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The sole resident of one Wyoming town has called himself its owner, and mayor, for years. But now, for a relative bargain, you could take that title away from him.
Don Sammons, the sole resident of the town of Buford, Wyoming, is putting his property, and hence entire town, up for auction at the starting price of $100,000, the Wyoming Times reports (h/t The Atlantic). The deal includes a U.S. zip code, a historic school building, a three-bedroom home and the town's only source of revenue, a gas station and convenience store called the Buford Trading Post.
Sammons purchased the town in 1992 with his wife and son, but after his wife passed away several years ago and his son moved out, he says it's about time to move away from what some say is among the smallest towns in the country. It may come as no surprise that one of the smallest towns in America is located in Wyoming -- the state has the lowest population in the nation with an estimated 509,293 people, according to TIME.
But the town wasn't always so tiny. It was once home to a booming population of about 2,000, attracting guests like the honorable President Ulysses S. Grant, and the not-so-honorable Butch Cassidy, the bandit immortalized on the big screen by Paul Newman, according to the Wyoming Times.
That the asking price for Buford is so low may be surprising, even when taking into account that its 8,000 foot elevation can make for some seriously inclement weather. Still, a prospective buyer could potentially purchase the entire 10 plus acre town for a little more than the average price of a new home in 2010 at $272,900.
In fact, Buford is a real bargain compared to many other towns that have recently gone up for sale. Even a medieval town in France, home now to "thieves, drunks and squatters" as well as some crumbling buildings, according to nearby residents, was put up for sale last month for the asking price of $436,370 -- more than four times that of Buford's starting price.
But if you've got some extra cash to splash, why not buy a personal island? Red Rock Island in San Francisco bay, rumored to be the home of buried pirate treasure, was recently put on the market for $9 million.