Century-Old Florida Private Island Becomes Available For $12 Million

What was once a largely untouched private island is now officially on the market.

Bannon Island on Lake Marion became available for purchase for the first time in more than a century at $12 million as of July 30, according to a press release from Red Bird Realty.

The 24-acre historic sanctuary has provided safe harbor to its forests, freshwater shoreline, citrus groves, wildlife, and a maintained homestead for nearly 150 years.

Irish immigrant Patrick Bannon established a homestead on the island in the 1880s, where five generations of Bannon descendants have worked to preserve its architecture and the landscape’s natural character. 

Southern Living architect William H. Phillips later restored the establishment in the 1990s. His massive undertaking included a contemporary addition of a glass-walled L’Orangerie that captures panoramic views of the island.

The Bannon Island homestead features a 5,034-square-foot residence with a separate 2,698-square-foot duplex residence and four additional accessory buildings. According to the press release, the island is an ideal setting for a private family compound, multigenerational living, or hosting guests in complete privacy.

Its eight-sided rooflines rise toward a central cupola, a design intended to stabilize the structure against high-speed winds. The homestead’s century-long craftsmanship proved resilient as the home survived Hurricane Charley despite the loss of surrounding centuries-old Live Oak trees, the press release said.

Today, Bannon Island is recognized as a Florida Century Pioneer Family Farm, comprising mature live oaks, towering cypress trees, native palms, open meadows, and ancient citrus groves.

Lying within one of Central Florida’s richest freshwater ecosystems, Bannon Island is home to a mix of resident and migratory wildlife, including a variety of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and aquatic life.

Aside from the land, the 3,021-acre spring-fed freshwater lake Lake Marion has been known as one of Florida’s premier bass fisheries, attracting anglers from across the country and serving as the site of nationally televised fishing tournaments.

More than a private estate, Bannon Island is one of the last remaining legacy properties of Old Florida where nature, architecture, conservation, and history still coexist.

Felix Rodriguez

Felix Rodriguez is an Editorial Intern for Central Florida, on the verge of graduating with a BA in Journalism and a minor in Anthropology of Pop Culture at the University of Central Florida in December. He is an active member of UCF’s Society of Professional Journalists, with work featured in the Valencia Voice, Watermark Out News, Oviedo Community News, Sons of UCF, and The Charge. Felix is originally from Manhattan, New York, but has been a Central Florida resident for nearly two decades. The passion for storytelling, the joy of speaking with others, and the desire to shed light on timely matters fuel his pursuit in the industry. In his spare time, Felix enjoys photography, reading, and creative writing.

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