Southwest Montana Real Estate Blog

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.

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.