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. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. Sign up today! 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. Billy was more intellectual and liked the different, more fascinating people. Charles and David now run Koch Industries, the second-largest private company in the United States, behind Cargill. The club, which would have been a watering hole for affluent types in the late 1800s, has a mahogany bar with two female figures sculpted out of the wood that overlook the room. It wasnt the first time Koch has laid down cold hard cash for some Wild West swag, and it was not the last. Its Kochs fantasy come to life, made possible by his staggering wealth. 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. In the meantime, weve gone ahead and made this visitors badge, which we think is of high-enough quality to fool even the eagle eyes at Kochtown, USA. NEWS. Forbes estimates his net worth at close to $4billion. Kochs project manager has told county officials that the enclave in the middle of the 6,400-acre Bear Ranch wont ever be open to the public. A new school in Ho Chi Minh City looks like a building-sized playhouse, complete with bright paint and whimsical, asymmetrical windows. And Im doing it because I can., Wed spent the previous day strolling through the 70-odd buildings of the town, which is set in a pasture surrounded by Marcellina Mountain, the Anthracite Range, and the West Elk Mountains. He bought out the Buckskin Joe Western town near Caon City for $3.1 million in 2010. William Ingraham Koch ( / kok / KOHK; born May 3, 1940) is an American billionaire businessman, sailor, and collector. The town, which has yet to be named, is an authentic reproduction of a full-scale 19th-century settlement; its largely comprised of structures from a former MGM tourist attraction called Buckskin Joe, which Koch bought in 2010 and transported piece by piece to his ranch from its location outside of Caon City. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. Here's How. I visited with Koch, who rarely grants interviews, on multiple occasions, across several states, at four of his homes, and I was the first (and only, to this date) journalist to visit his Old West town. I dont understand why there is so much antagonism and anger toward me from people in Paonia who have never met me, especially since weve been trying to make a lot of contributions to the community, Koch says. In 2012, he donated more than half a million dollars to charities in the region. An Old West town re-created by billionaire William "Bill" Koch is seen near Paonia State Park in Colo., Aug. 22, 2012. A locked gate with guards screens who comes and goes. But it took me a while to adapt and accept that. Koch went on to earn three degrees at MIT, including a doctorate in chemical engineering in 1971. Bill Koch may have found the answer after building his own private Old West town in Colorado. SPORTS. His boat was the winner of the America's Cup in 1992. The recognizing date of the exempt status is July, 2020. 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. He ties his horse up to the rail and thanks our wrangler for the ride. Kochs collection spans the 19th and early 20th centuries, and parts of it will be displayed at the Smithsonian next year. A flat-brimmed cowboy hat hid his blue eyes and thick, tousled white hair. 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 federal government and private entitiesski resorts, developments, individualsexecute land exchanges all the time (typically more than 300 a year) to consolidate properties, and some observers have been surprised at the uproar Kochs swap ignited. Steven Fried, Oxbows COO, questioned Martensen. In an interview this past spring with arts blog the Fine Art Notebook, Koch noted that he would be moving the collection to the Centennial State and told the interviewer, I shouldnt tell you this, but I am building my own Western town in Colorado.. Why so many apartment dwellers hear the sound of rolling objects through the ceiling. As we wandered through the town, the lead historian on the project said, Its as if you are literally going back in time. Money and who was going to inherit the ranch was a source of tension between Jake and Deb, and Jakes sister Steph Jackson. Over the years, Oxbow has expanded its core businesses to include the mining and marketing of energy and commodities such as coal and natural gas, along with metallurgical and calcined coke, a key ingredient in the manufacturing of aluminum. Fried asked why, then, there had been several email exchanges between Martensen and the company. It has 50 buildings, which include a . This town is billionaire Bill Koch's fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. Text Billionaire brothers Charles Koch and the late David Koch became known for their financial support of conservative and arts causes. Bill Koch may have found the answer after building his own private Old West town in Colorado. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. To hear him tell it, the brothel is haunted by the phantoms of unsatisfied customers. This is America. Shes got a great character and she could love me besides loving herself., In 2011, Koch founded Oxbridge Academy, pledging $60 million because, he says, he wasnt satisfied with the education options in Palm Beach, and he didnt want to send his children off to boarding school. Its the kind of stuff I guess you would expect a billionaire to construct. It's like something out of a 'Gunsmoke' movie set. At 72 years old, Koch is the founder, CEO, and president of Oxbow Carbon LLC, a global energy company, and one of the wealthiest men in the world, with a reported personal net worth of about $4 billion. A locked gate with guards screens who comes and goes. Regardless of the land swaps status, Kochs immediate family will come to western Colorado to see the town this spring. In November, Oxbow, along with Aspen Skiing Company, Vessels Coal Gas Inc., and Holy Cross Energy, unveiled a coal-methane conversion plant that will convert methane from Oxbows Elk Creek Mine (methane is a byproduct of coal mining and a leading greenhouse gas) into electricity; the power generated through this project is roughly equal to Aspen Skiing Companys energy usage. Ive had my fair share of the spotlight, he says. This town is billionaire Bill Kochs fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. In September, Marston led a group of locals up the contested BLM strip. It's also one of Wichita's largest employers . 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. Lee signs bill BANNING transgender treatment for children into law. 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.. Your support keeps our unbiased, nonprofit news free. After purchasing the photo last year, Koch told the Denver Post: 'I love the Old West. Bill Koch won the final suit against his brothers. No matter what Koch does, he seems to kick up dust in his wake. (Photo by Caveman Chuck Coker.). It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. Oxbows great success was figuring out that petroleum coke, a byproduct of producing gasoline, could actually be used, instead of discarded. Kochs project manager has told county officials that the enclave in the middle of the 6,400-acre Bear Ranch wont ever be open to the public. 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. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. To build the town, Koch purchased Buckskin Joe, a former Colorado tourist attraction, uprooted it, and carted to his ranch. It will be yours to do what you will. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, Alex Murdaugh unanimously found GUILTY of murder of wife and son, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Billionaire Bill Koch's new Colorado town is a private Old West marvel - The Denver Post, Collectors spark new interest in Old West artifacts after sale of Billy the Kid photo - The Denver Post, Do not sell or share my personal information. LIFE. The home is expected to come in at closer to 21,000 square feet in the final plans when one wing is removed. On his way to Crystal Meadows, he was served termination papers and a lawsuit. It is simply for Koch's amusement and for that of his family and friends and historians. Twitter, Follow us on 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. The next day, after the group strategy session, Koch had lunch with the executives and then took them on a helicopter tour of the town, after which the performance reviews took place. Recently, the mansion a home that will be the largest in Gunnison County made it through the planning process. Fifty years old, whip thin, with dark brown hair and light green eyes, shes not your standard trophy wife: Shes a vegan and an avid skier and recreational kickboxer. His is an eclectic tribe. And Kochs offered to build a mountain bike trail connecting Crested Butte to Carbondale. Koch says he separated the six men to avoid any collusion between them. Spurs, clothing, wagons, cavalry uniforms, arrows, quivers, flagsyou name it. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. We climbed the stairs to the second story and toured the rooms wallpapered in Technicolor shades of teal, maroon, and pink. The only newsroom focused on exploring solutions at the intersection of climate and justice. In 1958, he graduated with honors. An Old West town re-created by billionaire William "Bill" Koch is seen near Paonia State Park in Colo., Aug. 22, 2012. They were to hold strategy meetings, and each executive was to undergo a 360-degree performance analysis. Whether he was discussing his own childhood or calling me en route to a sons basketball game, family was the prevailing theme of our conversations. A psychologist recommended the brothers be separated. After being tipped off by an anonymous letter in 2011 to possible corporate criminal misconduct by Martensen and two others, Koch began an investigation into their activities. Altogether, Koch has spent, or committed, roughly $7 million to the exchange. Theres a 20-person team dedicated to overseeing, authenticating, and building the town and Kochs collection of Western memorabilia, which includes more than one million itemsincluding Frederic Remingtons painting The Trooper, General George A. Custers Springfield rifle, the only photograph of Billy the Kid (valued at $2.3 million), and an early Colorado hearse (a white horse-drawn carriage). 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. 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. Both Zhan and Martensen took Kochs private plane back to California. 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. Both Bill and David headed to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1958. 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. It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a. When I got away, it was about what I did. One of the lesser-known Koch brothers, he developed a private 19th-century . 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. Koch is trying to sew up more privacy at Bear Ranch through a land swap that brought his name into the public eye in Delta and Gunnison counties. Its one of the best Western collections in the world. 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. Dawn Ullrey, an avid horseback rider who has lived in Paonia for 53 years, and whose husband works for the Forest Service, was on the tour, as was Frank Mastrullo, who videotaped the outing. 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. Space planning is key, and less really is often more. Although his primary residence is in Palm Beach, Florida, where Oxbow is headquartered, one of Kochs many passions is Western history. 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. To remedy the situation, and to offer their children the best possible education, his parents sent David and Bill away to different boarding schools; Bill went to Indianas Culver Military Academy. 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. Martensen made no calls, according to Zhan. Instagram, Follow us on It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. MAIL. All Rights Reserved, The Pacific Group. He paid $2.3 million for a photograph of Billy the Kid at an auction last year. And if there are no parents there to help put everything into perspective, it can get very bad. His mother would side with his brothers. 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. Nope he will just build himself a whole empty town, unpolluted by our ilk -- unless he brings in one or two of us for a humdinger of a round of The Most Dangerous Game. Initially, some of the nations big oil-technology companies came after Koch, filing a patent lawsuit against him and all of his customerswho were small, independent refineriestemporarily ruining his business in the United States. The high mesas in the distance silhouetted Kochs frame as the late-afternoon sun began to cast long shadows. Have fun, and send us lots of pictures. Oxbow management started collecting emails, telephone recordings, documentsmore than four million items in totaland testimony from others implicated in the ploy that pointed to the fact that Martensen had participated in a wide-ranging scheme to systematically misappropriate revenues and business opportunities and used his position as an executive at Oxbow to illegally enrich himself, according to a complaint Oxbow filed in Palm Beach on March 22, 2012. The Denver Post reports the town, located in Kebler Pass, has a saloon, church, jail and train station among [.] As one of the least protected categories of federal land, the government often leases BLM parcels to mining, drilling, timber, and grazing operations for profit. Kochs project manager has told county officials that the enclave in the middle of the 6,400-acre Bear Ranch wont ever be open to the public. Its an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. In the twilight of his life, Koch says he wants to focus on the things he loves the most: his family, collecting, and building the Old West town. Coal and oil billionaire William Koch, brother of Tea Party backers Charles and David Koch, is bringing his vast Western art collection to the Smithsonian American Art Museum from March 28 to. So its been staggering to me to know that senior people in the company would steal from him, he told me at Oxbows corporate headquarters in Palm Beach. But in a deposition filed in Florida last month, another Oxbow executive, Charlie Zhan, who was present during the episode at the ranch and was subsequently fired, said neither he nor Martensen were ever physically threatened, restrained, intimidated, or made to feel as if they couldnt leave. Paonia resident Ed Marston, the former publisher of High Country News, is one of the swaps most vocal opponents. You guys are weird, but there is a method to your madness: you want to buy Wisconsin, and the presidency, and so you do. It has about 50 buildings, including a saloon, a church, a jail, a firehouse, a livery and a train station. 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. Instagram, Follow us on I think I'll display it in a few small museums.'. 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This town is billionaire Bill Koch's fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. Bill received about $300 million after taxes. But is the town simply the project of an eccentric billionaire, or is there more to the story? His downhome, aw-shucks demeanor seemed at odds with the businessman who has been demonized as a wicked energy baron. It has about 50 buildings, including a saloon, a church, a jail, a firehouse, a livery and a train station. . But today, its still a work in progress: Just months ago, the Victorian houses on Main Street gleamed with freshly painted shades of pink, yellow, and blue. KEBLER PASSTheres a new town in Colorado. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Koch instructed his team to ask to inspect Martensens bags to ensure that he wasnt stealing any company property. He bought out the Buckskin Joe Western town near Caon City for $3.1 million in 2010. 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. Her husband Dave Jackson received a 10-year sentence for his role in moving the body. It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. The Central Rockies Land Exchange, which has been approved by the Delta County and Gunnison County commissioners, must now go before the 113th Congress. 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It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. Donate today tohelp keep Grists site and newsletters free. One of the lesser-known Koch brothers, he developed a private 19th-century village with a saloon, jail and train station in a region of the Rocky Mountains pockmarked with historic ghost towns. It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. 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. After Jakes friends pressured the police to open an investigation, two years later in 2017, Jakes body was found on the ranch, wrapped in a tarp buried in a manure pile. 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. The roughly 10-square-mile property is located about 125 miles southwest of Denver. In fact, he has crammed part of a museum with his collections this year. Its a big supplier of sulfur, sulfuric acid, and fertilizers. Gunnison Energy Corporation, an Oxbow company, leases nearly 150,000 acres of mineral rights from the BLM and private mineral owners. SEARCH. The commission recently OK'd a 22,000-square-foot residence for Koch above the town that already has two buildings in excess of 11,000 square feet. They played basketball togetherthough Bill sat on the bench while David was a prolific scorer. Their father was keenly aware of moneys inherent paradox. That residence is along a county road, so it doesnt have the privacy of Bear Ranch. Auden Schendler, the vice president of sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company, says his partner, Tom Vessels of Vessels Coal Gas, had been trying to execute the project for a decade. Jakes sister pleaded guilty to tampering with a dead body and received a 24-year sentence. 5280 Publishing, Inc. Around 50 buildings, along with a water-treatment system, have been permitted by Gunnison County in the past two years. In 2001, after eight lawsuits, the brothers finally settled. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. He leaves his spurs on. On whatcrazy-ass thing is he spending his billions today? He owns Jesse James gun, Wyatt Earps vest, Sitting Bulls rifle and a flag that belonged to Gen. George Custer. To find interior design nirvana, experts always follow these eight underlying principles. 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. 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. Each brother now has a framed copy of the letter, which Koch has read often over the years. I dont want much to be in it anymore. The Denver Post reports the town, located in Kebler Pass, has a saloon, church, jail and. Remember that often adversity is a blessing in disguise and certainly the greatest character builder. You've requested a page on a website (cloudflarepreview.com) that is on the Cloudflare network. Billionaire Bill Koch is building an entire Wild West town (pictured above) on his 6,400-acre Bear Ranch in Gunnison County, Colo., the Denver Post reported. Forbes estimates Kochs net worth at close to $4 billion. This is largely because of a nondisparagement agreement in the brothers final settlement. The comments below have not been moderated. So theres a pretty good chance that when those hallowed historians show up to tour Billy Kochs Kountry Kavalcade, theyll be presented with photos of Cowboy Curtis signed, Annie Oakleys.. This request was denied, the suit says. After the festivities died down, Koch retreated to his quarters, where he sat in a rocking chair on the deck, flossing his teeth and looking at the stars, his town spread out beneath him. Koch says he invited Martensenand five other executives thought to be involved in the schemeto the ranch for a corporate retreat in mid-March. (Marston argues the Buck Creek access is far inferior to the existing option.) Kelley McMillan writes frequently for the New York Times and Outside magazine. (Ol' Romney's a pretty good ROI, huh boys?) Koch has also all but legally adopted Rooney Kochs son, whom she had with actor Kevin Costner. The Kansas native formed his own company after. We had an extremely competitive family, and we didnt take care of one another, Koch told me over dinner in the Cook House, the Old West towns main dining area. It may be a blessing or a curse. David now says hes the handsome one and Im the smart one. Shes also smart and very funny. Koch has offered to build a new trailhead and improved access to the Ragged Mountain Wilderness through the acquisition of Buck Creek Ranch, an old homestead. 2023 Richard Beal. 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. Bill Koch, the history-buff brother to Charles and David, is currently building an exact replica of an Old West town on his 6,400 acre Bear Ranch in Paonia, Colorado - roughly a 15 minute. 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. Widow, 44, of late Louisiana Gov.