Idaho property featured in 'Bus Stop' starring Marilyn Monroe on market for $16 million

The five-hectare estate provided a backdrop for the 1956 film

This Idaho estate featured in the Marilyn Monroe film 'Bus Stop' in 1956. All photos: Engel & Volkers Sun Valley

The rural estate is set on grounds of 4.8 hectares in Sun Valley, Idaho.

The property is on the market for $16 million.

The main property was built in 1995, extends over two levels and has five bedrooms.

On the grounds, there is also a guesthouse and an additional barn used for events.

The spacious dining area in the main house.

The property is built around an artificial lake.

There are several terraces with water features, a large fire pit and panoramic views of Bald Mountain, as well as the Smokey and Boulder Mountains.

The sizeable kitchen.

Spacious rooms decorated in ranch style.

A relaxed bar area.

The property overlooks its own manmade lake.

The rural property is ideal for those seeking an outdoorsy lifestyle.

One of five large bedrooms.

An informal dining area.

Open plan living and dining rooms.

Soak up views of the great outdoors from this property.

The property has an outdoor hot tub.

Marilyn Monroe's movie back-catalogue is celebrated by cinema buffs globally, and the 1956 comedy drama Bus Stop is among her most acclaimed works, along with The Misfits, Some Like It Hot and The Prince and the Showgirl.

Sixty-five years on, the Idaho estate that provided part of the backdrop for Bus Stop is on the market and spotlighted in this week's International Property of the Week.

The key details

The rural estate is set on grounds of 4.8 hectares in Sun Valley, Idaho. On the market for $15,995,000, the property has eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and a total area of 9,434 square feet.

The property's guesthouse served as a film set for the Monroe movie prior to its relocation and refurbishment.

What’s the story?

Bus Stop is a 1956 American Western comedy film directed by Joshua Logan, based on the plays People in the Wind and Bus Stop, by the playwright William Inge.

The Idaho estate that served as a set for the film is now on the market with Engel & Volkers. Located in the Sun Valley mountains in a sought-after resort in Blaine County, the estate is spread across 4.8 hectares and consists of a main house, a separate guesthouse and a barn for festive occasions.

The guesthouse is the property with film heritage, as it has featured in a number of Hollywood films. The region around Sun Valley is especially popular with celebrities, with the likes of Bruce Willis, Ashton Kutcher, Clint Eastwood, Demi Moore and Tom Hanks all calling the area home over the years.

The main house on the secluded estate was built in 1995 and extends over two levels. The interior has five bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, a study, and a spacious open plan living and dining area featuring warm mahogany wood accents and several stone fireplaces.

The property also benefits from a three-car garage and an outdoor hot tub, with terraces with water features, a large fire pit and panoramic views of Bald Mountain, as well as the Smokey and Boulder Mountains.

Surrounded by a landscaped artificial lake, the property also boasts a guesthouse, with two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms and an open plan kitchen and living area.

Directly alongside the guesthouse is an additional barn building with a silo that is currently used as an event location, that also comes with a dormitory, a fully fitted kitchen, a living area, one and a half bathrooms, a terrace and conservatory.

What the broker says

"The guesthouse on the property has a long history," says Travis Jones, real estate agent at Engel & Volkers Sun Valley.

"It has served in the past as a general store, a gas station, and most notably as Grace’s Diner in the 1956 film comedy Bus Stop starring screen legend Marilyn Monroe. The estate is one of the highest-priced properties currently up for sale in the US state of Idaho."

The appeal of the property is not just in its movie connection, says fellow Engel & Volkers Sun Valley agent, Svea Grover, who has observed a trend in people moving to western US States, including Idaho, amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“Since the outbreak, more and more people are being drawn to the American West. States such as Idaho, Utah and Nevada now rank among the most sought-after markets for luxury real estate," says Grover. "Clients here are especially attracted by the wide range of recreational activities on offer, as well as the level of privacy and the proximity to glorious nature.”