Town Auctioned On eBay For Sale Again

83-Acre Bridgeville, Calif., Lists On Market For $1.3M After Former Buyer Commits Suicide

(AP)  A Northern California town put up for auction twice on eBay is on sale again after the hamlet's latest owner committed suicide.

A real estate agent handling the sale confirmed Friday that the tiny Humboldt County town of Bridgeville, population about 30, is on the market for $1.3 million.

The picturesque but dilapidated village on the Van Duzen River gained international notoriety five years ago when its 83 acres were put on the cyber-auction block — the first town ever up for auction on eBay.

The town, which was once a hub for a local stagecoach route and a stop on the Pony Express, includes eight houses, a post office, and a cafe.

Daniel La Paille, 25, a Los Angeles entertainment manager and college student, bought Bridgeville in August 2006 for $1.25 million from Orange County banker Bruce Krall.

Krall had purchased the former timber town for $700,000 after the buyer in the original 2002 eBay auction backed out. Krall re-listed the town on eBay last year, saying he couldn't continue to afford making restorations.

La Paille raised hopes among residents when he brought in work crews to repair many of the town's homes and began building a park. But in November, La Paille shot himself in the chest in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's office, and improvement efforts soon faltered.

"When Daniel passed away it was just so devastating," said Rose Valentine, who lives just outside town. "(Bridgeville) is kind of looking pretty shabby again. It's pretty sad."

The burden of maintaining the town has proved too difficult for La Paille's family, said Bruce McNaughton, the real estate agent handling the sale.

The family will likely lose money in the transaction, he said.

[bdrfishman]

The state and us goverment owns everything, here in oregon measure 37 says they can take it from you at anytime and pay you what they feel is the going price. Buy this town and stake a claim on a oil deposit the goverment will take it from you. If there is contaminated soil when you but it, then you get not only get fined, but you have to pay to clean it up.

[honest_news]

I'd place a bid, but I can't afford the shipping costs.

[dmk3]

Surprise this wasn't listed under 'Strange News'.
Who does that? Buy a town. And yeah what 25 year old has 1.25 million bucks and to buy a town.... things that make you go hmmmmm

[markbrookhar]

Has anyone ever heard of property taxes being collected and used to pay for town services?

[sonofmaug]

This is not a town, it is a subdivision. If they can't afford to keep it up themselves, they should join the next town over and get services that way. It's 8 houses! You have 30 people, paint the things, get the state to fix the roads, and get on with your lives!

[cremlacrem]

What kind of person at age 25 has $1.25 million??? No wonder he shot himself; got in way over his head.