May 14, 2026 8:04 am
Arts & Entertainment, Camas, Clark County, Life, Washougal 
Headstones for two Native Americans buried at Fern Prairie Cemetery sit Monday at Fern Prairie Cemetery in Camas. Local historian Peri Muhich is leading the Two River Heritage Museum’s first tour of the cemetery on Sunday. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Headstones for the Knight family sit Monday at Fern Prairie Cemetery in Camas. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Local historian Peri Muhich cleans the headstone of Joel Coffey, the first person buried at Fern Prairie Cemetery on Monday in Camas. Muhich is leading the Two River Heritage Museum’s first tour of the cemetery on Sunday. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Local historian Peri Muhich says the headstones at older cemeteries tell stories about the people buried there. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)
Fern Prairie Cemetery traces its roots to the original land claim of pioneer Lewis Van Vleet. It began as a small family burial ground before evolving into one of east Clark County’s oldest community cemeteries.
“Lewis Van Vleet is a name folks might recognize because of his connection to the failed town of Parkersville, but there’s a whole lot more to his story,” said Julianne Lawrence, the director of Two Rivers Heritage Museum in Washougal.
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