First town ever sold on eBay will return to market

Bridgeville, CA, made history in 2002 as the first town ever sold on eBay, and soon, it will be up for grabs again.The Northern California locale—positioned along the Van Duzen River, 45 miles southeast of Eureka and 26 miles east of Fortuna, with an estimated population of just 25—is an 80-acre property surrounded by beautiful redwood trees.It’s been quite a journey to find an ideal owner for Bridgeville.When Bridgeville was initially listed on eBay by its former owner, Elizabeth Lapple, the minimum bid was set at $775,000.The monthlong bidding war—which garnered 250 bids—saw the price soar to $1,777,877.The winner backed out upon learning how much work the town needed, and SF Gate reported that “a dozen more deals” similarly fell through.Two years later, in 2004, an Orange County, CA, financial adviser named Bruce Krall purchased Bridgeville for $700,000.

At the time, the deal included 10 houses, four cabins, a post office, a cemetery, and a few additional structures.Krall reportedly had plans to transform the town into a health spa, but he listed it on eBay once again in 2006, upon the realization he could no longer afford to make restorations.The next owner was Daniel LaPaille, a 25-year-old entertainment manager from Los Angeles who acquired the town for $1.25 million in 2006.LaPaille had plans to reinvigorate Bridgeville, turning it into a self-sufficient, off-grid destination.He died by suicide months after the purchase.Now, LaPaille’s family owns the property, but they’re looking to offload it to a buyer who can see at least some version of his vision through to completion.“It was all about community for him,” Cindy LaPaille, Daniel’s mother and the current owner of Bridgeville, tells Realtor.com.“I would like to see somebody who is really wanting to see the community flourish,” she continues.

The ideal buyer would be able to live in the town, which is not possible for her as a Southern California resident, s...