Dome Home on Arbo Lake in Grand Rapids

A beautiful, magical dome home, nestled in 18 wooded acres offers a nurturing sanctuary. Spacious cedar deck and large 3 season gazebo overlook a small private lake alive with pan fish, bass and northern. An extraordinary peaceful place to live the “green” life. Amenities include beautiful sunsets, passive solar, family room with hot tub and free standing fireplace, plus tons of storage.

Photos of home have been taken and used in a calendar. Beautiful barn, could be renovated, or sold as barn board. Old 1 stall garage, 650 ft. of lakeshore. 16 ft. easement allowing access to neighbors’ property. 5 acre section with waterfront could be sold by new buyer. Dock and paddle boat included.

A BRIEF STORY OF RAINBOW RANCH

Over the years a story has been woven about this land now called “Rainbow Ranch.” The current owners researched local history books and interviewed several historians and neighborhood “old timers” to put together the following:

Around the late 1800’s, loggers and settles were flooding Northern Minnesota to make a better life for themselves. The route between Bigfork and Grand Rapids became very popular as Bigfork became the gateway to the pines and Grand Rapids was the nearest town with supplies, a railroad and hospital. Wanigans (large flat-bottomed boats) filled with supplies also made their way up and down the Prairie River near Rainbow Ranch.

The last overnight stopping place before reaching Grand Rapids and Bigfork and vice versa was here, at Rainbow Ranch. Mr. and Mrs. Hartley Fitzgerald owned a large Quonset-type structure that was located near the willows southeast of the old barn. The building was constructed from logs and other materials “close at hand”. Not only could the Fitzgerald’s tend horses and oxen overnight, they could also feed and house up to 100 (mostly male) two-legged guests. Mrs. Fitzgerald always had dozens of hard boiled eggs nestles in sawdust in a barrel on the porch so travelers could have a bit of sustenance before and after a long journey. She prepared them on one of her two “monstrous” eight burner ranges.

John Greenway, founder of the nearby mines, rode his beautiful white stallion here on occasion. He and President Teddy Roosevelt were ‘Rough Riders” together and Teddy made a trip up to northern Minnesota once and actually rode horses on this property with Greenway. At one point in his visit, Roosevelt “scooped up” the Fitzgerald’s grandson and took him for a short ride.

After Fitzgerald passed away in the 1920’s, his wife sold the property to Floyd Heinzer. It is said that he bought the property not because of the old farmhouse (which one stood between the barn and the dome), but because of the “state of the art” barn which included the first automatic cattle watering system in Itasca County.

After the Heinzers sold the property, it has changed hands a few times. The dome was built in the early 1980’s.

The current owners have lived here since 1995. Honoring the spirit of the Firzgerald’s, for the last 12 years Rainbow Ranch has been a gathering place for friends from all of the world. There have been three weddings on the property, two with hundreds of guests.

Arbo Lake, which fronts the property on the West, is actually owned by the four parties who live on the lake. Arbo Lake is a “non-meandering” lake, which means that the parties who own the lakeshore also actually own the lake bottom. It’s a very unusual situation, but keeps that lake very private. The lake, which is rarely fished, has an abundance of northern, sunfish, crappies, bluegills and large mouth bass. The lake is swimmable if the weed cutter is used one a week in the summer.

Type: House Type of Water: Lake Front Water Body: Arbo Lake

State: Minnesota Area: Grand Rapids, Marcell, Pokegama Lake, Itasca County, Pengilly, Bigfork Community: Grand Rapids

Availability: For Sale Advertiser: Agent

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Price: $289,900

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Contact Terri Haapoja of Lakehomes.com Realty for more details about this property.
Email: TerriH@Lakehomes.com
Phone: 866-327-9889
Cell: 218-259-5068