More than 150 years ago, Lake Tahoe locals began calling a rock formation in Glenbrook, Nevada, after William Shakespeare, who they claimed the bluff resembled when the light hit just right.
Spotting the bard’s likeness might take a stretch of the imagination, but owners of the property underlying the famous cliff have taken the theme several steps further. Today, Shakespeare Ranch is a colossal 129-acre family compound that has a collection of guest houses and barns with names like "Juliet," "Romeo," and "King Lear"—and it’s back on the market as one of the most expensive listings in the area for $69 million.
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The property was last selling in 2015 for just under $100 million. But after a couple of years on the market, long-time owners Larry and Camille Ruvo have removed two of the estate’s six parcels from the sale in order to lower the price and broaden their buyer pool.
"We created a different option by removing a couple of parcels," said listing agent Claudia Thompson of Oliver Luxury Real Estate, adding that the owners are still open to selling the other parcels, one of which is directly on the lakefront.
The compound has returned to the market as its owners rev up for a much anticipated annual "rootin’ tootin’" rodeo to support research for degenerative brain disorders. The Friday rodeo is followed on Saturday by a gourmet meal cooked by Emeril Lagasse and a private performance by Smokey Robinson, Ms. Thompson said.
The event has previously hosted late comedian Robin Williams, Jay Leno, Lionel Richie and Kenny Loggins.
The estate has a lake house that sits on 200-feet of lake frontage, plus seven additional guest homes and cabins, an indoor pool and a freestanding office. In total, the compound has 15 bedrooms and 16 full bathrooms.
Befitting a rodeo host, there are horse stables, vegetable gardens and animal enclosures.
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The owners have also had architect Marc Appleton draw up plans for a new main house in the same clapboard and shingle style as many of the homes in the lakeside community. Mr. Appleton has had a hand in designing most of the buildings on the estate, Ms. Thompson said.
One of the defining buildings on the property is a 5,111-square-foot barn built in 1873, which the owners have restored and outfitted with a kitchen and wine room—updates that won the accolades of President George W. Bush who said during a visit one summer: "They don’t make barns like this in Texas."
"The community that the ranch is in is a great historic community," Ms. Thompson said of Glenbrook. "It’s one of the oldest settlements in Lake Tahoe."
The owners could not immediately be reached for comment.