307.6+/- Acre Lyon County, KS in 2 Tracts
October 15th at 11:00am CT
Champions Landing, 1801 Rural Street - Emporia, KS 66801
Live auction with online bidding
Property Address: 873 Road 230, Americus, KS, 66835
Showings by appointment only.
Entire Farm Description:
Ranch & Farm Auctions, a division of Whitetail Properties Real Estate, is honored to bring the William (Bill) E. Smith Jr. Farm to auction on behalf of the Smith family heirs. This 307.6± acre Lyon County, Kansas farm carries Century Farm status and has remained in the same family for generations, meaning this is the first opportunity the general public has ever had to purchase this ground since it was homesteaded.
Allen Creek flows through the heart of the farm, creating a natural travel corridor that draws trophy whitetail deer, wild turkey, and a wide range of other wildlife. Each tract carries an original homestead site, a nod to the farm’s long family history. At the northwest corner of tract 1 is a 1,248 sq ft, 2-bedroom, 1-bath home with a full unfinished basement, well-suited as a primary residence or as a basecamp for a hunter using the farm year-round, along with a large shop with a concrete floor for storing equipment and gear.
Hunting pressure has been limited for years, and the results show: bucks have been allowed to reach maturity, a fact backed up by trail camera photos captured this past summer showing the caliber of deer calling this farm home. A mix of tillable fields, mature hardwoods, and brushy pockets provides exactly the combination of food, cover, and bedding that mature whitetails seek out, while several smaller fields are perfectly sized to be converted into food plots or simply left standing as a wildlife food source. Accessibility to the farm while maintaining a buffer from main roads is a major asset for a hunting property of this caliber. Two county roads dead-end into the farm from the west, and a third dead-ends at Allen Creek from the east, none of them extend through the property. That layout limits through-traffic and outside pressure, allowing deer and other wildlife to move confidently, including in daylight hours.
The tillable acreage across the farm is predominantly Class 1 and Class 2 soils, some of the most productive ground available, delivering strong yields and dependable return on investment. Cash rent on soils of this quality is expected to remain strong for the buyer who chooses to lease the tillable acres.
A certified forester has evaluated the entire property and identified harvestable walnut timber throughout the farm, adding a timber value component on top of the farm’s agricultural and recreational value. A detailed forestry report is available upon request.
Whether the draw for a buyer is the row-crop income, the whitetail hunting, or both, the William (Bill) E. Smith Jr. Farm delivers at a level that is difficult to find on the open market, and even more difficult to find on ground that has never changed hands outside the family. This is a rare chance to own a piece of Lyon County’s agricultural and hunting heritage. Contact the listing agent to schedule a private showing.
Tract 1 153± Acres:
Tract 1 of the William (Bill) E. Smith Jr. Farm spans 153± acres in Lyon County, Kansas, and combines a move-in-ready home base with serious tillable income and trophy whitetail hunting.
In the northwest corner of the tract, at 873 Road 230, Americus, KS, sits a 1,248 sq ft home featuring 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and a full unfinished basement. The home could serve as a full-time primary residence or as the perfect basecamp for a hunter looking to make this farm a year-round destination. A large shop with a concrete floor offers ample storage for equipment, vehicles, or gear.
South of the house, a small native grass pasture area provides a perfect area for horses or other livestock.
Allen Creek dissects Tract 1, feeding the same wildlife travel corridor found throughout the whole farm and giving this tract its own dedicated water source and cover. Limited access is a standout feature here: county roads dead-end into the property from both the east and the west, allowing a hunter to sneak in and out for a hunt without alerting deer bedded elsewhere on the farm. Several smaller fields on Tract 1 are ideally sized to be converted into food plots by design, or the cash crop already growing there can simply be left standing for wildlife.
Tract 1 includes 98± acres of tillable ground, a mix of Class 1 and Class 2 soils that provide high-yielding crops and strong return on investment, with cash rent expected to remain strong given the soil quality. Combined with the mature hardwoods and brushy pockets found throughout the farm, Tract 1 gives a buyer both a working farm and a proven whitetail hunting property in the same footprint. As with the rest of the farm, hunting pressure here has historically been light, and this summer’s trail camera photos back up the maturity of the bucks using this ground. A forestry evaluation has also identified harvestable walnut timber on this tract, with a
detailed report available upon request. Contact the listing agent to schedule a showing.
Tract #: Tract 1
Deeded Acres: 153±
FSA Farmland Acres: 101.53±
Soil Types: Chase silty clay loam, Osage silty clay
Soil PI/NCCPI/CSR2: NCCPI 64
CRP Acres/Payment: No CRP
Taxes: TBD
Lease Status: Open Tenancy for 2027 crop year
Possession: Immediate possession subject to the current tenant's rights for 2026
Survey Needed?: No survey needed
Brief Legal: 153± acres E ½ NE ¼ S17 and W ½ NW ¼ S16 T18S R11E Lyon Co KS
PIDs: 144-17-0-00-00-001.00-0(74.7±), pt of 145-16-0-00-00-003.00-0(78.3±)
Lat/Lon: 38.48865, -96.20995
Zip Code: 66835
Tract 2 154.6± Acres:
Tract 2 of the William (Bill) E. Smith Jr. Farm spans 154.6± acres in Lyon County, Kansas, and leans heavily into the recreational strength that has made this Century Farm so highly regarded among those who know it. The tract includes its own original homestead site, part of the farm’s long family history, though no livable structure currently stands there today.
A mixture of mature hardwoods lines Allen Creek as it moves through the tract, while a brush and tree-filled pasture on the western edge provides thick, secure bedding cover that mature whitetail bucks seek out. The pasture has two small ponds, adding an additional water source that further concentrates wildlife activity on this tract. Beyond deer, the habitat mix supports wild turkey and
a variety of other wildlife.
Tract 2 includes 101± acres of tillable ground, made up of a mix of Class 1, 2, and 3 soils that continue to deliver excellent crop yields. Several smaller fields on the tract are well suited to conversion into food plots, giving a hunter the ability to further tailor the property to deer movement and hunting strategy.
Like the rest of the farm, Tract 2 has seen limited hunting pressure over the years, allowing bucks on this ground to reach full maturity, a trend confirmed by trail camera photos captured this summer. The combination of travel corridors along the creek, hidden pockets of cropland, and security from the surrounding county roads lets deer and other wildlife move confidently, including during daylight hours. A certified forester has also evaluated this tract and found harvestable walnut timber present; a detailed report is available upon request.
Between the cropland income potential and the recreational value of the bedding cover, water, and mature timber, Tract 2 stands on its own as a highly capable hunting and farming property, and pairs seamlessly with Tract 1 for a buyer looking to acquire the whole farm.
Tract #: Tract 2
Deeded Acres: 154.6± acres
FSA Farmland Acres: 97.86±
Soil Types: Reading silt loam, Chase silty clay loam
Soil PI/NCCPI/CSR2: NCCPI 2.5
CRP Acres/Payment: No CRP
Taxes: TBD
Lease Status: Open Tenancy for 2027 crop year
Possession: Immediate possession subject to the current tenant's rights for 2026
Survey Needed?: No survey needed
Brief Legal: 154.6± acres E ½ SE ¼ S17 and W ½ SW ¼ S16 T18S R11E Lyon Co KS
PIDs: 144-17-0-00-00-016.00-0(76.3± ), pt of 145-16-0-00-00-003.00-0(78.3±)
Lat/Lon: 38.48215, -96.2099
Zip Code: 66835
Terms of Sale
Sale Day Notes Info:
Licensing
IN COOPERATION WITH WHITETAIL PROPERTIES REAL ESTATE LLC
Jefferson Kirk Gilbert, Ranch & Farm Auctions (CO00002929), Kansas Broker License # 00237080
Joe Gizdic, Director, Ranch & Farm Auctions, 217.299.0332
Matt Palmquist, Kansas Land Specialist for Whitetail Properties Real Estate, LLC, 785.826.0995
Andrew Sylvester, Auctioneer
115 West Washington Suite 900
Pittsfield, IL
62363
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