Historic 1865 Kansas Estate Featured on HGTV’s ‘Bargain Mansions’ Hits the Market for $1.35 Million
A historic estate, once the home of legendary golf club maker Kenneth Smith and a place that was “given a remarkable second chapter,” just hit the market in Shawnee, KS, for $1,350,000.
Originally built in 1865, the four-bedroom residence served as the heart of Smith’s business, where prominent clients, including U.S. presidents, athletes, and Hollywood elite, would come to have custom golf clubs handmade.
“The house is amazing, and it was originally part of an 80 to 100-acre farm,” says listing agent Laura Miller of ReeceNichols.”
Kenneth Smith bought it in the mid-1900s and had a golf course off the property. He made clubs for everyone like Tom Watson and Mickey Mantle, who would come to the estate and test their custom clubs on the course.”
Smith’s impressive roster of tenants also included former presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, and Lyndon Johnson, as well as celebrities like Billy Graham, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Sammy Davis Jr.
The property is currently owned by an investor who commissioned Tamara Day, home renovator, interior designer, and host of HGTV and Magnolia Network’s “Bargain Mansions,” to provide an extensive renovation. It was later featured on an episode entitled “A Tee-rific Makeover.”
Located in Kenneth Estates, the reimagined estate would now serve as an ideal residence for a family, an empty nester, a golfer, or someone who loves the history of the home.
“Kansas City has such a neat history as the birthplace of jazz,” says Miller. “Over the last 10 years, Shawnee has seen a huge resurgence and a lot of growth. What makes it so unique is that you feel like you are in the suburbs but just 12 to 15 minutes from downtown Kansas City.”
Miller says that during the renovation, Day took the home down to the studs.
“While it looks like a 2026 house, it still has many historic details, including an original safe,” she notes.
Designer highlights include reworked walls, vaulted ceilings, custom cabinetry, and bespoke lighting throughout.
“The whole house has high-end finishes that you don’t get in a typical renovation,” Miller adds. “You don’t expect to see what you find inside from the front elevation. It sits on top of a hill and has some lake views. It feels very stately, and the renovation was very intentional and so well done.”
A gourmet chef’s kitchen was designed for both entertaining and everyday living.
“The kitchen is amazing and has a gigantic island and a hidden butler’s pantry,” says Miller. “It has these types of things that you typically don’t get in a house of this age.”
Other details throughout the 4,857-square-foot interior include a restored original wood-burning fireplace, a primary suite with dual closets and a spa-inspired bathroom, and flexible main-floor rooms that could be used as a home office or guest accommodations.
A finished lower level, designed for entertaining, has a wine cellar with original stonework and archways plus two wine refrigerators.
“The wine cellar is amazing. It was an unfinished basement before. When you enter it, it feels like you either stepped back in time or are in Tuscany. It’s incredible,” she says.
The property also has a three-car attached garage.
“People know the house, but it is going to take a certain buyer. I think it will be used as a primary residence. It’s part of Kenneth Estates, so you also get the benefit of those amenities, but in a house that was built 161 years ago,” says Miller.
“It’s sort of a place where you think, ‘if these walls could talk.’ It now has a fresh take and is ready for a new owner.”
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