The winner had to battle it out with bidders from Hong Kong, New York,
Florida, Kansas and Wyoming, with the bidding starting at $100,000. Some
called in their offers by phone but about 20 people were there in person.
“I’m happy and I’m sad all at once,” said Sammons. “But I’m more happy than
sad because this is all I wanted.”
“I can continue and start the next chapter of my life,” he said, adding that
he planned to go someplace with sandy beaches and “maybe a palm tree” for a
week or two before writing a book about his life in Buford.
The former railroad stop once was home to about 2,000 people. But they started
moving away after train service ended, until the sign at the entrance to
town read, “Buford. Population: 1.”
The buyer will get 10 acres of land. Besides the house, a garage, cabin and
barn, the property includes a cellphone tower and a parking lot that a
trucking company uses to switch trailers at night.
The Buford Trading Post, as the outpost is called, benefits from regular
traffic along the I-80 interstate, with Wyoming’s state capital Cheyenne
just 30 miles to the east, and San Francisco 1,150 miles to the west.