AIRPORT, POLICE, SCHOOLS, UTILITIES, ETC...

Airport:  Links to Portland International Airport (PDX) with links to all the major airlines that fly in and out of Portland and services Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Washougal and Woodland.
Basic Services:  List of banking institutions, police, post offices, taxi services, bus services, licensing and more in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Washougal and Woodland.
Basic Utilities:  Water, gas, garbage, cable, newspapers, telephone and more for Clark County, Camas, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Washougal, and Woodland.
Employment:  Jobs with private, city and state agencies for people who have relocated or are relocating to Clark County, Camas, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Washougal, and Woodland.
Government:  State of Washington, Governor and Legislatures representing Clark County, Camas, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Washougal, and Woodland.
Libraries:  List of al Public Libraries in Clark County, Camas, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Washougal, and Woodland.
Schools and Colleges:  Links to all schools and colleges in Clark County, Camas, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Washougal, and Woodland.
Private Schools:  Links to all the Washington State Approved Private Schools in Clark County, Camas, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Washougal, and Woodland.
Public K-12 Schools:  List of all public schools in Clark County, Camas, La Center, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Vancouver, Washougal, and Woodland.
Tax:  A comparison of Washington and Oregon tax rates.

RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE BUYING, SELLING OR RELOCATING TO A HOME IN CLARK COUNTY VANCOUVER, CAMAS, BATTLEGROUND, LA CENTER, RIDGEFIELD, WASHOUGAL, WOODLAND AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Resources:  Mortgage calculator, IRS, 1031 exchanges and Tax Planning Guide, real estate and mortgage dictionary and definition of terms and advice and tips on moving, selling or buying a home.
Moving Guide:  A complete list of things needed when moving to Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Property Maintenance:  A report that will offer 14 home appliance problems and how to fix them.
Buyer's Book:  Home buying process, tax benefits, pre-approval programs, equity home mortgage, 71 title problem areas, and much more.  If you are buying a home in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland this book is a must.
Sellers Book:  Home selling process, Tax Benefits, contract negotiations, showing the property, securing your home and much more for people selling in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Calculators:  Use our calculator to find out how much our home payment will be, how much you can afford, if you qualify and much more.
Real Estate Definitions:  Here you will find a list of the most commonly used terms in the real estate and banking professions.
Hint and Tips:  Advice and tips to help you during the move and the home buying or selling process in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
 Bi-Weekly Mortgage Calculator:  If you were to make your payments every two weeks how much would your payments be?
  Canadian Mortgage Payment Table :  Calculate Canadian mortgage rates.
  How much house can you afford:  This will calculate how much you can really afford for your home.
  Mortgage Calculator:  Find out how much that new home will cost.
  Mortgage Payment Table Calculator:  See how much a home loan will cost with varying interest rates and payments on the same chart!
  Mortgage Qualification Calculator :  Find out what lenders will expect your minimum annual income to be in order to afford your next home.
  Prepayment Mortgage Reduction :  This form allows you to see how prepaying your mortgage reduces the length of your mortgage by putting in the current values for your loan.
  APR/Front End Cost Calculator: Calculates the what the loan really cost including upfront fees.
  APR/Front End Cost Calculator: You give the upfront costs and it finds the actual Annual Percentage Rate.
  Compound Interest Rate Calculation: This calculator simply takes the final amount you want to earn given an initial investment for a duration of time & finds the required annual yield needed to achieve the  goal.
  Deferred Payment Calculator: What will your monthly payment be if you defer a loan?
  Future Value/Annuity Calculation: How much money do you need to save now to have what you want when you retire?
  How Long Will It Last?- Loan Calculator: Here you tell how much you want to spend each month, an interest rate and a loan amount, and the computer tells you how long it will take you to pay it off!
  How Much to Retire: Here is a new simple retirement calculator. It tells how much you will need to provide a certain income for a set number of years.
  Loan Payment Calculator: Enter the values and we will tell you the payment. The loan can be a mortgage, car loan, or any other simple interest amortization over a fixed time with fixed monthly payments. 
  Nominal and Effective Interest Rates: Calculate what rates are necessary to achieve a desired future value amount given a present value amount and the time period over which to compound your investment.
  Prepayment vs. Investment -- A Scenario: Compare what would happen if you took one of two choices with some extra cash you have -- prepaying your mortgage each month, or investing it instead.
  Savings Calculator: This doesn't deal with inflation or taxes. This is a simple calculator that lets you start with an amount of money and make regular monthly deposits, and see how much it grows.
 

ATTRACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES PEOPLE THAT HAVE RELOCATED OR ARE GOING TO BE RELOCATING TO CLARK COUNTY VANCOUVER, CAMAS, BATTLE GROUND, LA CENTER, RIDGEFIELD, WASHOUGAL, WOODLAND & SURROUNDING AREAS MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT

Activities:  List of all the attractions, clubs and activities in the local area.  Want to know about youth sports?  For Vancouver?  How about the Columbia Gorge, Mt. Saint Helens or Mt. Hood?  They are all listed here.
Are and Theater:  List of Arts, Symphony and Theater centers in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Columbia Gorge:  List of activities at the Gorge.  Hiking, Multnomah Falls, Beacon Rock State Park, Moiser Twin Tunnels and Vista House.
Mt. Hood:  Description and history of Mount Hood and Timberline Lodge for people relocating to Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Mt. Saint Helens:  History of the mountain, recreational areas and links to visitors center that is helpful to people relocating to Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Fort Vancouver:  History of Fort Vancouver along with touring information for people relocating to Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Officers Row:  History of the row along with touring historical homes for people relocating to Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Pierson Air Museum:  History and visitor information for people that want to relocate or are relocating to Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.
Youth Sports:  List of all youth sports, soccer, football, softball, racquetball, tennis, hockey, swimming and more offered to children in the Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland areas.
Professional Sports:  Pro Sports teams that people in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland are like to watch and support.
Camping:  List of all camp sites in Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, La Center, Washougal, Ridgefield and Woodland.

You can depend on me to make sure that all your relocation goals will be met!