Wanna buy an entire town? It can be yours for just $5 million
An unincorporated mountain outpost deep in northern California's Feather River Canyon has been put on the market for $4.75 million as its long-time owner prepares to leave after more than five decades.
Belden, an 87-year-old historic gold rush settlement in Plumas County, is currently owned by Ivan Coffman. The former mason from Fresno, Coffman bought the property in 1989 after decades spent mining the local waters.
He is now selling the entire compound, which includes a two-story resort and lodge, restaurant, bar, general store, mechanics garage, schoolhouse and colorful rental cabins.
The decision to sell comes after a series of personal shifts and tragedies for Coffman, as reported by SFGate. The Dixie Fire in 2021 burned surrounding hillsides and destroyed the nearby town of Greenville, but Belden survived because Coffman’s son and several employees stayed behind to combat the flames.
Coffman’s son died earlier this year due to health complications, prompting Coffman to finally put the property up for sale.
“Oh, I guess all the people you meet over the years,” Coffman told SFGate when asked what he loved most about the place. “And you know, as time goes on, you look back on a lot of things.”
Coffman originally stumbled upon Belden during a week off from his masonry work in 1970. Following a major flood that shifted the riverbed, he discovered rich deposits of gold nuggets at the junction where Yellow Creek enters the Feather River.
“That year, we had a terrific flood that washed a huge bar of gravel off down into this hole, and that’s what left all that gold layin’ there,” Coffman said. “It’d been hidden for all them years.”
During that single trip, Coffman recovered roughly 50 ounces of gold — worth about $35 an ounce at the time, compared to modern values of around $4,400 an ounce. He called his business partner to say he was extending his trip and never returned to his masonry career, expanding instead into jewelry making, private lending and eventually real estate.
Belden’s history dates back to the California Gold Rush, when it operated as a bustling camp of roughly 1,000 residents. As gold mining waned, the area transitioned into a logging and railroad outpost before turning to tourism and river fishing.
Mid-20th-century dam construction along the Feather River altered the local ecology and reduced fish populations, driving the area into economic decline.
By the time Coffman purchased Belden in 1989, a 1970s fire had left most of its original structures in ruins. Coffman rebuilt the property, transforming it into an off-grid haven for travelers, Pacific Crest Trail hikers and motorcyclists.
Author Cheryl Strayed highlighted her arrival at the compound in her 2013 memoir “Wild,” describing her relief at reaching the remote resort during her trek. In recent years, the secluded location has also gained popularity as an all-night music festival venue, according to SFGate.
Despite its tiny permanent population of 15, the property operates as a self-contained community off Highway 70. The main lodge houses an array of vintage items, including historical taxidermy, art and an antique slot machine.
Josie Litchfield, a friend helping Coffman market the listing, noted his enduring role as the host of the property.
“Who wants to be the next mayor of Belden Town?” Litchfield wrote in an email regarding the listing.
Coffman remains known for his casual hospitality toward passersby, frequently opening the closed lodge to assist travelers. During a recent visit, he offered a free bottle of water to a cancer survivor who required bottled water due to treatment.
“Well, even though we’re not open now, I can grab you a bottle of water if you need something right now,” Coffman told the visitor, refusing payment. “I’ll just give it to you, how’s that?”
