Gale Island is listed for $7.25 million in Shorewood, near Big Island and toward Excelsior Bay. The two-acre property has 1,841 feet of shoreline, a boat dock, several cabins, and a three-story waterfront tower. Realtor.com reported that it was being offered for the first time in more than half a century.
Listing and parcel details
The estate was formally submitted to NorthstarMLS on Aug. 10. Hennepin County records list estimated annual property taxes of $23,202, according to the listing page for Jeffrey Dewing of Coldwell Banker Realty: Jeffrey Dewing. The property is in Shorewood and is located near Excelsior and Wayzata.
The listing requires prospective buyers to provide proof of funds and obtain advance approval before an in-person visit or showing, according to the article’s account of the listing. The island is accessible by boat, and the property includes a dock.
Ownership before the current sale
Harlow A. Gale, a Minneapolis real estate developer, bought the then-unclaimed island from the federal government in 1871. The property remained associated with the Gale family for decades before changing hands. The Minnetonka Minute documents later ownership by Michael Ankeny and St. Olaf College, which used the island as a retreat: Minnetonka Minute.
St. Olaf sold the property to Robert Naas in 1973. The Naas family retained it for the next 53 years, according to the article, and the property is now being offered for sale.
Homes and other structures
The island’s oldest listed residence is a three-bedroom summer house built in 1874. It received a north addition in 1913 and was remodeled in 2006 and 2007. The property also has a three-bedroom main house built in 1950, remodeled in 1990, with additions completed in 2001. Realtor.com reported those building details: Realtor.com.
A guest cabin built in 1954 and remodeled in 2009 and 2010 contains two bedrooms, a kitchenette, and a sitting room. A 1953 log cabin sits across a channel and is reached by a bridge; it is currently used for storage. The grounds also include a 1957 waterfront barbecue gazebo with a lower storage level and stone patio, along with the three-story waterfront tower, which has hidden beds and a kitchenette, according to Realtor.com.
