Dick Cheney | House Tour | $2.67 Million Wyoming Mansion & More

Has there ever been a more powerful or frightening vice president of the United States than Dick Cheney? After all, this is a man that not only resembled the penguin from Batman by looks, but demeanor as well, with many photos taken of the man always managing to capture him with a sneer. And then there was that whole hunting fiasco where he wound up accidentally shooting a friend of his, only to have said friend apologize to him. Now, that's what I call power. In the years leading up to his ascent at the right hand of George W. Bush, Dick was living in the town of McLean, Virginia, more or less the political celebrity capital of America. To say that McLean is a right-wing haven might be something of an exaggeration, but only slightly. Here in this neighborhood, real estate prices are some of the most expensive in the city, and it was already a challenge to find anything less than $400,000 over 20 years ago. McLean has always been upscale, and before it was reborn as a Republican enclave, it used to be home to the Kennedys. In fact, Ethel Kennedy still owns a house on Hickory Hill to this day. Even Jacqueline Kenny Onassis' step-parents once owned a house here, probably because most residents turned a blind eye to these political dynamos that roam the streets and shops around them. Simply put, McLean is not the kind of place where you'll catch people gawking, which made it perfect for the Cheneys. Back in the late 80s, Dick and his wife Lynn spent about $450,000 for a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom, two-story family townhouse located just down the street from a popular eatery known as Three Pigs Barbecue. More than just the occasional fan of some Southern-style barbecue, Dick also became a fixture at the meat counter of the someplace special giant gourmet. But when George took office, Dick moved into the vice president's residence at the Naval Observatory for what would turn out to be the next eight years. As a result, Dick sold this original property. Dick and Lynn then decided to spend more than on their last home, dropping $1.35 million on a small lot in January 2000, before heading to Washington D.C. Dick tore down the original home that was standing on the property over the course of his tenure as vice president, and constructed a massive 12,765-square-foot home that was ready for when he left office in 2008 at the expense of around $1.5 million. In terms of location, Cheney's people have done a fantastic job scrubbing all potential details about where the former vice president lives from the internet. For the most part, all you're gonna find are dead links and timeouts. What I can tell you is that Cheney's new neighborhood was close enough to the CIA that he could easily wander over to their head office from time to time to make sure that everyone was up to snuff on their intelligence gathering. And when it comes to the interior, reports suggest that Cheney's residence is a four-bedroom, nine-bathroom abode that includes his and her en-suites off the master bedroom on the first floor, as well as his and her libraries. Cheney also has two more bedrooms on the second floor, along with a sitting room, an exercise room, and three bathrooms. There's even a playroom in the basement for the grandkids, as well as a spot above the attached two-car garage where guests can stay in a one-bedroom and bath quarters. Last but not least, considering Cheney's age, the home was installed with an elevator so that he could easily move from floor to floor. Now that you know where Dick spends the vast majority of his time, let's take a look at where he likes to vacation. In 2005, Dick Cheney paid $2.67 million for a stunning waterfront estate located in St. Michael, Maryland. Situated in Chesapeake Bay, this property would later be described by the New York Times as a wide squat Mount Vernon. According to real estate records, Cheney bought this home under his Sumner LLC, a company that's managed by Dick's personal secretary. Dick is not the home's only owner of historical note. One of Thomas Edison's daughters, Madeline, lived here with her husband, John Sloan, who originally built the cottage as their private shore getaway. They even named it Ballintober after a medieval castle in Ireland. Constructed in 1930 and built atop nine acres of land, Cheney's picturesque property is located about two miles from his longtime friend and former co-worker, Donald Rumsfield, who purchased his own home in the area for $1.5 million in 2003. This gated treeline estate features an expansive compound that reportedly totals five bedrooms, four and a half baths, as well as nearly 5,000 square feet of living space. Boasting an open floor plan, the main house includes a light-filled living room with three walls of windows, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding water. In addition, there's also a kitchen that flows out to a family room, along with a formal dining room and primary suite located on the first floor. Since the Cheneys are likely to have visitors drop by pretty often, the home also offers plenty of room for friends and family. Not only is there a separate guest cottage, there's a guest suite attached to the three-car garage. There's also plenty of room outside, where you'll discover multiple patios, gardens, a pool, and a deepwater dock. Dick and his wife would vacation at this lovely home regularly each summer, but then, in 2019, he listed the home for just under $2.5 million, ultimately selling it for $2.1 million. While that was a loss, I don't think Dick cared much, especially not when you take into consideration that he already had another gorgeous getaway waiting for him in Wyoming. As little as might be known about Dick Cheney's homes in the orbit of Washington, DC, we know even less about his longtime residence in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. There, on the outskirts of town, Dick has owned a massive mansion since the early 2000s, estimated to be worth $3.6 million that he's used to throw fundraisers for conservative politicians looking to reach the White House. I'm talking folks like Mitt Romney. Remember him? Obama might have banished Mitt to the Never Realm back in 2012, but there was a time when it was looking like Romney might actually defeat Barack, and a lot of that had to do with the money that Dick helped Mitt rake in through a series of fundraisers. You'll notice in the invite that Cheney sent out for their little shindig that only the biggest spenders would be invited to a dinner at their private home. And while the general reception was held at the Teton Pines Country Club nearby, all the actual important stuff was no doubt finalized inside the Cheney residence that overlooks the club grounds with some sweeping mountain views. Again, since very little is known about this home, the only actual photographic evidence of it is a series of pictures taken by USA Today of the former Vice President relaxing around the estate. Thanks to those images, we know that his grounds are covered in trees, and that there's more than enough space for him to spend time with their family dog, Nelson. The only other spaces he provided access to were his kitchen, which boasts granite counters, dark wood cabinets, and stainless steel appliances. And Cheney also has a nice, if not kind of underwhelming, located on site that boasts leather chairs, picture frame windows, reading materials, and a stone fireplace. Well, there you have it. All the information on Dick Cheney's homes that's fit for video. But with Cheney, you don't know what's going to happen next. Thanks so much for joining me, and before you head out, consider answering the following question. What's the craziest Dick Cheney story you've ever heard? Shooting his own friend by accident is only the tip of the iceberg, so remind me of some of your old favorites down below. Otherwise, like, subscribe, and turn on your notifications to never miss an episode. My name's Cara, and if you'd like to check out another tour, then stay tuned to see inside the homes of Dick's running mate, George W. Bush. I'll see you all next time. Bye. In these videos, we don't reveal any addresses, and even though I've done a house tour of my own place, please do not show up at any private residences, because it's not safe for anyone. George W. Bush is best known for serving two terms as the 43rd President of the United States, and facing a series of major challenges during the course of it, including not only the 9-11 terrorist attacks, but also the beginning stages of the 2008 economic collapse. It was a lot, which is probably why once he was finally freed from office, Bush immediately returned to the comforts of Texas, the state where he once served as governor. In 1999, just a couple of years short of becoming president, Bush bought a 1,500-acre hog farm known as Prairie Chapel Ranch, and then completed the development of the site in 2001, following his appointment to the most important position in the entire country. Located in the sweet spot about halfway between Dallas and Austin, the natural beauty of this incredible land is precisely what drew George and his wife, Laura, to the area. Occupying just about 1,600 acres near the hole-in-the-wall town of Crawford, the Bush estate is anchored by a strong but modest house that finds different ways to honor the history of its location. Prior to his retirement from office, Bush used this property as the Western White House, often welcoming numerous heads of state. Of course, Bush was also spotted more than a few times on this property, getting his hands dirty by clearing brush and enjoying the searing heat. Today, the ranch remains the president's getaway, a place to unwind and spend time with his family on the weekends, while also entertaining close friends and the occasional prominent cultural leader. Of course, with all that intended use, this place needed to look pretty spectacular, so George and Laura put together a special team to help bring their retirement estate to life. When George and Laura Bush first bought this property, their friend, Dee Dee Rose, immediately recommended that they hire David Heyman to build their home. When the former first lady was growing up in Midland, Texas, her father used to build spec houses, more specifically, one-story homes that were low to the ground. So, when discussing how they wanted their new home to look with David, that's exactly what Laura asked for. In the end, David's designs carefully placed a single-level, three-bedroom limestone structure, as well as an adjacent two-suite guest house, amidst an existing grove of live oaks and cedar elms. Wrapped by deep-roof overhangs, some of which are up to 10 feet wide, and used to deflect both the region's boiling sunlight, as well as occasional torrential downpours, the Bush family dwelling boasts tall windows that add a romantic flair to its otherwise unpretentious facade. Because the couple wanted a mix of indoor-outdoor living, many of the home's windows also act as doors that open to cover terraces, walkways, grass lawns, and the tree-shaded swimming pool. As an advocate of sustainability, the family's architect also incorporated a number of green features into the compound, including a geothermal energy system for heating and cooling. Meanwhile, rainwater will run off the home's standing seam metal roof and into a gravel-filled moat, where it then filters into a 42,000-gallon cistern that's been concealed beneath their rear terrace and is used to irrigate the property's lawns. But I know all you really want to check out is the interior, which showcases an easygoing and multicultural mix overseen by Fort Worth-based decorator Kenneth Blasingame, a man who's worked with the Bush family for more than three decades. Inside the Bush family home, Kenneth arranged flower-painted Mexican wood plates known as bateas in the breakfast area, just above an antique cabinet that the Bushes brought back from Maine. Two of those wood plates were inherited from the former First Lady's maternal grandmother. Over in the living room, sculptures by Pamela Nelson, a Dallas-based artist and close family friend, as well as a Santo painting by Manuel Acosta, join forces with a leather-topped partner desk that once belonged to George's grandfather, and now usually sports an in-progress jigsaw puzzle that the couple likes to pick away at over time. Then there are the paintings, George's paintings, to be quite clear. Once he retired from office, George became something of an artist, painting portraits of world leaders, some of which have even been exhibited at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, which is not far from here. Several of his other works have remained at Prairie Chapel Ranch, where they're displayed in the home's study. Among them are some beautiful landscapes, as well as an image of Barney, one of the family's late Scottish terriers. As talented an artist as George has become over these last few years, none of those images managed to capture the actual natural beauty of the estate surrounding the main house. Just outside, you'll find resilient red and yellow firewheels, white prickly poppies, as well as Texas bluebonnets, the official state flower that were hand-selected by Laura herself. As for George, he's just as much of a nature enthusiast than elsewhere on the property. He cultivates thousands of live oaks, burr oaks, bald cypresses, and other species on a 90-acre tree farm. Idyllic settings such as that are the reason why George's daughter, Jenna, eventually decided to say I do directly on the ground. She held her wedding ceremony here back in 2008. But as picture-perfect as this estate is, George and Laura don't spend every second here. A lot of the time, they're living out of their home in nearby Dallas. If you can't find him at his gorgeous retreat, odds are you'll locate George W. Bush at his home in Dallas, Texas, in the northern neighborhood of Preston Hollow. George settled on this location largely because of his history with the place. Prior to becoming president, Bush and Laura lived in this exact same neighborhood from 1988 to 1995 on a block that was lined with oak trees in single-story houses. Their twin daughters still remember attending a private school nearby, and George, well, he used to love to jog outside before stopping off at a local pizza joint. In late 2008, Laura found the perfect home for the couple in that exact same neighborhood. Located less than a mile north of their old block, Laura immediately fell in love with the floor-to-ceiling bookcases that lined the home's hallways as well as the fireplace and large windows that provided views of a football field-sized backyard. And George, he never even visited the property. He simply trusted his wife's advice. Soon enough, this 8,500-square-foot home, surrounded by a further 40 acres of private land and his very own trout-filled lake, was theirs for a cool $2.4 million. Of course, with this being the primary address of a former president, the interior of this home is being kept under pretty tight wraps. But images that have appeared online suggest some oak trees shade the front yard. In 2013, The New York Times reported that Bush even has a man cave on the second floor of the house. Outside of that, though, good luck finding out more about this place. Not only does Secret Service occupy a house right next door that was purchased a year later, but the entrance into the cul-de-sac is restricted by permanent gate, as well as two police cruisers and four agents. If you're interested in ever trying to become George's neighbor, you better start saving up now because many of the homes in the surrounding area are outrageously expensive. Like the $100 million property that belonged to businessman Tom Hicks and a $15 million home nearby that was built to resemble none other than the White House itself. All right, everyone. That's going to bring this latest edition of House Tour to a close. Thanks for joining me. And before you head out, consider answering the following question. If you owned your own ranch, would you enjoy getting your hands dirty and running it yourself? Let me know if you're as good at clearing brush as George W. Bush in the comments down below. Otherwise, like, subscribe, and turn on your notifications to make sure you never miss an episode.