Weird Wednesdays: The Smith Mansion

Travel 3 Minutes

From: House & History

As you make your way through Wyoming’s Wapiti Valley, perched upon a hill just outside of Cody is a strange looking building known to locals as ‘Smith Mansion.’

The home was built over eighteen years by local man Francis Lee Smith. Smith, who worked as a full-time engineer in Cody, made the property in his spare time.

Francis Lee Smith, designed and built ‘Smith Mansion’ from scratch.

Unfortunately, the house didn’t have a fairy-tale ending one would hope for. In 1992, disaster struck, and construction on the property came to an end, forever.

THE HISTORY OF THE SMITH MANSION

In the 1970s, Smith was inspired by an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. After a huge fire on the nearby Rattlesnake Mountain, much of the timber was left up for grabs for anyone willing to lug it away.

Smith had a truck and two willing associates who helped him start loading up. Yet it appears Smith could never stop!

At first, Smith wanted to build a comfortable home for him and his family. But once the house was completed, the project just kept growing. Over the years, what was supposed to be a small family home, became a large tower featuring balconies and viewing platforms.

In the lower floor living spaces, you had named rooms, such as the “hot room” and “cold room.” Through the colder months, they would spend their time in the “hot room” which featured a wood-burning stove. In warmer months, they would use the cooler temperatures of the “cold room.” The house had no running water, and no plumbing or electricity, except for that provided by a small generator.

Unfortunately for Smith, the family home wasn’t to be. Despite living there with his family for some time, his obsession with it became a strain on his marriage, which lead to divorce. His wife, son, and daughter moved back into the nearby town of Cody.

This however, only drove Smith to focus more on completing the building. However, it wasn’t to be, one day in 1992, the 48-year-old was working on one of his slanted roofs when he fell (not for the first time) and died. Smith’s body wasn’t found until two days later.

THE SMITH MANSION TODAY

After the death of Francis Lee Smith, the Smith Mansion passed on to his family. The home is now looked after by Smith’s daughter Sunny Larsen, who was just 12 when her father died but still remembers living in the property as a child.

She said: “His original intent was to build a home for his family, and it just took on a life of its own.” It was only in later years that she realized her father had no blueprints, every addition was off-the-cuff. “He never knew what his next step was going to be.”

His daughter also rejects the idea that mental illness played a part in her father’s obsession. “He built,” she said. “He was an artist in every sense of the word.”

The property has been empty now for almost 30 years, exposed to the elements the wooden structure has begun to decay slowly. Teenagers from the nearby town of Cody routinely visit the property on the weekends and vandalize it.

This decay hasn’t stopped Ms. Larsen from trying to sell the property though. In August 2018, Smith Mansion was listed on the market for $750,000, as of yet it still has no buyer.

How a half-finished wooden structure with no plumbing or electricity on a hill in Wyoming could fetch $750,000 we don’t know. However, it would be a cool property to finish if you had the cash burning a hole in your pocket.

SOURCE: HOUSE & HISTORY

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Published by pat frederick

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108 thoughts on “Weird Wednesdays: The Smith Mansion”

  1. Morning All!
    weird deja vu this morning…not sure why yet.
    gotta get into town sometime today to get the mail and some basic groceries…it’s flurrying out there now and the driveway’s covered…not my favorite time of year.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Morning, Pat! I thought I’d seen this before – not planned, I take it? Fricking WP needs to get their shit together!!! No sign of Wheezer this morning – 33 outside at the moment, can’t tell yet whether it’s cloudy or not. I hope it stops snowing there….

      Liked by 1 person

  4. repubs storm out of meeting because of lack of serious American border consideration
    FTA
    Fischer made clear Republicans would be galvanized around their border demands no matter what arguments the administration presented on Ukraine and Israel.

    “When the border was brought up … there was spirited discussion, and I don’t think Democrats realized there will be no movement on a supplemental unless we have policy changes on the border, our own border,” Fischer said.

    “We don’t know who’s coming into this country, and we’re supposed to tell Americans that the United States can’t balance being a leader in the world … and yet we’re not able to protect our own country at the southern border?” she said. “That is baloney.”

    Added Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), the second-highest Republican in the chamber: “They didn’t have answers to some of the questions our members had, specifically about the broad national security crisis we face including at the border. They didn’t want to respond to that.”

    Even some of the most ardent GOP backers of additional aid to Ukraine left the briefing upset.

    “Their clear lack of preparedness to discuss and clear apprehension to utter a word as it pertains to border security policy was not just an oversight,” said Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), a defense hawk. “It was intentional.”

    https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/12/05/congress/blurring-jan-6-tapes-00130111

    Liked by 2 people

  6. “UK Cop Faces 6 Month Prison Sentence for ‘Implied’ Offense in Online Joke.”

    ENTIRE ARTICLE @ TheNationalPulse: “A retired British police officer is facing up to six months in prison after he made a joke in a private WhatsApp group that had an offensive “implication,” dramatically expanding the boundaries of hate speech laws in the United Kingdom.

    Michael Chadwell, who retired from the Metropolitan police in 2015, wrote a comment below a private WhatsApp post featuring multi-colored parrots alongside children of different ethnic backgrounds. The caption questioned: “Why do we cherish the variety of colour in every species except our own?”

    Chadwell replied: “Because I’ve never had a bike stolen out of my front yard by a parrot.”

    The presiding justice in the case, District Judge Tan Ikram, failed to find the humor in the comment, stating the joke implied that “black people steal.” He also refused to accept Chadwell’s claim that the comment was a harmless joke akin to Monty Python.

    As a result, Ikram charged Chadwell with writing a “grossly offensive” message online, which, despite the standard being subjective and broad in scope, is an offense in the UK under the 2003 Communications Act. “He thought it was funny, but it was grossly offensive, and he was aware of it at the time,” Judge Ikram declared. Chadwell is due to be sentenced this month.”

    Liked by 1 person

  8. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-campaign-hits-back-against-dictator-hit-piece-wapo-gaetz-says-green-lighting
    Our Take: “If you missed Jon’s interview with Roger Stone on Monday, you should definitely check it out. They discussed this topic, and the discussion was eye-opening.

    While this piece discusses WaPo declaring — without evidence or substance — that President Trump is a likely dictator, you cannot detach this reporting from Business Insider’s November piece entitled, ‘Here’s what happens if Donald Trump dies while running in the 2024 presidential election.’

    Gaetz is correct. They are absolutely green-lighting assassination. They are prepping the narrative across multiple regime outlets and, if the headlines were focused on Biden, the DOJ would be investigating. This is overt and dangerous.

    But all the rules go out the window when it comes to President Trump, as the uniparty regime views President Trump as an existential threat. And he is — to their illegitimate tyranny and ongoing criminality. One thing that these headlines make crystal clear: The deep state is panicking, and they don’t appear confident in their 2024 fraud abilities.” — Ashe in America

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I did, too, and a breeding ground for germs! I can vaguely remember having a set – top, tank, lid – when I was a child.

        Liked by 1 person

          1. It may have been at my grandma’s house…it’s a very vague memory but I can recall putting them back on after they were washed.

            Liked by 1 person

        1. when we drive home, I am fine until we get to the major highways–omg! the trucks, the 4 lanes (on one direction)…and then closer to my mom, there’s a 6 land stretch–i can’t watch!

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Well, I was quite used to it after living in NOVA for over 20 years and traveling I66 and the various I95’s…195,I 295, I395, I495 (which is the beltway). That is one of the reasons I refuse to go to Omaha, Lincoln, No, Platte, etc., etc. I had my fill of it, thank you!

            Liked by 1 person

              1. Hee-hee….bet the way I drive would give you heart palpitations! Well, ok, not so much now as in my younger days but still….

                Liked by 1 person

              2. HA! in my younger days, I had a green plymouth duster–baby was she fast!
                when i took my mom grocery shopping and had to pull out on a busy road, I said Mom, close your eyes and off we went…LOL

                Liked by 1 person

              4. oh i still drive like that on dry roads…LOL
                I know these back roads now like the back of my hand. I know every curve! they are fun in the summer let me tell you. but the spring, fall and winter? between the critters on the road and the ice on the road…it’s best to grandma drive…lol

                Liked by 1 person

    1. i could detect things on my baby’s ultrasound–still have the photo.
      but we were watching Coach on dvd and they showed the ultrasound–couldn’t tell what the heck they were seeing…LOL

      Liked by 1 person

  16. I can imagine this situation with a teenager. he comes to the parents asking for money to buy the family nice Christmas gifts and the parents boost his allowance for a couple of weeks but he comes back and asks for more, saying he hasn’t bought all the gifts yet. parents ask–who’s left to buy for–but the teenager is vague. the parents relent and after 2 weeks, the teenager returns again. this time the parents notice he is wearing expensive sneakers, but the teenager refuses to acknowledge they are new and insists they are his school shoes and the money is going for presents for others.
    this is ukraine.
    we never get an accurate accounting of where ANY of the money has gone–yet ukraine government members are buying yachts, big zee’s wife is spending millions on diamonds, and they are losing the war and, of course, putin will be invading the rest of europe if ukraine falls.

    FTA
    “Putin is emboldened and Ukraine has to start wondering if they need to ration their munitions. Our delay alone has had an impact,” Quigley said. “I believe this has already dramatically altered the course of the war, and we better hurry up or the course of the war will start turning the other way.”

    https://themessenger.com/politics/austin-warns-congress-failing-to-pass-ukraine-aid-very-likely-leads-to-us-troops-on-the-ground-in-europe

    Liked by 1 person

  17. “According to industry sources at the time, Walt Disney was somewhat ‘smitten’ by her, and that’s how Hedy Lamarr was the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Snow White cartoon character.”



    Liked by 1 person

  18. Here he is! Just went out and called for Wheezer again and he popped thru the doggie door right away. Probably sitting out there thinking about stalking some birds and enjoying the sun. Already up to 39 and bright and sunny! Looks like another nice day here in flyover country! A good day to get my downspouts removed in preparation for the snow that is sure to come.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That brings to mind the Walton’s episode where Jason brings home his buddy whose Grandfather was gassed at Treblinka….it was simply unthinkable and the Senator John spoke to lied thru his teeth!

      Liked by 1 person

  21. “Iraqi duo who urinated on and gang raped woman on cruise ship to remain in Sweden as court says they have ‘integrated’—The public prosecutor had pushed for deportation orders for the foreign gang rapists after serving their sentences, however, the court rejected this request”
    December 06, 2023
    editor: REMIX NEWS author: THOMAS BROOKE
    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “Two Iraqi migrants will remain in Sweden after serving their custodial sentences for the gang rape of a Swedish woman onboard a cruise ship after a court rejected deportation requests by the public prosecutor because the duo were deemed to have “integrated” into Swedish society.

    Mazin Al-Sharash, 36, and Akar Bajorani, 32, were sentenced to six years and five years and three months respectively for aggravated rape of a woman during a 24-hour cruise between Stockholm and Mariehamn on Sept. 10 this year. The Stockholm District Court heard how the duo had grabbed the woman and ushered her into a cabin before hitting her in the face, pulling her hair, spitting and urinating on her and both raping her during a four-hour assault.

    The court found that the pair had “acted with particular recklessness and brutality” during the sentencing hearing. The public prosecutor had pushed for deportation orders for the foreign gang rapists after serving their sentences, however, the court rejected this request. It held that Al-Sharash, who had arrived in Sweden from Iraq back in 2018 had become a Swedish citizen in 2021, and as such it would not be appropriate to deport him. Despite his citizenship, Al-Sharash required an Arabic translator to assist him during the trial.

    Bajorani came to Sweden from Iraq in 2008 as a teenager but is not a Swedish citizen. He was, however, deemed to have “integrated” into Swedish society due to the fact that he has two children who are Swedish citizens and is expecting a third. He is also proficient in the Swedish language. “Bajorani has integrated by learning Swedish and supporting himself through work, mainly as a taxi driver,” the court’s judgment read, as cited by the Samnytt news outlet.

    Talking to Samnytt following the judgment, public prosecutor Emma Svedberg revealed that she was considering an appeal of the court’s decision which she believes to be too lenient for the severity of the offense.

    “I think it is satisfactory that both men have been convicted of aggravated rape. At the same time, the district court has arrived at a shorter prison sentence than I have requested,” Svedberg said. “The district court has not reached the conclusion that the man whom I requested to be deported should be deported,” she added.”

    Liked by 1 person

  22. who didn’t see THIS coming? dems DEMAND amnesty in return for tighter border control
    FTA
    With a foreign aid package scheduled to hit the Senate floor as early as this week, eleven Senate Democrats issued a joint statement to demand that any agreement to tighten U.S. asylum laws and improve border security also include an amnesty for illegal aliens. The Democrats who signed the statement included Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Alex Padilla (D. Calif.), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety. They were joined by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The statement signals the concern that some Democrats have about ongoing negotiations in the Senate, where Republicans have demanded that negotiators include meaningful immigration policy changes as part of a foreign aid package that would spend billions on Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. It reads: “As negotiations surrounding the supplemental aid package progress, we are concerned about reports of harmful changes to our asylum system that will potentially deny lifesaving humanitarian protection for vulnerable people, including children, and fail to deliver any meaningful improvement to the situation at the border.” Ironically, the statement also criticizes Republicans for seeking immigration policy changes as part of the foreign aid package, saying that the addition of policy provisions to the aid package would set a dangerous precedent and forsake our allies. Yet, at the same time, these Democrats are demanding amnesty.

    https://www.fairus.org/federal-immigration-legislation/senate-democrats-demand-amnesty-return-tightening-asylum-laws-and

    Liked by 1 person

  26. witness claims Mar-a-lago valued at over a billion
    Lawrence Moens, a witness in Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, says Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is worth at least a billion dollars. Democrat-linked Judge Arthur Engoron and his partisan aide Allison Greenfield had valued it at just $18 million.

    “It’s something breathtaking. It’s something amazing to see,” Moens told the court on Tuesday..

    Far from having overvalued the property in loan applications, Moens believes Trump significantly undervalued it. This is in line with Trump’s own contention that the numbers he submitted excluded his personal brand value.

    Moens put Mar-a-Lago’s value in 2011 at ~$655 million, compared to a Trump valuation of ~$426 million. Moens put Mar-a-Lago’s value in 2021 at over a billion dollars, compared to a Trump valuation of ~$612 million.

    During a moment when he sent Moens out of the courtroom, Engoron claimed that whether or not Trump overvalued his properties was “not the bottom issue for me.” He insisted the real issue was whether or not “false documents” were submitted to secure favorable loan agreements.

    Trump and his team say no one besides the Democrat Attorney General has complained, and all loans have been fully repaid. The former president has also branded the Attorney General, her case, and Engoron himself a “disgrace”.

    https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/12/06/witness-tells-ny-court-mar-a-lago-is-worth-over-a-billion/

    Liked by 1 person

  27. “The Epstein Honeypot Operation”
    CLANDESTINE
    DEC 6, 2023

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “For those who don’t know how the Epstein honeypot worked, allow me to explain. Epstein was a CIA/Mossad asset, who lured powerful people into compromising situations with minors, then would control them via blackmail. They sought out the Crown, US Presidents, Saudi oil lords, anyone with power or influence. See Prince Charles, Bill Clinton, and George Bush below.




    The Epstein situation is so much more than just rich pedos trafficking minors. It was an intelligence operation by nefarious entities, to essentially control global policy decision via blackmail. Maxwell and Epstein would hang out at other events that billionaires and powerful people hung out at, such as Trump’s resorts. They would network, attempt to establish friendships, and penetrate inner circles of powerful people in the ruling class. Then eventually try to lure them to the island once it was purchased in 1998.

    So it’s no coincidence that Epstein and Maxwell were seen at events with Trump, Clinton, Kennedy, Elon, Prince Charles, Bill Gates. Why? Because they were seeking out the richest and most powerful people on earth in an attempt to control them. It’s no accident they crossed paths. It was a honeypot operation.

    My point is, that just because someone was associated with Epstein does not mean they were guilty of crimes against minors. It means that nefarious intelligence assets attempted to compromise that person. It worked on some. Not all.”

    Liked by 1 person

  28. My temp has reached 62!!! It’s hard to enjoy gorgeous days like this knowing that by Saturday, I’ll be looking at a high in the 30’s!

    Liked by 1 person


  30. A heroic sheepdog who killed eight coyotes as he defended his flock of sheep from attack has been nominated for Farm Dog of the Year.

    Casper, a Great Pyrenees from Decatur, Georgia, performed the remarkable feat a year ago and was grieviously wounded during the fight but has since recovered.

    He is among the final nominees for the dog contest run by the American Farm Bureau Federation. If he wins, he will receive a year’s worth of Purina dogfood as well as a $5,000 cash prize.

    Voters can also cast a ballot for Casper to win the People’s Choice Award, which comes with a $1,000 prize.

    “There are a lot of deserving dogs. It’s an honor for him just to be nominated,” John Wierwille, Casper’s owner, told Atlanta News First.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/05/casper-sheepdog-georgia-coyotes-farm-dog

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Wonderful dog – very protective and loving with children! My Sis had one years ago and her 2 kids used to ride her all over the house. I think her name was Baby Cakes.

      Liked by 1 person

  33. if hunter doesn’t appear on the 13th, congress will find him in contempt…yawn
    FTA
    “Contrary to the assertions in your letter, there is no ‘choice’ for Mr. Biden to make; the subpoenas compel him to appear for a deposition on December 13. If Mr. Biden does not appear for his deposition on December 13, 2023, the Committees will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings,” the letter reads.

    Criminal contempt of congress is a misdemeanor federal offense for individuals who do not comply with subpoenas, according to the Congressional Research Service. House lawmakers can provide a citation for contempt to federal prosecutors, a move without direct legal consequences for the person deciding not to comply with a subpoena.

    https://dailycaller.com/2023/12/06/james-comer-jim-jordan-threaten-hunter-biden-with-contempt-of-congress/

    Liked by 1 person

          1. Glad to hear it!

            Nope. Stress test on Friday. Then I should be able to call them to schedule a date. They drag this out. And I just saw how much they charge her insurance for the stress test. 10k! 😳 no wonder they push those tests. It’s not about your health it’s about their wallet.

            Liked by 1 person

      1. I’m so sorry to hear that.

        Mom’s doing ok. Still limping. Gets the stress test on Friday and then I can call for a surgery date. They reall drag this out. Its crazy.

        Liked by 1 person

  40. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

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