George and Laura Bush Offer Rare Peek Inside Crawford Ranch

By Kathy Ehrich Dowd

07/08/2014 at 07:45 PM EDT

Breezeway inside the Bush family's Crawford ranch

Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest

Former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush have opened up their famous Crawford, Texas, ranch to Architectural Digest and the images are dazzling.

The eco-friendly, 1,600-acre property once dubbed the Western White House has hosted world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. It was also the scene of Jenna Bush Hager's 2008 wedding and the spot where then-president Bush famously cleared brush during his two terms in office.

Then as now, the natural setting makes Prairie Chapel Ranch a peaceful retreat for the couple, who tried to stay true to the landscape when they completed the home in 2001.

"We wanted to see and enjoy the beauty as much as possible," the former president tells the magazine for its August cover story.

Bush family ranch

Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest

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George and Laura Bush Offer Rare Peek Inside Crawford Ranch