Petrified Forest in Calistoga goes on sale after 100-year ownership by same family
The Petrified Forest in Calistoga is up for sale as the owners prepare to retire.
Co-owner Janet Angell said she has been managing the property with her sisters since 2010. But the preserved ancient forest has been in the family since 1914.
However, Angell said the younger generation has different interests and do not want to take over.
Healdsburg Sotheby's Real Estate will be handling the sale, and Angell said she and her sisters are looking for a buyer who is willing to preserve the property — whether that is a nonprofit, the state or a private buyer who would want to manage the park.
The asking price is $12 million, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The forest is California's only petrified forest dating back millions of years ago. California's Office of Historic Preservation said the forest is unique in its size, scope and variety of petrification.
It was originally discovered in 1870 and is about a mile long by a half a mile wide. A volcanic explosion led to the creation of the Petrified Forest. Large amounts of volcanic ash falling and burying toppled trees led to the fossilization.