Auction Archive

20 Acre Homestead, Tonakset, WA Gold Hunting Fishing

NO RESERVE-You are bidding on the FULL PRICE.  There is NO RESERVE.  You will receive title by Statutory Warranty Deed.  I will pay for your title insurance from LandAmerica Transnation Title Company.WHAT YOU ARE BUYING-            This is a 20 acre parcel rich in Old West history.   The ruins of August Westphal’s homestead cabin is still on the property.  You’re buying 20 acres in the Okanogan National Forest surrounded by ghost towns, old mines, lakes and streams, and abundant wildlife.FINANCING-            There is already a no-qualifying, assumable loan on the property.  The balance is about $16,000.  The monthly payment is $173.20 including interest of 8%.          You would need to pay cash for anything above $16,000.WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THE PROPERTY-v    FORESTv    HISTORYv    WILDLIFEv    GOLD & SILVERv    FISHINGv    SNOW SPORTSv    GHOST TOWNSNEARBY PUBLIC LANDS-v    SAWTOOTH WILDERNESSv    PASAYTEN WILDERNESSv    LAKE CHELAN NATIONAL RECREATION AREAv    NORTH CASCADE NATIONAL PARKv    OKANOGAN NATIONAL FORESTv    COLVILLE NATIONAL FOREST IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PIONEERS-August Westphal married Annie Nischhke in 1894 and they came to Westphal Gulch in 1904. They settled on 160 acres of public domain land, built a home and cultivated the land as required under the Homestead Act of 1862.  The ruins of their home and scattered relics of their life are still here on this 20 acres in the forest.August and Annie had 11 children, 7 born in Westphal Gulch. The children went to the Pontiac Ridge School, the younger ones went to Bodie and Wauconda schools.  Today, Bodie is a ghost town.August and Annie spent their last years in Tonasket. August died there in 1952 at age 88. Annie died in 1968 at age 94.When Annie died in 1968 she left 10 children, forty grandchildren, eighty great-grandchildren and 10 great-great grandchildren.THE SPRING-            Food, water and shelter were the first concerns of settlers.  The Westphals settled 160 acres and built their home beside the fresh, clean water of the spring located on this 20 acres.          I have not measured the flow rate of the spring, but it was enough to sustain these early pioneers, their children, their livestock and their cultivated crops.OKANOGAN COUNTY-Larger than several states, Okanogan Country is bordered on the north by the Canadian Okanogan, on the south and east by the Columbia River Basin and Lake Roosevelt, and on the west by the 10,000 foot peaks of the majestic North Cascade Mountains. Okanogan Country offers wide-open spaces teeming with wildlife, spectacular scenery and rural charm. It features a diverse blend of snow covered peaks, small towns, western history, art galleries and museums, live theatre, farmers markets and fresh from the field produce stands, music festivals, rodeos, country fairs and two famous dams. The area is dotted with hundreds of lakes, rivers and streams, and blessed by sunny days and clear, star-filled nights. Throughout Okanogan Country, whitewater rafting, boating, fly fishing, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, wilderness packing, hunting and more are available from spring through fall. Winter offers cross-country and downhill skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling, snowshoeing and dogsledding. A colorful and bustling region, Okanogan Country has a rich economic base utilizing its vast natural resources including timber, mining, ranching, recreation, tourism, hydroelectricity and agriculture. GHOST TOWNS-Bodie, WA- Bodie is about 4 miles from this property.Bodie was established as a mill town about 1900. At one time it had a store, post office, cookhouse, bunkhouse, and hotel. Almost every resident worked for the Perkins Milling Company. A giant stamp mill processed much of the ore taken from the Golden Reward, Bodie and the Elk (later the Golconda) mines. Business was good up until the late thirties when the mill and the town was shut down In 1962 the mill burned.Ghost Towns in Okanogan County-          Consider taking a tour: (click on this link) http://www.ghosttownsusa.com/tours.htm HELPFUL LINKS-v    OKANOGAN NATIONAL FOREST-  http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/oka/v    RECREATION IN OKANOGAN- http://www.okanogancountry.com/v    FEATURES-  http://www.hometownlocator.com/ListCountyFeatures.cfm?SCFIPS=53047v    GOVERNMENT- http://www.okanogancounty.org/v    VISITOR GUIDE- http://www.okanoganvacation.com/wilderness06.shtmlDETAILS-LOCATIONCOUNTY: OkanoganSTATE:  WashingtonGPS –SW corner      Latitude      LongitudeN 480 51.991’W 1180 56.479’SIZE20 ACRESROAD SURFACEgravelZONINGMD (Minimum Requirement)1 residence allowedACCESS30 feet wide Deeded EasementParcel Number393120-001Legal DescriptionN ½ , SE ¼ , NW ¼,   Section 20, Township 39N, Range 31E  W.M.WATERspringCRITICAL AREASNoneSEPTICSeptic System(buyer to install)ELEVATION3,400 feetELECTRICITYSolar or windTAXES$298.58DRIVING DIRECTIONS-1Take Highway 20 east from TonaksetGo 23 miles to Toroda Creek Road2Turn left on Toroda Creek RoadGo 13.3 miles to Chesaw Road3Turn left on Chesaw RoadGo 3 miles west toPontiac Ridge Road4Turn right on Pontiac Ridge RoadGo 1.9 miles to Greer Road( a small hand-made sign)5Turn right on Greer RoadGo 0.4 miles and you will see a hand-made sign that says “Buck Road” on your left-Keeping going straightGo about .25 miles to an un-marked Y in the road6Stay left at the Y in the Road7As you approach a gate you will see a driveway on the right, just past the cabin (also on the right)Go right (it is the only direction you can go)8Go down the hill about ½ mile to a culvert on the leftGo left here, across the culvert9Once across the culvert, stay left about ¼ mile to the propertyThe road ends in the propertyNo one has a right to pass through this propertyIt is the End of The Road10You are near the South West Corner.Use your GPS to locate the cornersGPS Corners-SW-  N480 51.991”        SE- N480 51.991”                       W1180 56.479”            W1180 56.140”NW-  N480 52.090”        NE- N480 52.090”                       W1180 56.479”              W1180 56.140”Before You Bid-            Please get all of your questions answered before you bid.  WANT TO TALK TO ME?- Send an email and I will send my phone number.THANKS FOR LOOKING EVERYONE!Dan