Lonnie Hammargren Net Worth
Lonnie Hammargren became Nevada’s first licensed neurosurgeon in 1971, served on the higher education board, and briefly held office as lieutenant governor; yet, he was more widely renowned as a collector.
His $10 million house is both art museum and hoarder’s nest, boasting an extraordinary collection of memorabilia from Nevada such as Liberace’s piano and roller coaster car from Stratosphere (now closed).
Early Life and Education
Neurosurgeon Lonnie Hammargren is well known to many locals. As a longtime resident of Winnemucca and former member of both the state higher education board and lieutenant governor’s cabinet – though unsuccessful in winning through the Republican primary for governor in 1998.
Hammargren opens his home to the public twice each year – Nevada Day and Halloween – where his basement transforms into a haunted adventure complete with an animatronic tiger. Over time, Hammargren has amassed an amazing collection of items such as an 18th-century Venetian gondola, life-sized papier-mache brontosaurus skeletons, props from Liberace’s stage show and much more.
His passion for collecting inspired a Lifetime movie and an episode of A&E’s Hoarders; now, it spans across three homes near Sandhill and Flamingo roads in Paradise Crest.
Professional Career
Hammargren is perhaps best-known as an eccentric Las Vegas memorabilia collector, housing it all at his sprawling three-lot Castillo del Sol home. Here you will see his passion and originality when it comes to history preservation that many visitors may miss on Las Vegas trips.
He has amassed an array of collections – ranging from the High Roller roller coaster at Stratosphere to an old medical examination table dating back 150 years – which are on display at his home for tours each Nevada Day.
He has amassed numerous items related to NASA and space, and once befriended cosmonaut Alexey Leonov. Additionally, his collection includes a model of Saturn rocket capsule.
Achievement and Honors
Hammargren made important contributions in politics, medicine and the preservation of priceless artifacts during his lifetime. He served as regent for Nevada higher education system and honorary consul of Belize; furthermore he treated famous patients such as motorcyclist Gary Wells, boxer Duk Koo Kim among many others.
He possesses an obsessive love of collecting that borders on hoarding – but in an eccentrically brilliant fashion. His collection has preserved pieces of history that would otherwise have vanished, such as casino signs and memorabilia from old Las Vegas – pieces which might otherwise have vanished completely.
Sandy seeks out Matt Paxton, an extreme cleaning specialist and David Tolin, an expert on hoarding disorder clinical psychology to stage an intervention and encourage Lonnie to sell some of his items.
Personal Life
Lonnie Hammargren was a neurosurgeon, entrepreneur, former lieutenant governor of Nevada and man of many interests. He enjoyed butterflies, astronomy, Egyptology vintage cars Nevada history memorabilia. At home he had his own planetarium observatory and hand painted Egyptian tomb.
He amassed an extraordinary collection, one that was mind-boggling in scope, creativity and sheer randomness: a full-size Venetian gondola floating in his indoor pool, the old MGM aquarium, a piece of Stratosphere roller coaster track and even an original Liberace stage show stairway! Once annually for Nevada Day he and Sandy open up Castillo del Sol for public tours.
Hammargren was in financial difficulty and planned on simplifying his cluttered castle which consisted of three houses on an urban lot.
Net Worth
Lonnie Hammargren, who died on Christmas Day at 88 years old, spent much of his life collecting strange artifacts to display at three adjoining homes in an upper-class neighborhood. These includes everything from hotel wedding chapel interior domes to genuine Saturn rocket capsules in his Nevada Day tours and TV shows.
He became friends with Russian cosmonaut Alexey Leonov and created a model of the space shuttle on which Buzz Aldrin once rode. Additionally, he amassed numerous movie props and even some dinosaurs as collectors.
His collection became so extensive that it eventually filled two houses adjacent to each other, eventually taking over both properties in 2017. His primary residence (which he called Castillo del Sol) was eventually sold to real estate agent Amber Softing and her husband who are renovating and recollecting items sold at auction.
