LOUDONVILLE – You could say several people took home their “new landowner” badges Thursday night.
A mostly-wooded, 282-acre former Girl Scout Camp in Loudonville was sold to seven bidders for a sum of about $1.7 million at an auction.
“I think it was a fair price for the buyers and the sellers,” said Jason Miller, of Kaufman Realty & Auctions. “We were overall very happy with the results.”
The land, which features pavilions, cabins, a large pond and outdoor pool, was to be sold in 10 parcels or as a whole, if someone was willing to bid higher than the bids of the other 10 combined.
One bidder bought parcels 7 through 10, which amounted to more than 80 acres of land. The other parcels, ranging from 5 to 86 acres, went to other individuals.
More than 100 people were in attendance; 49 were registered bidders.
“We proved again that the auction method works really well,” Miller said.
He explained that by selling it in sections, people could afford their “little slice of paradise out in the country.”
He doesn’t know everyone’s intentions, but he knows the person who purchased parcel 4 – the one with a traditional log cabin – plans to renovate it.
Others plan to build cabins for family getaways.
The property, at 3322 Township Hwy. 539, was owned by CommonOne Properties.
The land was used for hunting and recreation. The Girl Scouts last occupied the property in 2000, according to Brian Bauer, of Mossy Oak Properties. Bauer worked with Kaufman Realty & Auctions for the Thursday sale.
“It traded to an investment group, and then it was sold to my client a few years ago,” he said.
The property attracted significant attention, even receiving coverage by the Associated Press.
“I think this property is drawing such interest because people come to the area to canoe and camp,” Bauer said.
He called Loundonville the “camping and canoe capital of Ohio” and noted the property is across the street from the Landoll’s Mohican Castle.
Bauer held two property tours before the auction, which attracted a variety of interested buyers. This included outdoorsmen and investment groups interested in opening a wedding venue or weekend cabin rentals.
Others are interested in the land’s marketable timber. Marketable timber and mineral rights transfer to the new owners.
Bauer also heard from some former Girl Scouts and their counselors.
“We had a huge turnout, both days that we had the property tours,” he said. “It was a mix of weekend warriors, timber companies and investors.”
Winning bidders were required to deposit a non-refundable 10 percent of the purchase price.
Information on this property was still available at kaufman-auctions.com or ohiolandforsale.com Friday morning.
