South Dakota town for sale: $800,000

Welcome to Scenic, South Dakota, a small town located about 50 miles from Rapids City in the middle of the rugged Badlands National Park. Scenic has been in the news after being listed to be sold by Coldwell Banker for an asking price of $799,000. Being sold by former rodeo legend Twila Merrill, the town of Scenic has seen better days but promises to be an interesting investment for anyone looking to buy a town. What town is complete without its very own vintage saloon. Scenic's saloon, the Longhorn, would cater to the town's 9 residents along with the estimated 700 cars that pass through Scenic each day in their travels, had the business remained open. But with the town's recent struggles all businesses have boarded up and any improvements to the town by the next owner are sure to help increase the business at this lonely saloon.

A very scenic Dance Hall

And you get a Dance Hall!? With some intelligent lighting and some modest fixing up, the Longhorn Dance Hall will become a foundation for dancing in Middle America attracting visitors from all over to enjoy a cold one at the saloon before pulling up their boots for a night of line dancing (future owner take notes, this is how you turn a town around!).

A scenic Jail

True to its cowboy roots Scenic started off it's existence as a bustling railroad town with this jail for all bad cowboys. Scenic in all has not one, but two jails (next slide) included in its $799,000 asking price, which according to Realtor.com could net you a 1.5 bedroom pad with 1 bathroom at around 1,000 sq. feet in the expensive city of New York. Hmm, 1,000 square foot apartment, or 46 acre town with dance hall, jails, and a saloon? Tough choice!

A second jail?

Just in case after purchasing Scenic for a cool $799,000 it becomes a thriving hub or dance capital, it has a second jail to house everyone not abiding by the law (you are going to have to establish some sort of police force before that could happen). The jails have not seen much activity in a while though as the town is inhabited by just nine residents, all but two of whom are related to Scenic town owner Twila Merrill.

Art Gallery

And you thought a town of just nine residents would have no culture! The Scenic Art Gallery or the Sam 2 Bulls Gallery is there so you (the next owner of Scenic) can preserve its storied past and rich history.

The Merrill Residence

This is the residence of Twila Merrill, the famed rodeo legend, and her family. Merrill, the owner of Scenic, S.D., owns both the 12 acre town along with the 34 acres of property surrounding it bringing the grand total of the sale to 46 acres with 37 separate units. At its asking price of $799,000 the sale comes out to be 41 cents per square foot. With Merrill's health failing, forcing her to seek medical treatment in Rochester, MN, upkeep of the town has just become too burdensome.

The Post Office

While enjoying the good life in your new town you will need to receive the bills for the town's water and electricity, as well as all of the fan mail and guest DJ requests for the Dance Hall. Thus, the U.S. Post Office in Scenic exists to deliver your mail around the clock while it races to keep up with all of the new residences and addresses it needs to file.

Gas and Grocer

Of course, in a reborn town, gas and groceries will be needed. And before the town gets so big that companies start coming in and competing with each other, the gas station and general store of Scenic will be just the place to appease everyone's needs. The gas and general store of Scenic was the last to close down, doing so in April of this year, in the town that boasts 25,000 sq feet of retail space.

Agate Museum

Scenic also boasts the Agate Museum. Agate, a variety of silica, has long been used in the making of artistic items such as pins, knives, and inkstands among others. Thanks to its hardness and ability to withstand acidity, Agate also is often used in creating a mortar and pestle.

The Agate Museum

This picture, is from the right side of the museum dedicated to the world class agate hunting Scenic is known for. Additionally, Scenic is also know for its fossil hunting, on top of the world famous Longhorn Saloon.

Temp Hoosgaw

Here we have Scenic's Temp Hoosgaw. And although we have no idea what a "temp hoosgaw" is, from the looks of this picture it appears to be either a shed or an outhouse, possibly connected to the Longhorn Saloon, though according to Wikipedia a "hoosegow" is a jail. So maybe, just maybe, Scenic has three jails, this one being more of the temporary variety.

Scenic, South Dakota

There you have it, the town of Scenic, South Dakota. It can be yours for the modest price of $799,000. Just imagine, an entire town!