If you like your cowboy fantasies with a dash of literary zest, a 300-acre ranch in Big Horn, Wyoming, is waiting for you.
Spear Ranch dates back to the 1880s, when it was the home of the pioneer Willis Spear, who owned a cattle company along with his dude ranch. The property’s biggest claim to fame, however, might be that it hosted Ernest Hemingway in 1928. That year, he holed up in a ranch cabin and finished the first draft of A Farewell to Arms. Aspiring writers may take a page from Hemingway’s book and use one of the guest houses or cabins on site as an artistic retreat.
The main residence is a New England–style home with seven bedrooms.
Hall and Hall
“The Spear Ranch isn’t just land; it’s a direct link to the titans of the West, from the pioneering Spear family to literary giants like Hemingway,” said Peter Widener, a partner at Hall and Hall, which holds the $29 million listing. “It’s where history was made and where new legacies will be forged. To find a property with this level of historical significance, combined with such impeccable modern amenities and natural beauty, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
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When it comes to day-to-day living, the centerpiece is a 7,500-square-foot New England–style residence with seven bedrooms. A screened gazebo overlooks Little Goose Creek, which runs through the property, and along with the usual entertaining spaces, there’s a fireplace-warmed library and a children’s play room in the attic.
A rustic one-bedroom log cabin overlooks a swimmable pond.
Hall and Hall
Next to the main house is the two-bedroom caretaker’s home, and another two guest houses sit a bit farther afield. A charming log cabin is found next to one of three ponds on the land, and there you have one bedroom, a log-burning fireplace, and a porch. An equestrian barn is complete with stalls for eight horses, and a refurbished barn can accommodate large events for birthdays or weddings.
While you have your choice of where to spend your indoor time, the appeal of a ranch like this is the expansiveness of the land and the sweeping vistas it affords you. A landscaper from the East Coast was brought in to make Spear Ranch have a park-like atmosphere, so there are large lawns and meadows sprinkled about. The Bighorn Mountains sit just a few miles away, and wildlife like deer, elk, and moose will keep you company as you go about your days.
Click here to see all the photos of the Wyoming ranch.
Hall and Hall
Authors
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Tori Latham