History: Who Was The 1st Legal Voter in Camas?

Since today is Election Day, we dug up some old history and fun facts, and learned that Charles Farrell was the first registered voter in Camas. This is a photo, courtesy of Images of America, of the 1915 Farrell House, which was built by John Roffler for Charles Farrell and his wife, Ursula “Rose” Roffler. Charles was the fist registered voter in Camas, and served on the Camas City Council for many years.

The Farrell House still stands today, and has been very well maintained over the generations. Locals know it well.

Initially, the Charles and Rose ran a general store in downtown Camas, as well as a home millinery business. Their business evolved to become the Farrell and Eddy Department store, which was the go-to department store for local residents.

Today, the building still exits, and houses the Camas Antiques store, which is an attraction from miles around. It’s truly a destination for many people.

So, now you know.

For more information, visit Camas Public Library via the Internet, or stop by the historical building, which had a major renovation in 2003. They have a section that allows you to view and copy old materials, which help one gain a sense of local history.