East Texas chicken palace sells at auction where bidding topped $3 million

An East Texas palace that was built by a chicken tycoon sold at auction this week.

But it’s unclear who bought the sprawling East Texas estate in Pittsburg that was built by the late chicken company founder Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim.

Concierge Auctions took bids for the 18,000-square-foot spread about 130 miles northeast of Dallas. It lists the bidding as closed and the sale as pending.

A representative for Concierge Auctions said there are no plans to disclose the identity of the buyer.

Known locally as “Cluckingham Palace,” the 43-acre property has a grand house with six bedrooms and 10 and a half baths. There’s a huge indoor swimming pool and spa, and a pond and park-like grounds outside.

Concierge Auctions had a handful of interested buyers for the Pilgrim place and bidding topped $3 million. Kyle Crews and Sanders Avrea with Allie Beth Allman & Associates marketed the property.

Pilgrim, who died in 2017, became a billionaire when his family’s chicken business, Pilgrim’s Pride, grew into one of the largest in the country. At one time, the firm had operations in 17 states with over 35,000 employees.

Clayton Pilgrim, the grandson of the original owners who also marketed the property, said there were five registered bidders.

He couldn’t disclose who bought the property.

“It’s an individual buyer I believe,” said Pilgrim with Century 21 Farm & Ranch Harvey Properties. “They haven’t disclosed what they are going to do with it.

“They have the ability to take care of the property - that’s the best thing,” he said. “I think we will close the sale around the middle to late November.”

Pilgrim estate

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