Camas Real Estate and History

Camas Real Estate

Camas Real Estate

Camas is one of the most popular “small” towns in the Pacific Northwest, and for very good reason!  Camas, Washington is located about 15 miles Northeast of Portland, Oregon.  Named after the Camas Lily, this once small mill town has really blossomed into a destination of it’s own over the past ten years or so.  Whether you want to grab a quick bite to eat in the quaint downtown area, or hike on one of the many green trails, Camas has you covered.  Camas real estate tops the local market, and we will explain more below.

A Short History of Camas, WA

The towns original name was actually LaCamas, named after the beautiful lily (Quamish, or Kamass). Native american’s used the root of this lily for food.  Camas was incorporated in 1906, although the Mill corporations had already been claiming stake for about 20 years prior. It was a prime location for their paper-making operations, and in 1883 Mr. Henry Pittock started working on building his mill.  It was near water, and abundant with forestry.  In 1928 the mill merged with the Zellerbach company to make Crown-Zellerbach Corporation.

The buildings that line Camas now are many of the original buildings in downtown Camas.  They have been beautifully maintained and restored.  The Granada Theater, which was built in 1926 by Mr.  Farrell still stand today as the Camas Liberty Theater.  This theater has survived two major fires in it’s lifetime as well – both times being restored and re-opened to the public.  Mr. Farrell was a pretty well known figure in the community of Camas.  Besides being the first-known voter registered in the city, he and his wife also owned Farrell and Eddies, a department store that called Camas home for many years.  That space is now occupied by Camas Antiques.  Mr. Farrell’s home, along with several other founders homes (including the Leadbetter home pictured above) were just the beginning of the boom that would become Camas real estate.

The first schools in Camas opened around 1913.  Camas has a strong reputation in our state for both academics and athletics.  See more about Camas schools here.

The Real Estate Market in Camas

Due to it’s central location, great schools, and quiet small neighborhoods – Camas real estate is always booming.  If you are looking for a smoking deal, Camas may not be the place to start.  Compared to surrounding areas, Camas real estate prices tend to be higher, as do their property taxes.  Camas is home to many businesses including Georgia Pacific, WaferTech, Underwriters Laboratories, Fisher Investments, Logitech, as well as several others.  These companies help keep Camas one of the most highly desired destinations for home-shoppers.  Finding a good deal is still possible, but it may take a little longer.   Georgia Pacific recently decided to shink down their manufacturing facility in Camas, and you can read more about that here.   But the Camas economy is still strong, and the real estate market here is holding very strong!

There are several main areas of interest in Camas.  There are higher end neighborhoods like Lacamas Shores, certain areas in Prune Hill, and the west end of Lookout Ridge.  Lacamas Shores is an older established neighborhood, and it was very popular with the Portland Trail Blazers during their heyday in the early 90’s.  Many of the homes here also have beautiful views of Lacamas Lake.  If you are looking for something newer and more modern, Lookout Ridge and Prune Hill are your best options.  All of these Camas neighborhoods are wonderful choices, and many of the older homes have been nicely remodeled.  For a more historic and charming feel – downtown Camas has many smaller historic homes.  With the wider streets, local parks, and shops nearby – this location is highly sought after and real estate here gets snapped up pretty quickly.  We can help you by setting up a specific search for the neighborhoods you like, and you’ll be notified immediately when something hits the market there!  Sometimes technology can be really wonderful.

The current population of Camas is around 22,500 – which is up almost 3000 people from 2010.  The population here has been growing very steadily since the 1990’s.  The community supports their local businesses, schools, and parks.  Camas is a “not-so-small” town with a great small-town feel.  It’s charming, classy, and full of character.  Stop in downtown at one of the many restaurants or breweries, and then head over to the Liberty Theaters for a movie in the classic theater.  We don’t think you will be disappointed.

Contact us today if you are ready to start looking for Camas Real Estate!