Mark Megahan
If you’re the kind of strategic investor who appreciates a place to get away from it all in posh splendor, there’s an impressive 348 acre private fantasy island up for sale, situated quietly in Flathead Lake, near Polson, Montana. The best part about it is the nearly pristine splendor. There’s a bit of a cottage there already, waiting for the right owner to come along and finish it properly, to their individual taste.
A private island fantasy home
Cromwell Island spreads an impressive 348 acres of land across Flathead Lake, described as “the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi.” It can all be yours for a mere $72 million. As an extra added bonus, the island comes complete with “an unfinished 45,000 square foot villa, a nearly 5,000 square foot guest villa and a large dock capable of mooring a 70-foot boat.”
Because it’s unfinished, its ready for any fantasy of interior decoration you can imagine. Another added bonus is the native American mystique which steeps the island in local history.
The villa, listing agents promise, “overlooks the legendary Wild Horse Island, where Salish and Kootenai historically swam their horses to keep them safe from rival tribes.”
Back before 1930, when the water level dropped, the island would become a peninsula, connected to shore. Once the dam was erected across the Flathead river in Polson, the property permanently became an island, isolated for whatever fantasy the owners might come up with.
Flathead lake itself is a fantasy for fishermen and hunters. It boasts an awesome 200 square miles of surface area and 185 miles of shoreline. That makes it bigger than Lake Tahoe.
Cromwell Island also takes the record for “the largest private island in freshwater west of the Mississippi River that is under a single ownership.”
Ancient Indian spirit monster
What good is an island without a lake monster fantasy to go with it? The “ancient oral histories of the Kootenai Tribe” describe “a huge antlered monster living in the lake.” It’s been spotted several times since 1889.
The first sighting was reported by a steamboat captain. A hundred of his passengers swore up and down that they saw a “whale-like” object on the water “that dove after being shot at by one of the passengers.”
Back in the 1980s, renowned automobile and antique arms collector, explorer, author, and conservationist Robert M. Lee acquired title to Cromwell island. He passed away before he and his wife could see the completion of their own fantasy home.
While the 45,000 square feet of living space remains in unfinished state, it “has a magnitude of presence reminiscent of Versailles.” Lee’s background in conservation prompted him to use concrete for the construction which will last forever with maximum energy efficiency. One good thing to know is that a good deal of the HVAC and other services were already completed.
The locals love to play up the historical mystique of the island but modern entrepreneurs like the fantasy of guided fishing and hunting expeditions to go after the critter. That dream gets even more appealing when it’s based around an off grid lodge built like a castle that’s just perfect for a background on Instagram shots.
The possibilities are literally endless. Bill McDavid of Hall & Hall Partners, LLP would be happy to answer any specific questions about the property you might have.
