Reel It In: A Private Island in the Adirondacks With an A-Lister History for $2.97M

A private island on Chazy Lake in New York’s Adirondack Mountains has floated onto the market for $2,975,000.

Known as Camp Northwind, the property’s five-bedroom residence was built in 1928 by the architectural firm McKim Mead & White for Reinald Werrenrath, a popular baritone opera singer.

The 8.6-acre island in the town of Ellenburg Depot offers 3,400 feet of lake frontage and is accessible by boat or a private causeway. The island has long had a history with A-list residents and guests. It was once a retreat for Eleanor Roosevelt and later owned by Brooke Shields.

“Joan Crawford and Clark Gable were reported vacationing there during the time Werrenrath owned the camp,” says listing agent Nancy White. “There is nothing like it currently for sale in the entire Adirondack Park. It’s unique with the old sandstone from the ground up to the second level all around the main house.”

Due to its history and distinctive architecture, the home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Private Island Upstate NY — The private island in Ellenburg Depot
(Realtor.com)

Other notable features of this 3,577-square-foot home include a great room with an 18-foot ceiling, a massive fireplace, and an adjoining library.

Custom woodwork and original hardwood floors can be found throughout the the home.

“The second you drive from the causeway and reach the camp, you can tell that it’s a very special place with plenty of attention to detail throughout,” says White. “There are views of the lake from almost every window. It’s very peaceful.”

The roster of bedrooms includes a primary bedroom with an en suite bath, three upper-level guest rooms that share a full bath, and a large dormitory suite with three queen beds and another full bathroom.