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The Hearst Family’s Historic South Dakota Gold Mine Mansion Asks $6.3 Million

Posted on by Mike B
22
Aug

A Tudor-esque mansion built by the Hearst family for the manager of their lucrative gold mine in the Black Hills of South Dakota has come to market asking $6.3 million. 

Located just 3 miles outside Deadwood, the 1930s mansion spans nearly 10,000 square feet and sits on 1.8 acres of land on Fairview Avenue. The craftsmanship and opulence—uncommon for the region—is a testament to the legacy of the Hearst family and the region’s gold mining history, according to seller Gary Coe.

Coe and his wife, Sandra, bought the house in 2011 for $400,000, according to property records, following a 24-year break from the region to which they’d returned. They found it in disrepair and spent nine months refreshing it. “It’s a very solid, solid building; there’s nothing like it,” Coe said. “But it did need a lot of upkeep.”

They listed it with Heath Gran and Scott Munro of Great Peaks Realty earlier this month.

Today, the Hearst family is known for its media empire but George Hearst quite literally struck it rich during the 1850s gold rush, when he bought a claim in the Ophir Mine in Nevada. About 20 years later, in 1877, Hearst bought the claim to a rich vein of ore that had been discovered the year earlier in Lead, South Dakota.

Rustic stone retaining wall framing the front lawn and mature pine trees in front of a historic Tudor-style residence.
A 1930s mansion built by William Randalph Hearst in Lead, South Dakota is asking $6.3 million. (Courtesy of Gary Coe)
Close-up exterior view of Tudor-style gables covered in dense green ivy vines beneath a bright blue sky.
Gary and Sandra Coe restored the home after purchasing it in 2011. The Tudor-style mansion spans nearly 10,000 square feet. (Courtesy of Gary Coe)
Charming entryway featuring brick tile flooring, natural wood doors, stained-glass sidelights, and potted indoor plants.
Sandra and Gary Coe bought the house in 2011 for $400,000 and restored it. (Courtesy of Gary Coe)

Through a variety of means, Hearst expanded the Lead striking operation, turning it into the Homestake Mine, the deepest underground gold mine in the Western Hemisphere that remained operational for 125 years. After his death, his son, William Randolph Hearst, inherited the mining business but had little interest in running it himself, according to Coe.

“William Randolph was an only child, and he was a spoiled brat; he liked the money but didn’t want to deal with the mine,” he said. “They built this mansion to attract a manager—and it worked.”

The younger Hearst and his mother, Phoebe Hearst, brought in craftspeople from Europe to build the mansion, and it was outfitted with exquisite details not found in the region, including gorgeous oak millwork, elaborately detailed fireplaces and iron railings crafted in the mine’s foundry, according to Coe.

Arched front entrance of a brick property adorned with lush ivy, flower planters, and decorative stained-glass side windows.
It housed five managers of the Hearst family’s Homestake Mine over 50 years. (Courtesy of Gary Coe)
Warm entry hallway with rich wood trim, wall sconces, a traditional wooden staircase, and an arched passage.
The Hearsts had brought in craftspeople from Europe to complete the extensive oak millwork in the home. (Courtesy of Gary Coe)
Grand music room featuring vaulted wood-beamed ceilings, polished hardwood floors, two grand pianos, and hanging lantern lights.
It was transferred to the city of Lead in the 1980s after the mine mostly ceased operations. (Courtesy of Gary Coe)

The five-bedroom Homestake Mansion, as the property is called, housed five managers over 50 years, until the 1980s, at which point the mine had mostly ceased operations. It was then transferred to the city, and was used for various public purposes over the next decades. 

When the Coes bought it, they restored what they could and made some changes to the layout to accommodate modern living, including opening the kitchen to the dining room and adding a counter and wet bar. “There was no real kitchen, just an old GE stove and a cast-iron sink and linoleum floors, where the rest of the mansion was just gorgeous,” Coe said.

Country-style kitchen featuring natural wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, a butcher block prep island, and an overhead hanging pot rack.
A modern kitchen was added in 2012. (Courtesy of Gary Coe)
Covered outdoor event altar featuring floral arrangements, candlelit table, and guest seating against a scenic mountain backdrop.
The 1.8-acre lot has plenty of space for events and entertaining. (Courtesy of Gary Coe)
Aerial view of a Tudor-style estate nestled among dense pine trees, showcasing a dark shingle roof and brick patio driveway.
The home is three miles away from Deadwood. (Courtesy of Gary Coe)

In addition to its use as a family home, the property’s great green lawns can accommodate plenty of guests and have been used for weddings and other events. Its proximity to Deadwood, the region’s “mini-Las Vegas,” is another plus, Coe said.

Coe is an entrepreneur who has a long-running nutritional supplement business, and also offers an equine supplement that’s distributed in 35 states, he said.

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Mike B