Early visitors to Mount Rainier National Park traversed a much more sparsely populated valley than you see today. The road was rough and muddy, meandering through thick, marshy forest. Every few miles, a homestead along the road offered a welcome place to rest and refresh.
It was into this wilderness that Alexander Mesler arrived with his family in 1899, claiming a 160-acre homestead. The railroad reached Ashford in 1905, bringing a surge of visitors who passed through daily on horse-drawn stages and, as the road improved, automobiles. Alexander Mesler Jr. built a 10,000-square-foot roadhouse on the property in 1912, opening it to tourists and managing it with his brothers and sisters.
Over the years, Alexander’s roadhouse has gone through numerous owners and names: Alexander’s Manor, Alexander’s Country Inn, and most recently, Alexander’s Lodge. It has been remodeled several times, but always with an eye toward maintaining its historic character. The iconic waterwheel was built in the mid-1970s.
As you search for this geocache, enjoy the architecture and history. Like the Alexander family homestead, much has changed over the past hundred years!
2016 was the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and to celebrate, Visit Rainier and WSGA are hosting the Visit Rainier Centennial GeoTour - 100 caches placed in and around Mount Rainier National Park. The geocaches highlight the rich history, scenic wonders, quaint communities, and hidden gems of the Rainier region.
The caches were released in four series of 25 caches each during 2015 and 2016. Participants record their finds in passports, which may be turned in upon completion of each series to receive a prize. Each series has a unique prize, and a commemorative geocoin is awarded to those finding all 100 GeoTour caches (while supplies last).
The Rainier Centennial GeoTour is sponsored by Visit Rainier and Washington State Geocaching Association (WSGA). We hope you enjoy touring the Mount Rainier area as much as we do!
