She said a group of mediums, or people who believe they can communicate with the dead, have expressed interest in buying the town. There have been no firm offers.
Milkie said the possibilities are "unlimited" in a place like Johnsonville. It could be a tourist attraction, wedding and event venue, or solar and wind farm.
Since 2015, Meyer Jabara has slashed its asking price from $2.4 million to $1.9 million.
Source: VICE
According to Milkie, the blueprints were drawn up but the buyer "got distracted on other projects." The town has sit unoccupied and in disrepair for 16 years.
Meyer Jabara, a hotel group based out of Danbury, Connecticut, scooped up the property in 2001 with plans to convert it yet again into a retirement community.
In 1994, Schmitt closed Johnsonville and hung "For Sale" signs at the entrance. He reportedly tried to sell the property for $3.5 million, but failed to find any takers.
Source: The New York Times
The home features multiple styles of architecture and original marble flooring. It's rumored to be haunted by the town's founder, Emory Johnson, but the caretaker denies it.
Mike Dirgo told VICE in an interview in 2015 that people stop along the road to take pictures.
"I'll be inside [a building] looking out and scare the shit out of them," Dirgo said.
Visitors could tour the buildings resurrected by Schmitt, as well as the original Johnson house. Milkie says it is one of several architectural jewels in Johnsonville.
In 1988, The New York Times printed an ad inviting the public to celebrate Johnsonville's history and recreation by the Schmitts" at a one-day "Festival of the Forgotten Arts."
Source: The New York Times
Schmitt rarely let outsiders in, but he profited when they did. He rented the town out for weddings. The white Victorian church with a cornflower blue door set a romantic scene.
Source: The New York Times