For $12 Million, Own Florida’s First Private Lake Island Sale in 150 Years—Just Minutes From Orlando and Tampa

Florida’s got a private island up for sale for the first time in a century and a half, and it’s not where you’d expect. Bannon Island, a little over 23 acres set in Lake Marion near Haines City, is asking $12 million.

You won’t get there by car: think boat, helicopter, or seaplane only. And while Florida’s famous for saltwater islands, this one sits almost perfectly between Orlando and Tampa, which puts seclusion and big-city access about 45 minutes apart.

Bannon Island Photos Courtesy BlueBird Property Media

This property’s not some shiny, new resort either. The Bannons have held onto this land since the 1880s, starting with Patrick Bannon, an Irish-born carpenter who built himself a retreat that doubled as a working estate, citrus grove, and later, a family compound. Before Patrick, Chief Chipco of the Seminole people called the island home, keeping a camp there until the late 19th century.

Patrick didn’t just build a house, he put up a two-story home shaped like a Celtic cross, a nod to his roots, with cypress and pine, some of it hauled from Tampa. He and his wife, Annie, raised six kids there, taught them at home, and turned the place into a hub for local Catholics. The first known Catholic Mass in Polk County happened right in their living room for family and railroad workers.

Decades later, the house still stands, complete with original cypress walls, an octagonal center, and plenty of character. Sure, it’s weathered more than a hundred Florida summers, hurricanes included, but instead of tearing it down, the family added on. Now the main residence sprawls over 5,000 square feet, blending old Florida woodwork with contemporary glass-filled rooms. There’s a glass walkway linking the eras, and inside, you’ll find three bedrooms, four baths, plus extra space for guests or grandkids.

One standout: the floating library, suspended from cables with a glass floor. Then there’s the chandelier, made of 100 hand-blown glass drops, designed to look like a rainstorm moving gently as the air conditioning stirs the air. The kitchen isn’t shy either, big enough for two people or a party of forty.

If you need space for visitors, there’s the “Dog Trot,” a duplex with two units, each holding two bedrooms and two baths, built for comfort and to catch the lake breeze. Four more outbuildings dot the estate, ready for whatever you dream up.

Outside, Bannon Island is rich in native woods, old citrus groves (Valencia oranges, grapefruit, guava, and more), and wildlife, no roads, no neighbors, just water and forest. Ultimate privacy. Yet, you’re never far from civilization. Want to host a wedding, a reunion, or just get lost for a while without giving up city comforts? You’re set.

The listing means more than a sale for Lisa Kleine of Red Bird Realty. Her first trip, over 20 years ago, felt like stepping through a portal in time, a feeling she never forgot. Now, she’s helping the Bannon family, whose stewardship earned them a Century Pioneer Family Farm designation from the state.

Private, historic, and just waiting for its next chapter. That’s Bannon Island, Florida; but not the Florida most people know.