The Marlboro Man’s $8 million home on the edge of Black Forest is up for grabs.
Bob Norris, the nonsmoker who portrayed the archetypal cowboy in Marlboro cigarette ads in the 1950s and ’60s, found his ideal location north of Colorado Springs in 1961. It had a perfect view of Pikes Peak and felt like just the spot to build a home and raise a family, according to listing broker Amie Streater of Engel & Völkers.
Sprawling over 15 acres, the 14,430-square-foot home at 12795 Oak Cliff Way now features eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a 5,300-square foot indoor ice rink complete with locker room, movie theater, two heated three-car garages, tennis and pickleball courts, a saltwater pool and a small shrine to Norris in the kitchen, which includes photos and an inscription of his favorite sayings.
Norris, his wife and four kids lived in the home for 10 to 12 years, after the tobacco company recruited him in 1955. In 1964, the surgeon general declared smoking a health hazard, and a few years later Norris’ conscience got the best of him — he left his job with Marlboro, saying he believed he was setting a bad example for his children, according to a New York Times obituary. Norris was 90 when he died almost two years ago in the Springs. His wife, Jane Norris, died in 2016. She was 88.
Following the Norrises, three other families have owned the property, including its current owners, land developer Rob Oldach and his wife, Denise Oldach, who purchased the property in 2006 for $2.6 million. They spent almost $6 million remodeling the property, including the addition of the rink, which was used for hockey, skating, parties and charitable functions. The arena, minus the ice, also has been used for soccer, inline hockey, pickleball and other sports and games.
The Oldachs first listed the home in 2014 for $7.2 million. The price has fluctuated since then and was recently picked up by Engel & Völkers and relisted.
“The thing that impresses me is the long winding drive through the forest,” Streater said. “When you come off Highway 83 and Shoup Road, and you go down the drive, it’s transformational. The car stops at automatic gates and they open and there’s this beautiful home.”
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