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Mount Rainier National Park, from the U of W Archives

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The History of the Inn...                                                             

Timeline:

1899. Alexander's Mesler arrives in Ashford, WA with his family and homesteads a 160-acre parcel.

1912. Alexander Mesler, Jr. constructs a 10,000 sq ft building and opens it as a road house, catering to the tourists coming to see the newly established Mount Rainier National Park. Alexander Jr. siblings take on many of the responsibilities of running the inn.

1917. The US is involved in WW1and Alexander's Jr. is killed in an work-related accident at Tacoma's Todd Shipyard.

The Great Depression Years. The Mesler women continue to live and work the family property. Bessie Mesler advertised Melser's Inn: A room for $12. a week or $2.50 per day.

1940. Harry Poppajohn purchases the Mesler property (40-acres, the hotel and two houses--since torn down) for $2,000. back taxes.
Poppajohn continues to work as a cook at Paradise Inn, Mount Rainier.

1941. Harry Poppajohn marries Mabel Streinbrink.

1942. Mabel moves into the inn. Harry lives at Paradise from May to October.

1956. Harry and Mabel remodel the inn, making room for a public dining room. They open Poppajohn's Restaurant. The menu features NY Steak, $2.35, Grilled Pork Chop, $1.75, Hamburger, 35 cents, Coffee for 10 cents and a slice of Berry Pie for 20 cents.

In the following years, Harry continues to cook at Paradise while Mabel runs Poppajohn's Restaurant.

1962. Harry Poppajohn passes away.

1971. Mabel sells the inn and restaurant to Gene Morford.

1973. Jerry Harnish buys the inn and surrounding 20 acres. Operates the restaurant. the second and third floor are in disrepair.
Jerry builds the first waterwheel. Renames the property, "Alexander's Manor."

1984. Jerry and his wife, Bernadette, undertake an extensive remodeling project, creating 12 hotel rooms and a parlor. The fireplace and chimney are replaced and antique stained-glass windows are installed. The entry way is enlarged to accommodate a gift shop. A waterwheel is built to replace the original waterwheel. Start full breakfast service for overnight guests.
Re-open the hotel as "Alexander's Country Inn."

1994. Two homes on the adjacent property are purchased and opened as Alexander's vacation rentals, the Forest House and The Chalet.

1995. More bathrooms are added--so all guest rooms have a private bath.

Today. Alexander's Country Inn continues to welcome both overnight guests and restaurant patrons.

The History of a Alexander's Country Inn.

Alexander Mesler, traveled with his large family from New York--by way of Denver--to the shadow of Mount Rainier. Mesler homesteaded 160-acres in Ashford. Shortly afterwards--in 1899--Mount Rainier was designated a national park and tourists from around the United States traveled by train and stage coach to visit the new park. Mesler's son, Alexander, Jr. saw a potential business with the influx of travelers and developed a plan for a comfortable road house where visitors could stay overnight. The original blueprints which call for a large circular drive, a 3-story turret and two entrances; one for "refined guests," the other for "horsemen and common folk"--hang in the parlor today. With help from his siblings Alexander, Jr. built the 10,000-square foot inn using lumber milled at the family mill located on nearby Goat Creek. Once completed, Alexander began his short career as an innkeeper, catering to overnight guests. Meals were served in the upstairs dining room where guests enjoyed home grown vegetables and, of course, blackberry pie.

  It wasn't long however before the effects of World War 1 reached Ashford and the Mesler's dream was put on hold. Alexander, Jr. went off to build ships at Tacoma's Todd Shipyard, where, in 1917, he was killed in an accident. (Alexander, Sr. died in 1914 at age 85.) The youngest Mesler sibling, Burgon, joined the navy and traveled the world while his sisters, Bessie and Belle  carried on the business of running the inn. And, despite some difficult times, particularly during the Great Depression, they managed to make a go of it until 1940 when the family property was repossessed for taxes owing.

   That same year, Harry Poppajohn, the chef at Paradise Inn, and his wife Mabel bought the inn and 40-acres for approximately $2,000. Mabel was a well-loved school teacher at the Ashford elementary school and locals still talk about the overnight parties she held for children in the great room. When Harry wasn't busy cooking at Paradise he was busy keeping up the inn, which had been renamed Pappajohn's.

       Harry and Mabel, in 1960, replaced the two oversized covered porches with the dining room that's used today. (Harry actually tied the porch posts to the bumper of his car and pulled the porches down!) Acting on his dream to be a chef at his own restaurant, Harry retired from Paradise in 1961. Unfortunately, his dream was short lived; Harry died shortly after retiring. Continuing her work as school teacher and a part-time innkeeper, Mabel kept Poppajohn's some 10 years after Harry's death.  

       Then in 1972 Mabel sold the inn to Gene Morford who, after one year, sold it to the current owner, Jerry Harnish. After running it as a restaurant, Harnish (who renamed it Alexander's, in honor of the founding family), completed extensive  remodeling in 1984. For the first time in many decades, the inn welcomed overnight guests. Today, the staff at Alexander's offers warm and professional hospitality to all who stop by.