Stunning Wyoming ranch where ‘The Polar Express’ was written lists for $17.5 million
The Wyoming estate where the beloved children’s book “The Polar Express” was said to have been written has landed on the real estate market in Jackson for $17.5 million.
The book’s author and illustrator, the famous Chris Van Allsburg who also wrote “Jumanji”, lived in the six-bedroom, six-bathroom estate dubbed Polar X Ranch in the 1980s, listing agent Andrew Ellett with Engel & Volkers Jackson Hole told Mansion Global.
“Van Allsburg lived there for a year or two, for sure,” Ellett said, according to Mansion Global. “The story has always been that that’s where he penned the book.”
The estate, which underwent a multi-million dollar remodel in 2010, was built in 1975 and located between the Skyline Ranch and Puzzleface Ranch. In addition to the main residence, a two-bedroom guest house with a wraparound porch was added to the property in 2019, the listing says.
“Polar X is large enough to be a family compound where large gatherings can be hosted, yet so well thought out that each space feels cozy and intimate unlike most large homes,” the listing on Realtor.com says. “The only exception to the rule is the amount of outdoor space that includes a 1,600 square-feet, outdoor deck with a built-in, gas fire pit, a 10-person spa tub, and a covered 1,600 square-foot patio for over 3000 square-feet of outdoor space to enjoy Teton sunsets and cool, mountain evenings.”
The ranch is located around 10 miles from Grand Teton National Park.
“The Polar Express,” which was published in 1985, is a Christmas tale about a young boy who boards a train bound for the North Pole. The book was adapted into a computer-animated film in 2004 directed by Robert Zemeckis and starred Tom Hanks, according to IMDb.
This story was originally published September 28, 2021 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Stunning Wyoming ranch where ‘The Polar Express’ was written lists for $17.5 million."