In what might be among the most unique commercial property transactions in recent times, an entire Wyoming town is being put up for auction next month.
Williams & Williams, a real estate auction company based in Tulsa, Okla., has announced that it will auction the town of Buford, Wyo., on April 5 at 12:00 p.m. MDT. According to the auction company, Buford is known as ‘The Nation's Smallest Town,’ with a population of one. It is also the town with the highest elevation on Interstate 80 at 8,000 feet above sea level.
Located midway between Cheyenne and Laramie, Buford is the second oldest town in Wyoming, dating back to the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. Named after Major General John Buford, a hero of the battle of Gettysburg, the town has been visited by Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Franklin D. Roosevelt and outlaw Butch Cassidy.
Williams & Williams notes that Buford is an ‘income-producing town’ with five buildings: the Buford Trading Post, which sells fuel, snacks and memorabilia; a three-bedroom modular home; a 1905 school house, which can be used as an office; a garage; and a 1900s cabin that is currently used as a tool shed.
‘We are offering a rare opportunity to own a town and piece of American history,’ says Pam McKissick, Williams & Williams' CEO. ‘Owning your own ZIP code does come with perks – you can be the mayor, sheriff, town council, sole voter or any other position you'd like to create.’
More property details are available on the Williams & Williams website.
(Photo courtesy of Williams & Williams)
Wow. I really don’t remember this town as I bicycled from Chicago to San Francisco in 1974. I do remember that it was mostly down hill from Cheyenne to Laramie. Most of the towns and cities in Wyoming were about 100 to 125 miles apart and I remember this being one of my easiest days between cities. I called it a day at 60 miles. Interestingly enough, when I traveled west and located some of the smaller towns on the map as a location for and night’s stay, I found nothing. I do remember finding something between Laramie and Cheyenne,… Read more »