WASHOUGAL — Two Rivers Heritage Museum recently reopened, welcoming back visitors on March 4 after its annual winter maintenance closure. The museum, 1 Durgan Street in downtown Washougal, is operated by Camas Washougal Historical Society volunteers and features a wealth of photos, artifacts and information about the people, places and businesses prominent in the early years of Camas and Washougal.
The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday through October. Volunteer docents will be on hand to help guide visitors through the museum, answer questions and offer interesting extra information and stories.
The museum is considered a favorite stop for customers aboard the American Empress Cruise Line that stops at the Port of Camas-Washougal during the summer months, but it remains unseen by most local residents. This “best kept secret” holds many treasured artifacts and stories that stir fond memories for those who grew up in the community and provides historic background and context for those new to the area.
Relatively new to the museum is the Native American-inspired Gathering Place at Washuxwal longhouse pavilion. The design is based on the traditional cedar plank houses used by Native American tribes who lived in what is now east Clark County in the early 19th century.
