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When you take from the rich and give to the poor, you end up generating a lot of extra welfare as people who don't have very much can have their lives greatly improved at relatively low cost. There are streets made for carriages and several old-fashioned saloons, but the town is actually new. It is the ultimate repository for his huge collection of Western memorabilia. Koch, known as "Wild Bill" to some of his friends, is the founder and president of the energy company Oxbow Group, which operates the Elk Creek Mine near Somerset. A flat-brimmed cowboy hat hid his blue eyes and thick, tousled white hair. Martensen then was kidnapped and kept captive in the vehicle during the trip to Denver. Martensen, his attorney, and another former Oxbow executive, Joe Lombardi, who was also at the ranch during the incident and was fired, all declined to comment for this story. Design and build by Upstatement. A locked gate with guards screens who comes and goes. The site owner may have set restrictions that prevent you from accessing the site. It has about 50 buildings, including a saloon, a church, a jail, a firehouse, a livery and a train station. The Post reported that Koch, who won the Americas Cup yachting race in 1992 and is known as 'Wild Bill' among his friends, dished out $3.1million for Buckskin Joe in 2010. He loosens his cinch, gives the saddle a tug, and carries it into the barn, where he hangs it on the rack. Instagram, Follow us on Groovy kindergarten brightens up with colorful facade. Koch, who was not available for comment, also owns four properties in upper Castle Creek Valley near Aspen, including the 17,000-square-foot Elk Mountain Lodge that he turned into a personal residence when he bought it and the other three properties for $51 million in 2007. We bought Buck Creek for access. Elk Creek yields some of the cleanest (lowest sulfur) coal in the world. We climbed the stairs to the second story and toured the rooms wallpapered in Technicolor shades of teal, maroon, and pink. But dont expect to move here or even to visit. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. Hes been on the board of four different schools and says, You can spend more time debating the problem than solving it. Being on the board of the school is, Koch says, the equivalent of holding the stock in Oxbridge., In addition to the school and Bear Ranch, Koch has a 42-acre Cape Cod estate, comprised of the former Dupont and Mellon family properties; a 90-acre estate in Aspen made up of four neighboring properties; and his primary residence, a 35,000-square-foot house in Palm Beach, Florida. But its difficult not to sense that, no matter how much he once wanted to win against his brothers, he is grateful to have his family back, thankful for the peace. His downhome, aw-shucks demeanor seemed at odds with the businessman who has been demonized as a wicked energy baron. Oxbow buys coke from refineries and, in turn, sells it to aluminum, steel, and cement companies and fuel-grade markets, where its used instead of coal to generate energy. Hes dogged in his pursuit.. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. Koch describes his father, the son of a Dutch immigrant newspaper owner, as a very strong, ethical man and as a soft-spoken, John Waynetype. But his father was away from home often, building his oil refinery business. Reed said Gunnison County has no restrictions on the size of residences, but the Koch home came before the planning commission because of a regulation that a residence of that size must not be obtrusive.. It all gets back to trying to create a place where I can enjoy life and enjoy my family and friends without having to worry about my enemies. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. In fact, it's . Its utterly bipartisan.. Bill Koch is building a private town to house his collection of To do it, were going to need to think differently; to create new alliances, maybe break old ones. Koch's designer and project manager agreed to tone down lighting so it will not shine into the Raggeds Wilderness. Its full-size buildings come with polished brass and carved-mahogany details and are fronted with board sidewalks and underpinned by a water-treatment system. Nancy Lofholm: 970-256-1957, nlofholm@denverpost.com or twitter.com/nlofholm, Billionaire Bill Kochs new Colorado town is a, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Get to know all 17 Denver mayor candidates , Billionaire Bill Kochs new Colorado town is a private Old West marvel, Denver weather: Strong winds and low humidity will elevate fire concerns Sunday, Vehicle owners can register for car theft deterrent program DenverTrack, Colorado property owners to face astronomical tax increases next year, Data breach of DPS computer servers affects all district employees, officials say, After School Satan Club launching first Colorado chapter, but organizer promises "we are not devil worshippers", PHOTOS: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band play Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado landlords say eviction-protection proposal could make dropping problem renters too hard, 5 can't-miss menus for Denver Restaurant Week, No more greasy pizza boxes, paper towels or takeout containers in Front Range compost bins come April 1, After teen's death, Denver East High students walk out to advocate for gun legislation, Boulder house where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Metro Denver housing market crosses firmly into negative territory in February, Kiszla: With Brendan Rodgers down and out, Kris Bryant could become $182 million face of worst team in Rockies history, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Dateline: 7-11 Ranch Murder Near Billionaire Bill Koch's Old West Town This is her first piece for 5280. The comments below have not been moderated. The Dateline episode Trouble at the 7-11 Ranch investigates the 2015 disappearance and murder of Colorado rancher Jake Millison. His mother, while beautiful and charming, was focused on her social life, Koch says, and the boys were entrusted to nannies. Their father was keenly aware of moneys inherent paradox. Why so many apartment dwellers hear the sound of rolling objects through the ceiling. It wasnt the first time Koch has laid down cold hard cash for some Wild West swag, and it was not the last. Kelley McMillan writes frequently for the New York Times and Outside magazine. Riding with him, and seeing him against this Western backdrop, it was easy to forget his colorful romantic history (hes been married three times and had a public falling-out with a mistress in 1995); his reputation for being litigious (hes been involved in 26 personal lawsuits); and his accomplishments as a sailor (he won the Americas Cup in 1992). Billionaire Bill Koch builds private Old West town in Colorado A Western town straight out of Bonanza has sprung up in Colorado, and while it is too late for Billy the Kid to move in, it is just right for Bill the Billionaire. Martensen also had a history of losing his temper, and Koch worried the men would become violent, so he hired an off-duty, unarmed local deputy for security purposes. Sign up today! Bill disagreed with Charles totalitarian control of the company and believed the stockholders were not getting their rewards. You may have an Old West play set, but billionaire Bill Koch has his own frontier town. Have fun, and send us lots of pictures. HOME. An Old West town re-created by billionaire William "Bill" Koch is seen near Paonia State Park in Colo., Aug. 22, 2012. The battle may have been over, but the war was just beginning: Bill, David, and Charles were embroiled in litigation for the next 19 years. An Old West town re-created by billionaire William "Bill" Koch is seen near Paonia State Park in Colo., Aug. 22, 2012. Koch, known as Wild Bill to some of his friends, is the founder and president of the energy company Oxbow Group, which operates the Elk Creek Mine near Somerset. The Denver Post reports the town, located in Kebler Pass, has a saloon, church, jail and train. Reed said they took into account that a third of the Koch mansion will be underground and it will be blocked by a hillside. Koch recently bought a wardrobe from a movie set, and future guests will be able to dress up in Western garb. Koch's project manager has told county officials that the enclave in the middle of the 6,400-acre Bear Ranch won't ever be open to the public. Anyone who knows Bill knows that he will chase down someone who has wronged him to the end of the earth. You guys are weird, but there is a method to your madness: you want to buy Wisconsin, and the presidency, and so you do. Kochs not yet sure what hell do, though hes not totally opposed to the governors terms. He couldnt buy me a doctorate degree from MIT. What I really like about the West, he says, is the stand-your-ground mentality and the idea that you have to take care of yourself, take care of your family, and take care of the people that surround you. Thats absolutely false, says Brad Goldstein, Oxbows spokesperson. Soon, it will have a mansion on a hill so the towns founder can look down on his creation. Not far from the 7-11 Ranch, billionaire Bill Koch (brother of Charles and the late David Koch AKA The Koch Brothers who are known for funding conservative causes) built a private replica of an Old West town on Bear Ranch, which is located in Paonia (also in Gunnison Co.). The controversial swap would give the government properties near Blue Mesa and in Dinosaur National Park in exchange for a public swath that cuts through his ranch. Jakes sister pleaded guilty to tampering with a dead body and received a 24-year sentence. The Ultimate Guide to Craft Brewing in Denver, The Best Ski Run at (Almost) Every Mountain in Colorado, Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities. Fred Koch also had a deep love of the West and at one time was one of the largest ranchers in the United States, owning more than two million acres of ranchlands in Texas, Kansas, Wyoming, and Montana. It has 50 buildings, which include a . When his father was around, he would stick up for young Bill, something that affected him deeply. It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. He has more Charles Russell paintings and Frederic Remington bronzes than most museums. Its one of the best Western collections in the world. The Denver Post reports the town, located in Kebler Pass, has a saloon, church, jail and. Over the years the property value of the family ranch in Gunnison County increased (reportedly to $3 million). Solving climate change is going to be really hard, Schendler says. He paid $2.3 million for a photograph of Billy the Kid at an auction last year. I met his family, in-laws, and friends; Oxbow executives, his personal staff, and contract workers; and teachers and students at the school he founded, Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches, in Florida. Shelley Koch, a longtime resident of southwest Virginia, had witnessed a similar scene many Sunday mornings after church services. I now have a peaceful coexistence with Charles, Koch says. Charles Koch, 87, has run the company since 1967. Published: 18:49 EST, 21 August 2012 | Updated: 03:24 EST, 22 August 2012. Billionaire Koch building private Old West town | AspenTimes.com We turned toward the barn, and the horses were skittish, sensing that we were heading home. SPORTS. Billionaire Bill Koch builds private Old West town in Colorado - Yahoo! Billionaire Bill Koch's new Colorado town is a private Old West marvel It is simply for Kochs amusement and for that of his family and friends and historians. Martensen said no. Yglesias will never get to see this town, not being a historian or a Koch or a guy who wants to sell Bill Koch an AK-47 that he claims was owned by Wild Bill Hickok. Martensen made no calls, according to Zhan. His is an eclectic tribe. According to The Sideshow, the 72-year-old isn't designing the place for public consumption. YouTube, Follow us on Hes obviously a driven guy, whether its business or sailboat racing or collecting wine or holding people accountable when theyve mistreated him. He says his relocation to Asia was a part of a plan being implemented to evade paying taxes to the United States on profits in excess of $200,000,000 per year.. Do you hear marbles rolling in your apartment? Billionaire Bill Koch builds private Old West town in Colorado Martensen unsuccessfully appealed the March 2012 suit filed by Koch in Florida. Its full-size buildings come with polished brass and carved-mahogany details and are fronted with board sidewalks and Bill Koch talks to members of the media inside the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach, Fla., earlier this year about his vast collection of American Western frontier memorabilia, which he is moving to Colorado. Koch, known as Wild Bill to some of his friends, is the founder and president of the energy company Oxbow Group, which operates the Elk Creek Mine near Somerset. The Denver Post reports the town, located in Kebler Pass, has a saloon, church, jail and train station among its 50 or so buildings spread out over 420 acres. Though Oxbow is now firmly entrenched in the business of carbon-based products, one of its first endeavors was in alternative energygeothermal and hydroelectric plants in Nevada, the Philippines, and Costa Rica. Bill Koch is building a cool Wild West town and you can't come Relic: To build the town, Koch purchased Buckskin Joe, a former Colorado tourist attraction, uprooted it, and carted to his ranch, Closed for business: While Buckskin Joe was a popular tourist attraction, Koch will not open it to the public. ', Collector: Koch, pictured in a 2012 photo, admits he's a big fan of the Western era. Reed said a third of the mansion will be underground and the building will be blocked by a hillside. A locked gate with guards screens who comes and goes. Billionaire Bill Koch's new Colorado town is a private Old West marvel Koch says he invited Martensenand five other executives thought to be involved in the schemeto the ranch for a corporate retreat in mid-March. Facebook, Follow us on FINANCE. Billionaire William Koch building own private Wild West town Everything from the ceilings to the accoutrements are period-specific. The streets widths are historically accuratewide enough so that a four-to-six-horse cart can turn aroundand are bordered by sidewalks at the perfect height for a rancher to load his cart. David now says hes the handsome one and Im the smart one. Recently, the mansion a home that will be the largest in Gunnison County made it through the planning process. Known as one of the greenest commercial buildings in the world, since it opened its doors on Earth Day in 2013 the Bullitt Center has been setting a new standard for sustainable design. They were unable to love anyone other than themselves. With Rooney, hes certain hes found the right one. CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. - Energy billionaire Bill Koch is known for spending lavishly to buy Western artifacts, and now he's building his own old West town in Colorado.The Denver Serving Aspen and Snowmass Village, CO When the lawsuit failed, he returned to the United States in the 1930s as a multimillionaire and a firm believer in free-market capitalism. If a guy wants to make billions of dollars digging up oil and selling it to people and lobbying so that we use more oil and gas and spend millions to shift political opinion and go out of his way to preserve a long-standing, highly detrimental way of life solely so that he can live a lifestyle that is so far beyond what a moral person would find acceptable that it basically makes the Curiosity rovers trip to Mars look like you headed to your bathroom, thats his right. As we reached the last leg of our ride through his ranch, Koch pushed ahead alone. In May 2019, Jakes mother pleaded guilty to second-degree murder (she confessed to shooting him in the head while he slept) and received a 40-year sentence. Thats one of my goals in life: to make sure my kids get along, respect each other, and love each other., This past October, with the land exchange still in limbo, Koch turned up in the news yet again when former Oxbow executive Kirby Martensen filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of California alleging that Koch had kidnapped Martensen, imprisoned him, and held him against his will at Bear Ranch in March 2012. I dont want much to be in it anymore. This town is billionaire Bill Kochs fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. I should regret very much to have you miss the glorious feeling of accomplishment and I know you are not going to let me down. The first night, Koch hosted the men for dinner at the ranch. She is very tired with this fucking nonsense all of the time, and it would be terrific if you sent money to keep this bitch afloat. Forbes estimates Kochs net worth at close to $4 billion. Martensen was told that he was being taken to Denver. Koch attributes his two failed marriagesone wife accused Koch of assaulting her; he claims her accusation was an attempt to get out of their prenuptial agreement, and they settled out of courtin part to scars from his childhood. Your support keeps our unbiased, nonprofit news free. The pastors smiled as they held the doors open, grabbing the hands of those who walked by and urging many to keep praying and to keep showing up. Bill Koch's 'Western Town' An Old West town re-created by billionaire William "Bill" Koch is seen near Paonia State Park in Colo., Aug. 22, 2012. It will be yours to do what you will. Bill Koch Recreating 50-Building Old West Town on His Co Ranch Rooney Koch headed the table. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Billionaires need to either plot schemes for world domination or else build replica towns at vast expense. In college, the brothers rivalry dissipated, David says, and after they graduated, the twins rented apartments across the hall from each other. This is America. Charles kicked Harry and Meghan out of their Frogmore Cottage home after the Duke of Sussex 'crossed a line' by making snipes at 'wicked stepmother' Camilla in his memoir Spare, sources claim, Dem Senate majority at risk as Senator Dianne Feinstein, 89, is hospitalized for SHINGLES - weeks after John Fetterman was also hospitalized with clinical depression, MEGHAN MCCAIN: Hey Lightfoot, don't falsely blame racism for your failures - Chicago doesn't need another Jussie Smollett. (Ol' Romney's a pretty good ROI, huh boys?) You lost because the voters demand results NOT lazy identity politics, The egghead and the hourglass:When rigidly inhibited Arthur Miller met Marilyn, he felt he'd finally come alive. (An oxbow is where a river changes course, Koch explains.) The rivalry between the twin brothers got so severe in middle school, Koch says, that he became withdrawn and nearly flunked out. The town: Bill Koch's Wild West is being built on his 420-acre ranch located in the Raggeds Wilderness in Gunnison County, Colorado, Under construction: Crews are working to make Koch's private old West town on his sprawling Colorado ranch a reality. But don't expect to move here or even to visit. This fantasy, it would seem, is for Continue reading Billionaire Builds His Own Private . Koch has five biological children and one stepson, who range in age from six to 26, by four women (three wives and a girlfriend). It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in. Bill Koch's 'Western Town' Picture | The Koch Brother's 'Western Town In a dimly lit corner of the tack room, he places his leg on a trunk and, one by one, unzips his chaps. It took me a long time to realize I have some talents and capabilities and if I just put them to work, I could create my own life and my own accomplishments independent of where Ive come from, he says. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. They were in the same fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, where Bill was the resident humorist, and both studied chemical engineering. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. Located 25 minutes from downtown Paonia by car, or 15 minutes by helicopter from Kochs Aspen abode, the 10-acre town features five saloons and a jail, firehouse, church, bank, theater, and library. As part of our commitment to sustainability, in 2021 Grist moved its office headquarters to the Bullitt Center in Seattles vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood. In fact, he has crammed part of a museum with his collections this year. Zhan says there were no armed guards, and that both men were offered a cell phone to use once they left the ranch, where cellular reception is limited. The Central Rockies Land Exchange, which has been approved by the Delta County and Gunnison County commissioners, must now go before the 113th Congress. The controversial swap would give the government properties near Blue Mesa and in Dinosaur National Park in exchange for a public swath that cuts through his ranch. The Koch Brother's 'Western Town' in Photos Photos - ABC News Twitter, Follow us on In all of my interactions with Koch over the course of five months, it was not business, or the Old West town, that he spoke about most often. Energy company founder Bill Koch went back in time, the billionaire built an entire town in the Old West. In December, Governor John Hickenlooper visited Koch and the town. The next day, as we headed toward higher elevation on our horses, Kochs ranch unfurled below us, with views of the town and thousands of acres of grazing land for his 1,100 head of cattle. Fried asked about Martensens dealings with a competing company that he was allegedly accepting kickbacks from. Bill Koch is the brother of David and Charles Koch, two other billionaires who have made headlines in recent years for shoveling money to conservative causes, including the Tea Party movement. Both Zhan and Martensen took Kochs private plane back to California. Bill Koch may have found the answer after building his own private Old West town in Colorado. And while Koch may be the sheriff of this no-horse town, he wont even live there, as the Gunnison County Planning Commission recently approved a 21,000-square-foot home for Koch that looks down at the buildings. Its the kind of stuff I guess you would expect a billionaire to construct. It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. Youre not alone. Below Deck Meds Bugsy Flaunts Best Mermaid Impression In Hot Pink Bikini, BELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN's Christine Bugsy Drake (Karolina Wojtasik/Bravo), 2012-2023, 2paragraphs Productions, LLC. Martensens lawsuit says he asked to leave but was held captive at the ranch. This town is billionaire Bill Koch's fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. The high mesas in the distance silhouetted Kochs frame as the late-afternoon sun began to cast long shadows. Your support keeps our unbiased, nonprofit news free. Eastern Mass Bill Koch League Inc (EIN# 842330277) is an tax exempt organization filed with Internal Revenue Service (IRS). You do not have access to www.architectmagazine.com. Edwin Edwards who died at 93 is set to marry his best friend - a 79-year-old former state Senate president: Exhumed last husband's remains against his kids' wishes, Tennessee Gov. Slates Matt Yglesias (from whom we heard about this story) notes the significance of this extremely wasteful idea: This sort of thing is why progressive taxation is important.