Fort Masenhimer- “This property is paradise.”

Quotes Courtesy of Alex and Katie Masenhimer

Alex and Katie Masenhimer met at Pacific Lutheran University and settled into their first home in Puyallup, Washington where they lived for six years. With the birth of their four darling boys and Katie’s family rooted in Pendleton, Alex and Katie longed for community, space to spread out, a homestead, and less traffic! It seemed serendipitous when Katie and Alex’s list of dreams came to fruition in the form of what would become Fort Masenhimer: a serene compound in Milton-Freewater. When Katie first toured the property, she cried and hugged Max Wells, the then-owner of the property; it was perfect for their beautiful family!

After the sale of the property, Alex and Katie had some deciding to do: a bus and a random home-like structure, used for storage, sat square on the front of the property. “It was just outside walls and tube lighting. No [interior] walls, no bathrooms; the bus was just there and it was just storage. We thought, ‘How can we utilize this? [Katie] sat and thought, and had this lightbulb moment: this is going to be an Airbnb!” Katie spent nine months translating the vision in her head to reality. After many months of hard work and DIY, Fort Masenhimer had its first day on AirBnB!

A “Cabin Oasis,” Fort Masenhimer now boasts a SuperHost status and over 50 5-Star reviews! It has space for six to sleep in the bus itself, and spread out very comfortably; seasonally, Guests can roam their two 6000 square foot gardens, eat farm fresh eggs, and literally run around with ducks and horses. “This summer, people loved walking right over to the garden and picking fresh fruits and vegetables. For a short-term vacation stay, it’s very livable here. We really enjoy the business, hospitality, and AirBnB. We think so much of the details and hosting: get togethers, parties, feeding people, and having people stay with us. We want to make their stay perfect.”

Both having a teaching background, Alex, who teaches second grade within the Milton-Freewater Unified School District, manages the communications while Katie is in charge of maintenance, cleaning, and ongoing creation of the space. Being a family-friendly atmosphere where Alex and Katie’s children take after their parents, the boys eagerly share the things they’ve learned about living on a farm. “The feeling of peace is what drew us here. This property is paradise.”

Now in their second year in Milton-Freewater, Alex and Katie have found a rock-solid sense of community here and they are keen to show others what makes Milton-Freewater special! Guests of Fort Masenhimer enjoy a spread of Milton-Freewater wines, cheese, and soaps. “I went to Mongata, and they were instantly family. I can’t wait to spend time with them again! These people know me by name, and we’ve formed a bond. I want to encourage and support these amazing people. Incorporating local products and giving [Guests] gift certificates to stay local is a way for me to give back.”

In addition to the Farm Stay, Fort Masenhimer features plenty of space and different areas that people can enjoy for a variety of reasons from weddings to birthday parties to family reunions to a road trip respite. It has a Cook House where caterers can access a kitchen, making hosting a party even more comfortable. Guests enjoy cozy campfires in the evening with beautifully backlit trees. “For me, how I operate is: hearing people’s dreams and doing everything we can to make those dreams a reality. We feel very blessed, feel the love, and we want to do everything we can to give back to this amazing community. Being out here in the country is so beautiful; every morning we wake up, look out the window, and we can’t believe this is our life!”

For more information on Fort Masenhimer, call (503) 475-8547 or visit https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085939931844

To book a stay at Fort Masenhimer, visit https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/749933400952599873?fbclid=IwAR23aKHIH7-n-C6H_Ay1QzZIQAS9DORTBhhygJFHDTa5HV8DRC3xtj3Dkr4&source_impression_id=p3_1699923907_FqQsfCIAfWjvOjdn