bought

A company bought 7,500 acres of England for £8.5 million to create ‘Britain’s Yellowstone’; after investors are repaid, it plans to give the land to a community or charity

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A company bought 7,500 acres of England for £8.5 million to create ‘Britain’s Yellowstone’; after investors are repaid, it plans to give the land to a community or charity

‘Britain’s Yellowstone’: restoration project aims to take the greed out of land acquisition A nature restoration company has bought 7,500 acres of Northumbrian moorland for £8.5 million, starting a large rewilding project that aims to eventually hand the land to a charity or local community once investors have been repaid. The purchase of Emblehope Moor … Read more

In 2014, a tech entrepreneur bought a 1,100-acre Sonoma ranch for $12 million and spent about $33 million restoring it; 12 years later, it sold for a record $38.5 million

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In 2014, a tech entrepreneur bought a 1,100-acre Sonoma ranch for $12 million and spent about $33 million restoring it; 12 years later, it sold for a record $38.5 million

3100 Sonoma Mountain Rd, Sonoma A huge 1,100-acre estate high on the slopes of Sonoma Mountain has sold for $38.5 million (£29.2 million), setting a record for the highest residential property sale ever recorded in California’s Sonoma County. The large agricultural property, known as The Summit and located at 3100 Sonoma Mountain Road, was bought … Read more

A 674-acre Colorado ranch was listed for $5.9 million as a development site; conservationists bought it instead, permanently protecting land that links to more than 100,000 acres of public space

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A 674-acre Colorado ranch was listed for $5.9 million as a development site; conservationists bought it instead, permanently protecting land that links to more than 100,000 acres of public space

The ranch is near the proposed Ring the Peak trail system. A 674-acre ranch on the northern flank of Colorado’s Pikes Peak, once listed as a development site for $5.9 million, has now been bought by Palmer Land Conservancy and will be protected for conservation.The Conservancy closed on the purchase of Pinestone Ranch on August … Read more

In 1956, a doctor bought a 7.9-acre Florida Keys island from the US at auction with residential zoning; 70 years later, his heirs won a decades-long fight over their right to build

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In 1956, a doctor bought a 7.9-acre Florida Keys island from the US at auction with residential zoning; 70 years later, his heirs won a decades-long fight over their right to build

Representative image of Florida Keys from Canva In 1956, a physician from Florida purchased a 7.9-acre island in the Keys at a federal auction, believing he had acquired a rare piece of private land where he could one day build a home. The island, known as Snipe Key, came with residential zoning and a chain … Read more

In 1964, a couple bought 535 acres in North Carolina and built a summer home there; decades later, they donated the entire property to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in its largest land gift since the park was created

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In 1964, a couple bought 535 acres in North Carolina and built a summer home there; decades later, they donated the entire property to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in its largest land gift since the park was created

The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center A high-altitude property first bought as a private family retreat in the mid-1960s now serves as an important centre for environmental research in North America. The 535-acre property in Haywood County, North Carolina, historically known as “The Purchase”, was officially transferred to the National Park Service around the turn … Read more

In 1967, astronaut Vance Brand bought 160 acres beside Rocky Mountain National Park for $32,000; decades later, his family gave 40 acres to the park and Congress changed its boundary to accept it

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In 1967, astronaut Vance Brand bought 160 acres beside Rocky Mountain National Park for $32,000; decades later, his family gave 40 acres to the park and Congress changed its boundary to accept it

Former NASA astronaut Vance Brand spent decades exploring space and commanding shuttle missions, but a 40-acre piece of land along the eastern boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park remains one of his most lasting contributions on Earth. The story began in 1967, when Brand bought 160 acres of land next to the national park for … Read more

At 15, Jim Bishop bought 2.5 Colorado acres with $450 he earned mowing lawns and delivering papers; 10 years later, he began a stone castle that he spent 50 years turning into the world’s largest one-man project

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At 15, Jim Bishop bought 2.5 Colorado acres with $450 he earned mowing lawns and delivering papers; 10 years later, he began a stone castle that he spent 50 years turning into the world’s largest one-man project

Nestled in the Wet Mountains of Colorado, at an elevation of 9000, is the world’s largest one-man project, The Bishop Castle. From 1969 to 2019, the monument was constructed by one man, all by himself, James Roland Bishop, also known as Jim Bishop, the Castle Builder, according to the website. Laying the foundation Jim Bishop … Read more

A 5,000-acre Wyoming ranch was bought by conservationists in the 1990s; instead of ending ranching, they kept cattle grazing to protect the ecosystem

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A 5,000-acre Wyoming ranch was bought by conservationists in the 1990s; instead of ending ranching, they kept cattle grazing to protect the ecosystem

When conservationists bought a Wyoming cattle ranch in the 1990s, most people assumed the herds would disappear. Instead, they discovered something surprising: keeping cattle on the land, managed carefully, could actually protect it. This is the story of Red Canyon Ranch near Lander, Wyoming, purchased by The Nature Conservancy as an experiment in coexistence between … Read more

In 1943, two Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis bought a crumbling Los Angeles mansion for $9,000; 83 years later, after the Palisades Fire forced it shut, Villa Aurora has reopened

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In 1943, two Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis bought a crumbling Los Angeles mansion for $9,000; 83 years later, after the Palisades Fire forced it shut, Villa Aurora has reopened

Villa Aurora was built in 1927 as a Spanish Revival model home (Photo: Daniella On Design) In 1943, German Jewish writer Lion Feuchtwanger and his wife, Marta, bought a crumbling mansion in Pacific Palisades, Los Angels, for $9,000. The couple who had fled Nazi persecution, turned the house into a gathering place for artists, writers … Read more

Hollywood actor Joel McCrea bought a California ranch in 1933; his family later donated 74 acres as a wildlife preserve and effectively gave another 220 acres for parkland

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Hollywood actor Joel McCrea bought a California ranch in 1933; his family later donated 74 acres as a wildlife preserve and effectively gave another 220 acres for parkland

Joel McCrea bought a California ranch in 1933 When Hollywood western actor Joel McCrea bought a large piece of farmland in Santa Rosa Valley in 1933, he wanted a quiet working retreat away from movie sets. Decades later, the property has moved into public ownership, helping protect hundreds of acres of open land and natural … Read more