Florida’s 23-acre Bannon Island, held by one family for roughly 150 years and reachable only by boat, helicopter or seaplane, is listed for $12 million
A secluded 23.32-acre private island on Lake Marion near Haines City, Florida, has been listed for $12 million. Known as Bannon Island, the property is being offered for sale for the first time in about 150 years.Located between Orlando and Tampa, the island can only be reached by boat, helicopter, or seaplane. Listing agent Lisa Kleine of Red Bird Realty says private islands in this part of Florida are extremely rare.“Saltwater islands are common as you get down to the Keys, but to have one in the interior of Florida, specifically in between Orlando and Tampa, makes it a great location for somebody who craves privacy but at the same time wants to be in the middle of it all,” Kleine says.“I love the feeling of stepping back in time, but still having all the luxury accommodations needed to enjoy life today.”
An Irish carpenter settled the island in the 1880s
The island’s modern history began in the 1880s when Patrick Bannon, an Irish carpenter who had moved from New York City, arrived there. According to Mansion Global, Bannon had previously worked on one of the large mansions built for the Vanderbilt family in New York.When Bannon arrived in Florida, the land was inhabited by Native Americans. He developed friendly relationships with the local people, who eventually gave him the land. He then built a private home on the island.His original home was a two-story, eight-sided building shaped like a Celtic cross. It was built with reclaimed cypress wood and survived more than a century of storms, including Hurricane Charley, which passed directly over the island in 2004.After the hurricane, the family expanded the house while keeping the original design and historic character.
Historic wood meets modern glass
The property has stayed in the Bannon family for four generations. The most recent owner was Patrick Bannon’s 84-year-old grandson, Patrick O’Leary.“This man built this historic home with his own hands and then four generations later, we’re experiencing the renovation that his grandson catapulted off of his original design with his new expansion that mirrors the original historic house,” Kleine says.The family worked with an architect known through Southern Living magazine to design the new section. The result is a 5,034-square-foot main home that combines the original 19th-century structure with modern features. The two sections are connected by a glass walkway.“It is luxurious and timeless and state-of-the-art in its whole expression of honoring what was in old Florida but what is the new Florida,” Kleine says.The main house has three bedrooms and four bathrooms, along with additional flexible spaces that can be used for sleeping or other purposes. The newer wing has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that provide plenty of natural light and wide views of the lake.The property also includes an orangery with large glass walls, allowing residents to enjoy the sunlight, lake views, and wildlife around the island.“It’s two in one,” Kleine says. “You can literally walk on one side of the house and experience old Florida and the reclaimed cypress wood and be surrounded by those luxurious walls, and then you move to the other side of the house and you’re in the kitchen that can serve two people or 40 people.”Inside, the home features a suspended library and a large custom chandelier made from 100 hand-blown glass pieces.“The chandelier mimics a rainstorm and was commissioned by the owners,” Kleine explains. The owners also installed air-conditioning units that move the glass pieces, creating the appearance of falling rain.
Extra homes and natural land
The island also has three additional structures. One of them is a 2,698-square-foot duplex called the “Dog Trot.” It contains two identical units, each with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.The current owners lived in the Dog Trot while the main house was being expanded.The location of the Dog Trot also has historical importance. It stands where the island’s original Native American residents built their home, choosing the location to take advantage of lake breezes while staying protected from colder weather.Most of the remaining 23 acres are covered by native forest and wildlife habitat. The property also has established fruit groves growing Valencia oranges, grapefruit, and guava.
A rare property with many possibilities
The island is about 45 minutes from Orlando and Tampa after leaving the water. Because of its size, history, and privacy, the property could have several possible uses.“It could be for a conservationist who just wants to preserve a piece of old Florida,” Kleine says. It could also become a venue for weddings, special events, and family gatherings, or simply remain a private retreat for someone who wants to live away from the crowds while staying close to two major cities.Kleine first visited Bannon Island more than 20 years ago as a guest at a party. That visit eventually led to her representing the family in the current sale.“I felt like I stepped into another world. I felt like I was a time traveler. I didn’t know really what to think completely at first because there was so much to take in.”Kleine says helping the family sell the property after four generations is a responsibility she takes seriously.“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime that I don’t take lightly. I’m very humbled by it,” she says. She hopes the property will eventually go to new owners who will value and care for the historic island as much as the Bannon family has.
