This 22-Acre Island is Montana’s Largest Private Estate (2024)

Listing of the Day

Location: Shelter Island, Montana

Price: $13.95 million

Last time we wrote about this Montana private island it was asking $22.75 million (and that was a significant discount from the $39 million it was asking a year before).

Now, the home is being offered for just under $14 million, which means those who were waiting for a better price would be wise to jump in now.

Shelter Island, Montana, began earning its name back in the late 1800s, according to its agent Dawn Maddux. The native people of the area would hunt buffalo by running them off Painted Rock Cliff (an outcrop neighboring the island that still exhibits tribal paintings). The story goes that one buffalo swam its way to safety at Shelter Island. In the early 1900s, a drowning fisherman did the same, and lived here for a time. There was also historically a sweat lodge on the island, Ms. Maddux said.

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Today, Shelter Island is home to Montana’s largest private estate, which was completed in 2011.

Consistent with its history, it remains a restorative and peaceful retreat: a 22-plus acre private island with a main house and a boathouse with guest quarters. The most impressive thing about the property, Ms. Maddux said, is that "everything is so large scale, and that scale is matched throughout the property, from the light fixtures to the fireplaces to the sconces."

Stats

The largest private home in Montana, Shelter Island boasts 32,000 square feet of structures and 6,000 feet of prime lakeside frontage on Montana’s Flathead Lake. The 22.3-acre private island has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms across three buildings.

More:On Sale: A Private Connecticut Island, Now Reduced to $120 Million

Amenities

Being an island, this property has an expansive docking system with three docking locations, as well as multiple garages. If car or boat aren’t your preferred methods of transport, you can also fly in by helicopter—there are two spots set aside for helicopter pads, which are soon to be completed.

A 1,200-square-foot utility facility on the island houses the generator, and a 1,800 square foot shop serves as the perfect location for projects and storage for all the Montana necessities such as four wheelers, boats, water skis and other recreational equipment.

The main property features its own wine cellar, and the large master bedroom has a personal library.

The main floor is also home to the indoor shooting range and a heated boat stall with a custom rail system, making boat access seamless.

The three levels of the estate are each accessible via a commercial grade elevator, and the boathouse contains a steam room.

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Neighborhood Notes

While the physical location of Montana’s Shelter Island makes it the perfect retreat for privacy and seclusion, it is located only a half hour drive from the city of Kalispell and every possible modern amenity. You have all of Montana’s famously extensive recreational possibilities at your fingertips, too.

You can climb or hike in the neighboring Rocky Mountains and the beautiful Glacier National Park. The area of Rollins, which contains Flathead Lake, is rich in watersport options, and is home to a large sailing community. It also contains multiple luxury golf communities, as well as the esteemed Blacktail ski resort.

The international airports at Missoula and Kalispell are easily accessible from the island.

View the original listing.

Agent: Dawn Maddux, Engel & Volkers

Write to Listing of the Day

This 22-Acre Island is Montana’s Largest Private Estate (2024)

FAQs

This 22-Acre Island is Montana’s Largest Private Estate? ›

Shelter Island is home to Montana's largest private estate, which was completed in 2011.

What is the largest estate in Montana? ›

The largest mega-mansion in Montana is the Shelter Island Estate on Flathead Lake.

Who owns the house on Shelter Island Montana? ›

In 2016 ownership of Shelter Island was transferred to Second Step Asset Management Co., according to court documents. Maddux said this was a transfer of deed but not a sale. Second Step took the property in lieu of deed from the previous owner, she said.

How much did the Shelter Island Montana cost? ›

A 22-acre private island estate on Montana's Flathead Lake has had its price cut to $22.75 million, a whopping discount of more than $50 million from when its former owner first listed it.

Who owns Cromwell Island? ›

Cromwell Island was purchased in the late 1980s by Robert M. Lee, a renowned automobile and antique arms collector, explorer, author, and conservationist.

What is the largest land owner in Montana? ›

Dan Wilks and his brother Farris are the largest landowners in Montana, and Idaho.

Who owns the house on Shelter Island on Flathead Lake? ›

The transaction was the largest sale of Flathead Lake property in more than a decade, she said, adding “it was an honor to list, market and complete the sale of this iconic Montana property.” In 2016 ownership of Shelter Island was transferred to Second Step Asset Management Co., according to court documents.

Does anyone live on Shelter Island? ›

Shelter Island has a population of about 3,000, which triples during the summer due to tourism and second homeowners. More than half of the houses on Shelter Island are unoccupied in the winter and occupied in the summer.

Who owns the house on the island on Flathead Lake? ›

Private island on Montana's Flathead Lake asks $72M

The 350-acre Cromwell Island in western Montana has a 45,000-square-foot unfinished villa, the Wall Street Journal reported. Anne Brockinton Lee bought the island in 1989 with her late husband, Hunting World founder Robert Lee.

Do people live year round on Shelter Island? ›

It was not until after World War II that summer residents started returning in larger numbers. During the 1950s a farm cooperative grew lima beans on the island. This was the last of commercial farming on Shelter Island. In the 1960s and 1970s, more families started to move to Shelter Island as year-round residents.

Who built the house on Shelter Island Montana? ›

The materials to build the home on Shelter Island were brought by barge to the island when real estate mogul Don Abbey started the construction in 2001.

What is the median income in Shelter Island? ›

In 2021, Shelter Island, NY had a population of 2.5k people with a median age of 42.9 and a median household income of $130,858. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Shelter Island, NY grew from 1,980 to 2,499, a 26.2% increase and its median household income grew from $97,447 to $130,858, a 34.3% increase.

Who owns Flathead Lake Montana? ›

The hydroelectric has been owned and operated by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes since 2015. It is one of the cleanest lakes in the populated world for its size and type.

How did Robert M Lee make his money? ›

He was a premier fly-tyer; successful builder/developer; excellent rifle shot; dedicated fly fisherman; safari outfitter and professional hunter in Africa; brilliant designer and manufacturer of a multitude of outdoor equipment, fine luggage and clothing (Hunting World); a patron of the arts; a merchandiser par ...

How much is Cromwell Island worth? ›

On 350 acres and nearly three miles of shoreline, Cromwell Island offers all-encompassing views of Wild Horse Island and the Mission Mountains. The entire island is currently on the market for a cool asking price of $72 million.

What family owns the most land in Montana? ›

Several of those filthy rich tycoons own land, and lots of it, right here in Montana. The Wilks brothers, Dan and Farris, are the largest private land owners in the state. After making a fortune in the fracking business, they started buying up land a few years ago and they now own nearly 350,000 acres.

What is the wealthiest area of Montana? ›

We found a list of the Richest Cities in Montana for 2023, and the number one city will blow your mind. The richest city in Montana is the hidden gem of Three Forks. We know that doesn't make sense until you look at the statistics. Three Forks has a median home income of over $70K, and the poverty rate is around 7%.

What is the largest ranch sale in Montana? ›

The record for a Montana ranch sale was set in 2021 with the roughly $200 million sale of Beaverhead ranch to media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

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