KEBLER PASSTheres a new town in Colorado. Martensen made no calls, according to Zhan. This town is billionaire Bill Koch's fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. Steven Fried, Oxbows COO, questioned Martensen. 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. But, removed from his brothers, Koch began to flourish. (An oxbow is where a river changes course, Koch explains.) No matter what Koch does, he seems to kick up dust in his wake. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. I always wanted my mothers affection but could never get it, he says. 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. But Bill Koch has mostly made waves for collecting rare wine, winning the Americas Cup sailing race and, most recently, buying up every bit of valuable Western memorabilia that comes up for sale. Koch, 72, who made his fortune partly by developing underground coal deposits in Somerset, Colorado, is building the out-of-the-way oasis at his nearby Bear Ranch, a working cattle operation southwest of Aspen. Your IP: 172.105.83.36, Requested URL: www.architectmagazine.com/design/wild-bill-koch-builds-a-private-town-out-west_o, User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/103.0.0.0 Safari/537.36. Twelve years later, as vice president of corporate development, Bill spearheaded an attempted takeover with the goal of deposing Charles, the chairman and CEO, and David, who was an executive vice president. It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. Its utterly bipartisan.. 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. Koch says Martensen and the other implicated executives had a scam going against us that cost us $40 million.. The Kansas native formed his own company after. Thats absolutely false, says Brad Goldstein, Oxbows spokesperson. Youre not alone. This town is billionaire Bill Koch's fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. 1999-2023 Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. The land Koch is seeking provides the best existing access to 40 square miles of Forest Service and Wilderness land, he told me. Ever the shrewd politician, Hickenlooper is working quietly to broker a peace deal between the two on the land exchange. 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. I plan on enjoying it and discreetly sharing it. Koch, who was interviewing another executive in a different building, says he watched Martensen leave, weeping. Elk Mountain was formerly a high-end hunting lodge. 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.. But Bill Koch is not staying out of the political fray either, donating a total of $2million this year to pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future. What I really want to do is create family compounds, so my sons will see each other and theyll have a reason, when they get older and they have their own families, for staying together. Hes sensitive to any hint of sibling rivalry or infighting among his children and is quick to punish them if he senses anytaking away iPhones, Facebook privileges, or grounding the teenagers. 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. Bill Koch may have found the answer after building his own private Old West town in Colorado. According to The Sideshow, the 72-year-old isn't designing the place for public consumption. 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But Bill Koch has mostly made waves for collecting rare wine, winning the Americas Cup sailing race and, most recently, buying up every bit of valuable Western memorabilia that comes up for sale. It's among the largest privately held companies in the world, with annual revenues of $125 billion. It is no secret that energy magnate and collector Bill Koch is a fan of the old West, but the construction of this small town may be taking the obsession to a new level. 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. 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. 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. As people get richer and richer, it gets harder and harder to think of cost-effective ways of spending the marginal dollar on amusing yourself. You do not have access to www.architectmagazine.com. In February, the brothers famously announced that they were putting up $100million to boot President Obama out of the White House. It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. 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. Its Kochs fantasy come to life, made possible by his staggering wealth. His downhome, aw-shucks demeanor seemed at odds with the businessman who has been demonized as a wicked energy baron. Koch says he separated the six men to avoid any collusion between them. To do it, were going to need to think differently; to create new alliances, maybe break old ones. As a kid, Koch was tall, skinny, and awkward, and his brothers and other children teased him relentlessly. It's so cute how mad Mitt Romney and Fox get so mad at everybody CLASS WARRING on the POLITICS OF ENVY and ANGER, by pointing out that some people have much more than they could ever possibly need, when other people have refrigerators, so zip it, Karl Marx. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. But dont expect to move here or even to visit. In fact, he has crammed part of a museum with his collections this year. 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. Kids come first, he says. (Ol' Romney's a pretty good ROI, huh boys?) 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. Bill Koch's Wild West Adventure The controversial businessman is building an Old West town near Paonia that's a full-scale reproduction of a 19th-century settlement. There are no TVs in the guest rooms and no cars in the town; instead, guests will ride horses and carriages, watch movies in the theater, and have historical discussions. A flat-brimmed cowboy hat hid his blue eyes and thick, tousled white hair. 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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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. A robust picture emerges of what life was like in the West.. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. Forbes estimated Koch's net worth at $1.8 billion in 2019, from oil and other investments. But is the town simply the project of an eccentric billionaire, or is there more to the story? In school, Koch realized that he could carve a place for himself in the world by virtue of his own achievements. It is the ultimate repository for his huge collection of Western memorabilia. The recognizing date of the exempt status is July, 2020. Koch will have a lot of room to keep his collections in Colorado. All things Colorado delivered straight to your inbox. Koch also agreed to downsize a bit. My father couldnt buy me honors at Culver. This request was denied, the suit says. That residence is along a county road, so it doesnt have the privacy of Bear Ranch. When you take from the rich and give to the poor, you end up generating a lot of extra welfare as people who dont have very much can have their lives greatly improved at relatively low cost. 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. 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. Donate today to keep our climate news free. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. 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. This is America. You all take care of each other., Koch was at the ranch that weekend to work out some details related to the Old West town hes building on his land. The unpopulated town has about 50 full-size buildings, including a saloon, jail, livery and train station. One of the lesser-known Koch brothers, he developed a private 19th-century . The Ultimate Guide to Craft Brewing in Denver, The Best Ski Run at (Almost) Every Mountain in Colorado, Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities. In 1958, he graduated with honors. It has about 50 buildings, including a saloon, a church, a jail, a firehouse, a livery and a train station. Spurs, clothing, wagons, cavalry uniforms, arrows, quivers, flagsyou name it. by 2Paragraphs in Culture, True Crime Murder TV | September 21, 2020, 711 Ranch on Dateline's Trouble at the 7-11 (NBC). 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. She is a nice lady, SHUT UP YUH HUH. Through his various companieshe owns the Elk Creek coal mine in Somerset, about 15 minutes from his ranch; Gunnison Energy, a major player in natural gas development in the area; and Bear RanchKoch pays more than $38 million a year in employee salaries. 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. In fact, he has crammed part of a museum with his collections this year. Billionaire Bill Koch's new Colorado town is a private Old West marvel, Billionaire William Koch Accused Of Kidnapping And Imprisoning Executive On Colorado Ranch. Oxbows great success was figuring out that petroleum coke, a byproduct of producing gasoline, could actually be used, instead of discarded. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. Why so many apartment dwellers hear the sound of rolling objects through the ceiling. Dont get too excited, loser! FINANCE. Martensen then took his case to California, where he filed his complaint this past autumn. Energy company founder Bill Koch went back in time, the billionaire built an entire town in the Old West. Published: 18:49 EST, 21 August 2012 | Updated: 03:24 EST, 22 August 2012. This town is billionaire Bill Koch's fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. William Ingraham Koch ( / kok / KOHK; born May 3, 1940) is an American billionaire businessman, sailor, and collector. He paid $2.3 million for a photograph of Billy the Kid at an auction last year. Billionaires need to either plot schemes for world domination or else build replica towns at vast expense. After purchasing the photo last year, Koch told the Denver Post: 'I love the Old West. Elk Creek yields some of the cleanest (lowest sulfur) coal in the world. In a dimly lit corner of the tack room, he places his leg on a trunk and, one by one, unzips his chaps. 1999-2023 Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Your support keeps our unbiased, nonprofit news free. 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.). A locked gate with guards screens who comes and goes. This sort of thing is why progressive taxation is important. But 133 years later, it endures as the most recognisable photo of the American West. 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. 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. Its a big supplier of sulfur, sulfuric acid, and fertilizers. Over the years the property value of the family ranch in Gunnison County increased (reportedly to $3 million). Design and build by Upstatement. This town is billionaire Bill Koch's fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. (The eldest Koch brother, Frederick R. Koch, is seven years older than Bill and David and wasnt as involved in the interfamily politics.). Space planning is key, and less really is often more. SEARCH. The commission recently OKd a 22,000-square-foot residence for Koch above the town that already has two buildings in excess of 11,000 square feet. Will there be real girls here? I asked. Anyone who knows Bill knows that he will chase down someone who has wronged him to the end of the earth. Four of the children were present. 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. It is simply for Koch's amusement and for that of his family and friends and historians. Youre not invited. . Koch will have a lot of room to keep his collections in Colorado. Solving climate change is going to be really hard, Schendler says. Soon, it will have a mansion on a hill so the town's founder can look down on his creation. Donate today tohelp keep Grists site and newsletters free. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. The home is expected to come in at closer to 21,000 square feet in the final plans when one wing is removed. Sign up today! And Kochs offered to build a mountain bike trail connecting Crested Butte to Carbondale. The men were interviewed individually. 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. 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. Beginning at the age of 13, for five summers, Bill Koch worked on his fathers ranches. Proposed in 2010 by then Congressman John Salazar, a Democrat who lost his bid for re-election that same year, the Central Rockies Land Exchange, as the swap is called, aims to connect the two disparate sides of Bear Ranch into one contiguous piece of property via a Bureau of Land Management parcel. It has about 50 buildings, including a saloon, a church, a jail, a firehouse, a livery and a train station. MAIL. 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. William "Bill" Koch, brother of Koch Industries CEO Charles Koch, is the founder of petroleum coke and sulphur products company Oxbow Corp. Denver, CO 80202. It is the ultimate repository for his huge collection of Western memorabilia. Its an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. It wasnt the first time Koch has laid down cold hard cash for some Wild West swag, and it was not the last. Koch's designer and project manager agreed to tone down lighting so it will not shine into the Raggeds Wilderness. He bought out the Buckskin Joe Western town near Caon City for $3.1 million in 2010. Do you hear marbles rolling in your apartment? 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. Reader support helps sustain our work. In 2001, after eight lawsuits, the brothers finally settled. Koch also bought a 21-acre lot on Jumbo Mountain, a popular recreation area outside of Paonia, which he plans to convey to the BLM to provide permanent public access to Jumbo; currently, a landowner allows people to cross his property to get to the mountain. Regardless of the land swaps status, Kochs immediate family will come to western Colorado to see the town this spring. Its like something out of a Gunsmoke movie set, said Ramon Reed, chairman of the Gunnison County Planning Commission. This town is billionaire Bill Kochs fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. Billionaire Bill Koch's new Colorado town is a private Old West marvel This view of Bill Koch's re-created Old West town is from a public road running across Bureau of Land. Staff comes last. The schools five-person board of directors contains three Oxbow executives, including Koch. But, more important, Marston believes the deal will rob Paonia of access to the Raggeds. They were to hold strategy meetings, and each executive was to undergo a 360-degree performance analysis. He bailed hay, dug ditches, fixed fences, and mucked stalls12 hours a day, seven days a weekand got paid five bucks per diem, plus room and board. A 21,000-square-foot mansion filled with Jesse James memorabilia sits near the 50-building town which includes a saloon, church, brothel, jail and train station. (Mastrullos stepson works in Kochs Elk Creek Mine.) She died in jail in November 2019. In 2012, he donated more than half a million dollars to charities in the region. The only newsroom focused on exploring solutions at the intersection of climate and justice. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. Its the second project of its kind in the United States. Kids have great sibling rivalries, Koch says. 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. 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). 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. 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 full-size buildings come with polished brass and carved-mahogany details and are fronted with board sidewalks and underpinned by a water-treatment system. . Anyhoo, dude's got a lot of money, and sharing is for queers and French people, and which one are you? Soon, it will have a mansion on a hill so the towns founder can look down on his creation. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. Martensen said no. 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.