W E ST W ARRE N T O N ’S
best kept
Story by N a n cy M cCa rthy
P h otos by Hu g h M cK en n a
secret
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Tucked away in west Warrenton is
a little paradise for the lucky homeowners
who have discovered the lakes, forests and
meadows of Leinenweber Lake Estates.
ust west of Ridge Road and north of
DeLaura Beach Road, the area is
hidden from view of those driving
toward downtown Warrenton.
Leinenweber Lake Estates is, according
to Realtor Pam Ackley, the area’s best kept secret.
“Granted, we like it like that,” said Ackley, who works
with Windermere Stellar Real Estate in Gearhart and
who lives in the 62-acre development. “But there are
properties for sale.”
Developed gradually since 1979 by Loren and
Linda Gramson and Tom and Gail Manke,
Leinenweber Lake Estates is a community of 50
homes surrounded by trees and lakes with lots large
enough to ensure privacy.
Young families, professionals and retirees live year-
round in the quiet community, and there is plenty to
do. In addition to easy access to local small lakes for
canoeing and kayaking, the area is a haven for
walkers and bikers who enjoy exploring pathways
that lead to Fort Stevens State Park, Coffenbury
Lake and the ocean.
“It’s a great place to raise kids,” Ackely said. “It’s
just a great neighborhood.”
For 20 years, the owners of a five-bedroom, three-
bath home listed by Ackley have enjoyed a view of
Kyle Lake from the expanse of living room and dining
room windows or from the deck that wraps around
the back of the home.
The 3,325-square-foot home sits on 1.93 acres at a
dead-end road bordering state park land. “It is by far
one of the most private houses in the development,”
Ackley said.
A recreation room fills the full-size daylight
basement, and the house also features a sauna, shop
and three-car garage. A sunroom off the master suite
overlooks a lush yard landscaped with native plants.
The large kitchen easily fits four adults, and the
living room is kept cozy by a woodstove. The main-
floor laundry room is large, and the house has an
abundance of storage areas.
The homeowner calls Leinenweber Lake Estates
“heaven.” “It’s just wonderful,” she said. “It’s
close to trails. We’re out there almost every day.
Our grandkids like to fish from the lake.
This is secluded, but there are so many
opportunities. And, it’s less than three miles
from Fred Meyer and Costco and even closer to
Main Street Market in Warrenton.” The home is
listed for $568,000.
In addition to the home, three vacant lots,
each fronting a lake, are ready for houses.
A .96-acre lot on Leinenweber Lake is drenched
in sunshine and provides easy access for
canoeing or kayaking. It is listed with Ackley
through Windermere for $145,000.
Two other .92-acre lots sit on a high bank
fronting Kyle Lake. Both lots include mature
trees, level areas for homes and access to the
four-acre lake. The lots are listed at $120,000
and $130,000. One of the lots also has access to
Burma Road, a pathway that leads to a network
of trails.
Developer Loren Gramsen, who has lived in
Leinenweber Estates since 1990, remembers duck
hunting in the area when he was a kid.
“I thought then that it would be a cool place to
have a house,” he said. “Now I have one. It’s such a
beautiful place to live. You can be sitting on
the deck, and suddenly four or five elk will be
walking by. People here really appreciate the
secret they have.”
Michael and Vickie Griffin, who recently
discovered that secret and bought a log home listed
with Ackley, say they are happy with their decision to
move to Leinenweber Lake Estates.
“We have enjoyed every day we’ve been here,” said
Michael Griffin. “The lake, the trees, the wind, the
deer, geese, ducks, elk make this a magic place to live.”
“It’s quiet, the neighbors are friendly and helpful,
and it’s a short, beautiful walk to the ocean,” he added.
“We’re home.”
L O T 100