Camas Tutors

About Camas

On the northern banks of the Columbia River, Camas, Washington is only about 20 miles east of Portland, Oregon. French Canadian trappers from Hudson’s Bay Company were the first to explore this area in the late 1700’s, encountering bands of the Watlala Native American tribe who had lived along the shores of the Columbia for hundreds of years. The French named the place La Camas, after the camas lily which was prevalent in this part of Washington. The Native Americans prized the bulb of the camas as a food delicacy. The Lewis and Clark expedition also came through Camas in 1805 on their trip along the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Camas experienced only sporadic growth for much of the 19th century until newspaper owner Henry Pittock planned an entire community around a new paper mill. With the help of Chinese laborers, Pittock’s hired builder Don Stearns cleared the area from the Columbia to Lacamas Lake constructing a sawmill, aqueduct and laying out the town. Soon enough, merchants began establishing businesses catering to paper mill workers. Among those merchants, Aeneas McMaster opened a general merchandise outlet which eventually came to be known as the Pioneer Store. Two hotels, The Mountain House and The LaCamas soon followed along with schools, churches and a post office. Today, Camas is still the site of a large paper mill run by Georgia-Pacific. It’s also home to several high-tech firms such as Hewlett-Packard, Sharp Microelectronics and Linear Technology. Indeed, in recent years Camas has prospered and the median household income is more than $15,000 higher than the Washington state average.

It’s certain that a Camas tutor will keep you ahead of the academic curve so you can experience the best things to do in Camas and the Portland metropolitan area. Recreational opportunities abound at Lacamas Lake Regional Park. The park features several outdoor activities. There are over nine miles of trails including the Lacamas Heritage Trail which travels from the park to the Camas Meadows Golf Club. The 3.5-mile trail offers excellent chances to see wildlife, rock formations and waterfalls. The park also includes typical amenities such as picnic tables, barbecue grills and playgrounds.

Residents of Camas benefit from their proximity to the larger Portland urban area with a wealth of activities and attractions. For the spiritual minded, The Grotto is only a few miles across the Columbia from Camas. Sponsored by the Catholic Church, the sanctuary caters to all people with a beautiful and inspirational environment. The Grotto is a botanical garden, cultural center and meditation site all in one. The environment includes fir trees, colorful rhodendrons and other native plants as well as a replica of Michelangelo’s sculpture The Pietá. Over 300,000 visitors a year come to the shrine.

Another must see attraction near Camas is the Columbia River Gorge Vista House. As the name suggests, the building offers scenic views up and down the river. Built in 1917 on the Oregon side of the Columbia it was meant as a place for visitors to stop and relax. Today, it includes historic exhibits and guided tours which chronicle the architecture of the house and the history of the Gorge and the Columbia River Highway.