'Polar Express' Wyoming ranch for sale for $17.5m - international property of the week

Author Chris Van Allsburg wrote best-selling novel at the three-hectare ranch

'Polar Express' ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is where Chris Van Allsburg wrote the bestselling book 'The Polar Express' in the 1980s. All photos: Engel & Volkers

Inside, the property is a classic American log cabin-style home.

It has panoramic views of the Teton mountain range.

The property is on a 2.8-hectare plot and neighbours the 87-hectare Puzzleface Ranch.

Inside, it has floor-to-ceiling windows that reach up to 12 metres high.

It has seven bedrooms and a separate guest house, with a further three bedrooms.

The inviting entrance to the charming rural American property.

Chris Van Allsburg's book was turned into a 2004 film that featured Tom Hanks.

A deck looks out over the garden.

A view of the back of the property.

There is no doubt that The Polar Express is a Christmas classic.

The 1985 book by Chris Van Allsburg was turned into a 2004 animated film, with the conductor voiced by Tom Hanks. For an insight into the magic behind Van Allsburg's words, a peek inside his Wyoming ranch is illuminating.

The 2.8-hectare property is currently on the market for $17.5 million. Here, we take a look inside the cabin wonderland in International Property of the Week.

The key details

The rural ranch is located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and was previously owned by Van Allsburg. The property has seven bedrooms and six bathrooms and is spread across 700 square metres.

It was built in 1975 with a panoramic view of the Teton mountain range.

What’s the story?

If you want to buy a piece of storybook magic, the ranch where the author lived and wrote The Polar Express could be the perfect property.

Jackson Hole is a picturesque mountain resort close to the town of Jackson, Wyoming.

The house is a classic American log cabin, which underwent rebuilding and extension over a period of two and a half years starting in 2010. The preserved features include the 12-metre-high window frontages that ensure both panoramic views and light-flooded interiors.

In addition to its six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, the property has two fully equipped kitchens and several open-plan living and dining areas with rustic wood panelling and solid stone fireplaces.

Outside, there is a pond, a small stream, various patios, a Jacuzzi and a seating area with a fire pit.

There is also a fully furnished bungalow on the grounds that can be used as a guesthouse. It holds a further three bedrooms, one bathroom, an open-plan kitchen, living room with a fireplace and separate terrace.

What the broker says

“The ranch is truly unique; it is located adjacent to the 91-hectare Puzzleface Ranch, Wyoming’s first conservation easement, which gives it perpetual, protected Teton views. It is the ideal retreat for letting your eyes gaze out into the distance to enjoy the peace and serenity of the natural surroundings,” says Andrew Ellett, real estate broker at Engel & Volkers Jackson Hole.

“The log cabin architecture and the signature high ceilings give the property both a sense of cosiness and a feeling of freedom and space,” Ellett adds.

“Building with such high ceilings is no longer permitted in Teton County. This makes the property one of the last of its kind – a fact made even better by the completely modernised state it finds itself in.”