# Ghost Town Auctions $800,000 Buys You the Town of Scenic, South Dakota By Michael Hines | Published 2011-07-29 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/town-of-scenic-south-dakota References: [neatorama](http://www.neatorama.com/2011/07/28/buy-an-entire-town-for-799000/) & [abcnews.go](http://abcnews.go.com/Business/south-dakota-cowboy-town-sale-799000/story?id=14161125) If you have an extra $800,000 and have always wanted to own your own city, then you should look into purchasing the [town of Scenic, South Dakota](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/travel-south-dakota). The town sits on a 34 acre plot of land that is home to all of two families but does include a saloon and several other decrepit buildings. As lighthearted as this story may sound there is a deadly serious reason as to why this town has been put up for sale. The town's owner, Twila Merrill, has become stricken with cancer and her daughter has convinced her to sell the town. According to Lee Ann Keester (Merrill's daughter), the town can be had by anyone with $800,000, so evil villains looking for a new secret base take notice. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.0/10 - Popularity: 6% | Activity: 46% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Bizarre](https://www.trendhunter.com/bizarre) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Rural Real Estate Investments:** Opportunity for investors to purchase and develop small towns or ghost towns for various purposes such as tourism or sustainable communities. - **Rural Regeneration:** Growing interest in revitalizing abandoned rural areas and transforming them into thriving communities with new businesses and industries. - **Alternative Community Living:** Increasing trend of people seeking alternative living arrangements and communal lifestyles by purchasing entire towns or secluded properties. ### Where This Applies - **Real Estate Development:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop strategies and models for repurposing and redeveloping ghost towns into profitable and sustainable real estate projects. - **Tourism and Hospitality:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create unique tourism experiences by transforming ghost towns into attractions, providing accommodation and activities for visitors. - **Sustainable Living Solutions:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop eco-friendly and self-sustaining communities in abandoned rural areas, incorporating renewable energy, agriculture, and innovative infrastructure. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Sci-Fi Series-Inspired Rentable Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/byers-house.md) - [Paranormal Mapping Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ghost-town1.md) - [Dramatic Doomsday Bunker Images](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alastair-philip-wiper.md) - [Real Estate Card Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chaotic-card-game.md) - [Martian Meteorite Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sothebys-nwa.md) - [Mountainous Holiday Book Accommodations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grinch-cave.md) - [Wine Region Estate Auctions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virginias-piedmont-region.md) - [Ultra-Extravagant Scotch Whiskies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glen-grant-distillery.md) - [Filmic Swamp Accommodations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stay-at-shreks-swamp.md)