OUR STORY
5th Generation Family-Owned Farm
Chester Congdon began acquiring property in and around Yakima in the late 1890s. He engineered and financed the construction of one of the earliest irrigation projects in Eastern Washington, which remains in operation today – the Yakima Valley Canal Company. Irrigation water is critical to farming in our area and Chester’s project opened up 3,000 acres of farm land in West Yakima for himself and his neighbors.
This year's harvest began in 1885...
Congdon Castle
This mammoth stone-clad castle was designed by Minneapolis architects Kenyon and Maine for attorney Chester Congdon, and completed in 1916 after two years of construction as the centerpiece of his apple orchards. Chester intended to retire in the ranch home, however, he passed away before its completion.
The 30,000-square-foot house is a symphony in rough-hewn timbers and stone. It features hand-hammered metal hinges, hardware, and lighting fixtures, leaded glass doors and windows, painted murals, various sizes and colors of brick and tile by important art tile manufacturers, and built-in or commissioned furniture by leading interior design firm William French of St. Paul, as well as a master suite completely outfitted with Gustav Stickley furniture. This makes the house an extraordinary example of early 20th-century trends in architecture and interior design. Congdon Castle, as it is commonly called, remains in the family and is remarkably preserved, from its lookout tower with sleeping porch down to its indoor swimming pool and the smallest details of kitchens and bathrooms.
