Mouse Island Presents the Rare Opportunity To Own an Island in Northeast Ohio

Ever dreamt of owning your own private island? One lucky buyer might soon have the chance, right here in Northeast Ohio.

Mouse Island unlocks a world of possibilities with just a quick boat ride off of Catabwa Island. The seven-acre plot is 21 miles from Cedar Point and less than a mile from Lake Erie’s shoreline. 

It’s a clean slate of land, Howard Hanna realtor Kyle Recker notes. Mouse Island is punctuated by lush wooded areas, leaving lots of potential to capitalize on panoramic, unrivaled views of the lake and skyline.

The Catawba-area realtor has never had an island listing, and he says its myriad development possibilities make it stand out from selling a house.

“Whatever someone wants to do with it,” Recker says, “put a hotel there, put condos, it just has to be subject to zoning.”

Mouse Island’s earliest and most famous owner was former President Rutherford B. Hayes, who bought the land in 1874.

“It was nicknamed the ‘Summer White House,’” Recker says. “There used to be two cabins, a tennis court and a few boat docks on the island.”

Mouse Island stayed in the Hayes family until 1966, and the land has since changed hands a few times. It’s currently owned privately by an LLC.

Recker says the property has already been on the market for about six months, but many folks have shown interest. Currently, it’s listed at $5 million — a pretty penny, but a worthwhile investment for a blooming business plan, a wild imagination or simply a stellar bragging right.

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