A secluded farmhouse once owned by country music legend Dolly Parton in Solvang, California, remains on the market for $1,995,000, following the announcement of her death. The property, described as a modest retreat far from Parton's larger-than-life public persona, was listed in April.
Parton's nephew, Bryan Seaver, confirmed her passing on behalf of the Parton and Owens family, remembering her as a "rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see." Her representatives echoed this sentiment, noting her legacy extended beyond music to her "wit, warmth, and kindness."
The 1920s-era farmhouse, located in the Santa Ynez Valley, served as a private getaway for Parton for nearly a decade after she reportedly purchased it through Dolly Parton Enterprises in 2004. Situated on the corner of Alisal Road and Maple Avenue, the home was designed to blend into its surroundings, allowing Parton to escape the spotlight.
To ensure privacy, the property featured windows designed to reflect the outside scenery, preventing onlookers from seeing in. A latticework corridor created a "paparazzi-proof" passage to the back door, and her main bedroom was equipped with seven locks for internal security. Current owner Cris Lapp, a real estate broker, previously described the home as "paparazzi-proofed."
Despite efforts to maintain privacy, the home retains distinct touches from Parton's ownership. A small "wig room" in the garage is said to be a miniature version of the elaborate wig storage at her Tennessee residence. Above the front door, a stained-glass window spells out "Dolly" alongside her signature butterfly motif.
A plaque on the white fence also marks the property as Parton's former residence. Initially kept quiet, the home's celebrity connection became public through property records and building permits. Lapp purchased the property for approximately $1.3 million in 2022 and later discovered signs of its famous past.
The former retreat has since been converted into three long-term rental units and has become a local attraction, often referred to as "Solvang's Dollywood." The property includes a three-bedroom, two-bathroom main house, a second three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence in the rear, and a one-bedroom unit with a three-quarter bathroom, each with its own enclosed patio.
Another property once owned by Parton, a cabin retreat in Idyllwild, California, also recently returned to the market. This mountainside home, which she gifted to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California in November 2023, was sold by the charity in July 2024. Listed for $768,000, the three-bedroom cabin is described as a home "as iconic as the legend herself."