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Lets buy a town!!

34K views 366 replies 105 participants last post by  izumi 
#1 ·
OK so we need 260 people to put up 10k each to become co-owners of the town of Nevadaville.

All co-owners are automatically members of the towns PD and legal residents of the town.

Straight up profit sharing (1/260th share) on any and all income we can generate via tourism (and mine claims ??)

Another suggestion has been made to try and go the casino route.


Town Mayor and Sheriff would be elected every 4 years on an opposing schedule. All legal residents have a vote.
No city council per say, all residents will have vote in all decisions.

Some building currently exist in the town, including an all brick city hall. Has jail cells in the basement so it would seem that weapon storage wont be a problem.
Looking at the terrain it might be possible to install an outdoor range.

Thoughts?
 
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#70 ·
I'd see there being a couple sticking points offhand:
habitability (it's going to be tough to claim it's a town if nobody lives there)
outside employment/commerce (a town can't realistically be "off grid")
infrastructure (goes to habitability and commerce--no power/water/gas/sewer = nobody likely living there)

My interest in something like this far outpaces the probability of getting my wife to buy in; I don't have the $$$ to throw at a "play town share" but with family buy-in and the physical option of doing it, moving isn't out of the question, seriously, as long as I can get electricity, water, mail, and UPS, there.

What was Galt's Gulch "officially" called? I loaned out my copy of the book.
 
#72 ·
What was Galt's Gulch "officially" called? I loaned out my copy of the book.
Galt's Gulch

A secluded refuge in a valley of Colorado where the men of ability have retreated after relinquishing participation in American society. Nicknamed "Galt's Gulch" by its inhabitants, it is in fact the property of "Midas" Mulligan, one of the early strikers to follow John Galt's call. This call was to the great men of mind and action to abandon the increasingly slave-state inclinations of a decaying United States - to go on strike - thereby withdrawing the only thing supporting the parasites and looters.

Sarcastically nicknamed Midas in the press because everything he seemed to touch turned to gold, Mulligan adopted the nickname during his explosive investment career before dropping out of sight. He had purchased this land among his far-ranging speculative endeavors, and subsequently retreated to it upon his disappearance. Other strikers soon followed him there, including John Galt, renting or buying land for summer retreats as a respite from continuing their search for fellow strikers among the increasingly collapsing American society. Eventually, a society develops in Galt's Gulch as more people live there year-round as the outside world becomes virtually unsafe to visit.

We are introduced to Galt's Gulch in the final section of the Novel, in the first chapter, entitled Atlantis. The people live with each other in completely free society and embody everything which is the thesis of the Novel, the appropriate values for a society of Mankind: philosophical, moral, economic, legal, aesthetic, and sexual, among others too numerous to mention.

We find industrious, ambitious, happy people continuing their chosen fields of endeavor without the yokes of any taxation or regulation. Conversely, there is a reverence for private property; everything transacted is paid for with the re-invented currency of solid gold coin struck from the reserves of Midas Mulligan's bank which now resides in the valley. The townspeople receive services from the various heroes we have met throughout the Novel, who all now reside and produce in the valley. They purchase power inexpensively from Galt and his invention of the static electricity motor, maintain their anonymity from the outside world via Galt's invention of the air-wave reflection device (giving the view from above the camouflage of reflected images of other mountainsides nearby), and some attend Galt's lectures on Physics, where he explains his discoveries on new fundamental laws and applied mathematics. The people purchase medical treatment from the care of Dr. Hendricks, who uses his invention of a portable X-ray machine to initially diagnose Dagny Taggart upon her crash landing into the valley, attend concerts of new musical compositions of Richard Halley who has continued to compose in the Valley, acquire raw materials from the efforts of Francisco D'Anconia's excavations around the valley, attend philosophy lectures from the now-retired pirate Ragnar Danneskjöld, receive loans from Midas Mulligan, etc.

Rand's description of Galt's Gulch was inspired by a visit she and her husband Frank O'Connor took to Ouray, Colorado while researching Colorado for the novel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_locations_in_Atlas_Shrugged#Galt.27s_Gulch
 
#71 ·
I didn't read the bill but will assume that basically co leo can carry full auto, which LEOs can buy relatively cheap?:homer:
I'd be interested, and could shit the money. I work at a copper mine, but I think gold and silver will go skyhigh, if this is nearby working mines, this could be a sweet deal for me and my family. I don't really see us being able to mine efficiently with only 250 members, it would take too much startup money, and the market can shift quickly, leaving us with all of our eggs in one basket. We could buy a bus and carpool to town for work. If there is no work nearby how do y'all intend to sustain? Not live there full time? If the land will sustain hunting, fishing, farming, I'm cool with that, but old mine sites can be pretty contaminated. How strict are CO hunting laws, IE can one hunter feed a family this way? If this is going to be some sort of full time community, we need to have our own currency of sorts so we don't pay taxes. Or if we intend to collectively produce a good or service for sale, our town also has one large employee owned corporation, with company housing and company vehicles, so that all expenses are pre tax. I'd like to see a large chunk of land that could be lived off of, and enough people willing to pitch in enough to get a good solar infrastructure set up, this would be worth more than 10k to me.

Who is looking for full time residency? part time residency? a mailing address and a badge?
 
#74 ·
Who is looking for full time residency? part time residency? a mailing address and a badge?
The wife's idea was essentially a bunk house mess hall first. then joint venture to build the personal residences, like the Amish help each other out.

as I type, My aunt and uncle lived at a place where the area was set up like a hotel with the communal area being a big dining hall/kitchen/wash area. it was a weird resort which was bought up for the land by a big developer, who employed my uncle and let him live there as care taker.
 
#76 ·
Actually... I could have the money ready in about 5 months if this is a real possibility.

As for the town itself. I think the biggest thing to look at prior to purchase is its infrastructure and any hazmat issues prior to purchase. All buildings would need septic and leach fields, and if you decide to install storm drainage you are most likely going to need an MS4 permit from the EPA (no idea what that would be like).

But hell... I can get us EXCELENT deals on asphalt, curb, gutter, storm sewers, sanitary, and even bridges if we need them (hopefully not). I'd think we would need to build a berm around the entire town however... so if the shit does hit the fan and we all retreat there.... its a little more defensible. Anyone have a hookup on a howitzer?
 
#77 ·
Fuck 260 people @ $10,000. Get 26 people @ $100,000.

If you zone the land properly you can limit the number of residents(voters) so you never have to worry about interlopers screwing up the vote.
Say 100 acres per homestead.

Limit the number of unrelated people per home (Athens, GA limits SF zoning to 3 unrelated adults to keep students from fuckin' up normal neighborhoods).

You can annex more land into the city as you have new "approved" residents that want to move in.

Somebody wants to sell, they give the city first right of purchase.

Get every adult resident POST certified and put them on the SWAT Team.

Get state funds for the public "city" school.

Get federal grants for all kinds of bullshit (sewer, energy, schools, police fire).

Put the city in a dry county and open a liquor store and a bar.

Open a for profit OHV park.

Have your own city court and JUDGE!
 
#85 ·
Open a for profit OHV park.
Cool idea.

CO has a lot of great off roading.

Personally I do not want to be a miner. I am just saying that if somethign was found, it needs to go to the town.

If the property in total is large enough so that the owners can all have a decent sized piece of property AND there can still be enough room for

OHV Park
Hotel
RV Park
Rifle Range
Gun Shop/4x4 Shop/Machine Shop
City Office/Police Station/Post office
General Store - food, gas, coffee, guns, ammo, etc

The OHV Park, Range, and custom shop could be cash earners. So that the folks that work at them can earn a decent living. If it's feasible any extra from the range and OHV park (because they are so large) the money would go to the town.

For the range, if it can built to cover 3-gun and CAS you have the opportunity to host some major events which equals lots of people and $$

Some info I have found
Colorado Statutory Towns operate under Title 31, Article 1, Section 203 and Article 4, Section 300 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Statutory Towns have an elected Mayor and a Board of Trustees composed of the Mayor and four or six additional members elected at large.
Regarding water, if buying land (not an established town) then the water is preset. The 440 acre place I listed above, they say it includes water for two homes. There are huge restrictions here regarding wells.

It doesn't need to be CO, just throwing out ideas.

I see buying a ghost town as more expensive, but it gets around some of the issues of trying to take a large piece of land and make it a town. If the place is already considered a town by the state then its all set. The owners don't need to live there or anything.

Lets say the town is 640 acres and there are 60 people that each kick in 10k. Drop the individual lot sizes down to 4 acres (that is still a good deal) and then you have 400 acres for the range/ohv park/town proper.
 
#79 ·
Hmmmm, I live about 30 miles from Nevadaville. Seen the signs but never been there. Sounds interesting.

Not sure I would call Central City a thriving gambling town but they do have one of the best "Boot Hill" cemeteries around.

Como would be excellent.

440 acres in Weld Co? All at the same elevation. FLAT!
 
#80 ·
#88 ·
I bet we could get a town in MI easily...
 
#91 ·
IMHO, it makes more sense to have one of these "towns" in every state... at least from an "carry your FA weapons across state lines" standpoint.
 
#95 ·
How a Denver suburb incorporated

http://www.foxfieldco.us/?q=node/108

My thought towards all of this is to be a property owner. And set up the towns charter such that property owners are legal residents, even if they don't live there 183 days per year.
It would be a vacation get away for me.
As well as a secure bug out location if ever needed.
 
#99 ·
I don't post much here, but I'm in.

Me to SO: "I think we should buy a piece of a town so we could have lots of guns and make our own rules.

Here in America.

Should cost around 10k-25k."

SO back to me: "I love that idea- let’s make it happen.

We can build our own house with an east facing bedroom window and north facing backyard and guns and we can make our own beer!

Pinch me!"
:smokin:
 
#100 ·
Ok I havent seen mention of utilities:
Electric - Can solar and wind generaors power a town to the level of todays standards of comfort?

water - Does everybody drill wells or does the town use a water tower? black and grey water will need to be dealt with.

communication - I assume that sometype of fios service will be needed to provide internet and television. I would also assume that the town would need some sort of wireless and cell network.

gas - the town will need a gas station and/or a fuel depot. For self-sufficency biodiesel can be manufactured but this would require a concerted effort by the town.
 
#101 ·
Yes, for a town of that size you could power it with Solar. Each home can have solar panels on the roofs.

Water... a tower thats fed by a pump off a river would probably be the easiest option. And if you setup a turbine, the river could power the pump. Really depends on the land. Solar powered well feeding a water tower would be pretty cool too.
 
#105 ·
I know some contractors that install cell towers, so that should be easy.
Wells, solar, and wind turbine.
Internet access could be via cell or sat, but getting a hardline run would be beneficial.
A bunch of wireless cams all set up to stream could make a simple security system, have a web browser you can see how things in town are doing. Can be set up encrypted so only owners have access.
I guess there would need to be a minimum set of rules for construction, like all homes need to be built with seperate grey/black water systems, set back from property lines, except for the lookout towers and flag poles nothing over a certain height, etc.
 
#107 ·
I know some contractors that install cell towers, so that should be easy.
Wells, solar, and wind turbine.
Internet access could be via cell or sat, but getting a hardline run would be beneficial.
Utopia in Utah is allowing people to string their own fiber to connect to their network.

Cell towers would be best but with a fiber connection femtocells around the city would act like wifi hotspots for cell phones.
 
#106 ·
Regarding the UP, I for one think weather would be a negative, not to mention the fact that silencers and machineguns are illegal under state law.

NV, UT, CO, AZ all seem like good places based on land, weather, laws, etc.
 
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