Santa Claus, Indiana – Nestled in the rolling hills of southern Indiana, sits 550 acres of scenic and luxurious gated gates.
Self-made business tycoon Ed Ewing is selling his Big Tree Farm estate between Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and Holiday World/Splashin’ Safari for $47.9 million, making it one of the most important properties in state history.
Kara Hinshaw, owner of Key Associates Signature Realty, is the listing agent. She hopes to sell the estate to individuals or companies attracted by its amenities and Southern Indiana charm.
“You have to see it to understand it,” Hinshaw said. “This property was created by B. Edward Ewing himself. Once upon a time, rolling hills were just cornfields. This land was 30 years of imagination and a steady stream of turf. , trees and stones were strategically placed to create this masterpiece.
“Behind a white fence is more than just a house or a large piece of land. It’s a private resort and as you move from one area to the next, you’ll enjoy gardens, bronzes, paths and beautifully designed buildings Connected experiences that you don’t usually see in Indiana. Wherever you look, you see and understand the value.”
Big Tree Farm includes a 1950s replica restaurant, memorabilia, vintage car museum, vintage inn, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, eight lakes, and woodland nature trails for mountain bike trails and ATV trails. Its abundant wildlife includes wild turkeys and white-tailed deer.
Ewing’s private residence and guest rooms are located at 162 Indiana. Private residences are designed to resemble log cabin cabins in Yosemite and Grand Canyon National Parks.
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Ewing, a private equity tycoon who worked with the Carlyle Group, has been attached to the property and the area since growing up in nearby Jasper, Hinshaw said.
“I was inspired to create a place for my kids and grandkids,” Ewing told Courier & Press. “It’s not the same as when I grew up without a car and no money. My kids didn’t grow up that way.”
Ewing said most of his family members don’t live nearby and don’t come to Big Tree Farm often, and the property requires extensive maintenance, which he plans to keep on the market for at least six months.
No heating, no hot water
Ewing grew up in a family with just one coal stove, which they used for heating and cooking. Ewing’s father was a janitor. His mother cleans the house. And the money is short. They don’t have hot water, and sometimes the power company shuts off the electricity because they’re behind on their bills.
Inspired in part by these early experiences, Ewing was determined to create a very different life for himself.
“I can’t call the house because we don’t have a phone. I can’t ask for money because we don’t have one,” he said.
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He had a choice: go to work and work harder than anyone else.
“I had to go to the show,” Ewing said. “That’s one thing I tell young people. Go out and work harder and work longer. That’s how you behave, look and behave.”
As a student at Jasper High School, Ewing took a job as a draftsman at Jasper-based Kimball International, drawing parts for the company’s subsequent production of pianos.
The pay was good, Ewing said, but after graduation he went to the Air Force.
Four years later, he got a job in International Harvester Engineering in Fort Wayne and bought a house. He found roommates and collected rent from them, using the money to pay his mortgage. The rest of the money is used to buy additional properties.
These real estate businesses became Ewing Properties, with residential and commercial properties in Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio and Texas.
His main job is as a “transformation expert”: someone who can come in and help revive struggling companies. He works with private equity firm The Carlyle Group. Once upon a time, he was an executive at companies in five different industries: aerospace, automotive, private equity, shipping and real estate.
Ewing, who semi-retired a few years ago, owns several houses across the country. His son Chris still lives in Jasper and oversees the Ewing estate.
Big forest farm, big vision
Ewing’s dream started with a car trip.
At age 12, he rode his uncle’s 1949 Ford and looked out the rear window to see the white fences and green pastures of Calumet Farms: a thoroughbred breeding and racetrack in Lexington, Kentucky. It was about one-sixth the size of a big tree, but it was etched in his memory.
He vowed that if he had the means, he would own a property with a white picket fence. And “As you can see, there will be green.”
Kennebunkport, Maine, one of President John F. Kennedy’s most famous vacation spots, made another lasting impression on the 12-year-old.
“Seeing his family and friends get together for a vacation — wow — how could it not be special,” Ewing said. “I think one day I’ll love a place with a lot of amenities, and I created this place at Big Tree Farm for family and friends and for generations to come.”
His first acquisition was Santa’s Christmas Lake Village, which has since grown into an upscale gated community.
His original idea for Big Tree Farm was to have a really cool place. A farm with a barn and a stage with great country music, fried chicken and steak. He fulfilled that vision and more. Over the years, he has hosted charitable fundraisers and hosted dignitaries from all over the world, especially Europe. Alabama, Charley Pride and Kris Kristofferson are all actors who provide entertainment at these fundraisers.
Aside from his wealth, Ewing hasn’t lost his sense of humor. He has given famous investors tours of Big Tree Farms from Texas to Spain, Italy to France.
“If you came to my house, I would put you in the stable,” Ewing said. “You’ll have a stable.”
In fact, luxury suites are named after winners of the Kentucky Derby, such as Foolish Pleasure (1975) and His Eminence (1901).
“I’m happy to tell people from all over the world that I’m going to put you in the stable and put you in the stable,” he said.
Just kidding, when you live in southern Indiana, you better be very, very nice, Ewing said. He ticked off the names of celebrities whose roots lie within a 60-mile radius of Santa Claus: Muhammad Ali, Larry Bird, Scott Lauren, Don Mattingly, Florence Heng Derson, Johnny Depp, Darrell and Michael Waltrip, Jay Cutler, yes, Abraham Lincoln.
He didn’t want to put himself in such a high company.
“I’m nothing special,” Ewing said. “I’m just a guy who came out of Jasper High and worked hard. I put my heart and soul into the hard work. I’m nothing fancy. That’s the truth.”
He said Spencer County was a special place and was looking for the right people to buy Big Tree Farm.
“It’s not just about money,” Ewing said. “It’s about character.”
Contact Gordon Engelhardt at gordon.engelhardt@courierpress.com or Twitter @EngGordon
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