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Bannon Island, FL - A private Central Florida island surrounded by Lake Marion and home to alligators has been listed for sale after remaining with the same family for generations.
Bannon Island, located near Haines City in Polk County, is listed for $12 million. The property covers approximately 23 acres and can only be reached by boat, seaplane or helicopter because no road or bridge connects it to the mainland.
The island has remained in the same family for roughly 150 years and includes a private residential estate with about 7,700 square feet of living space and seven bedrooms.
A major addition completed in 2003 incorporates reclaimed cypress dating to the 1800s. The residence also includes an octagonal glass section designed to provide panoramic views of Lake Marion.
Another feature is an elevated office near the primary bedroom. The suspended space includes a transparent floor overlooking the area below.
Alligators inhabit the waters surrounding the island, creating a natural barrier between the property and the mainland.
The island also has a history dating to the 19th century. Family accounts identify Creek-Seminole leader Echo Emathla Chipco, also known as Chief Chipco, as an early resident who maintained a camp there into the 1880s.
The property later came under the ownership of Irish-born carpenter Patrick Bannon, who constructed a family residence on the island.
Historical accounts cited by the family say Bannon created a classroom inside the home for his six children.
The property is also reported to have hosted Polk County's first Catholic Mass in 1895.
The island is currently being marketed as a private residential property.