The Mellon Estate

A secluded treasure nestled on a private island. In the 1950s, Paul Mellon, heir to the famous banking family that established the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., and his wife Bunny chose this extraordinary setting for a summer retreat. They created a home of elegance, comfort and great beauty, where they entertained world leaders, movie stars and industrialists. Paul would transport his world class art collection from his Virginia home to the estate, filling the walls with works by Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir and many others. Over the decades, Bunny shaped the gardens and landscape, allowing nature and time to create a living masterpiece, an exquisite blend of native plantings and specimen trees.

The 7,300-square-foot main house is organically integrated into the land, with each of its eight bedrooms offering views of either the sea or the gardens. Scaled for privacy and comfort, the home is equally suited to accommodate staff if desired. Natural pathways wind through the property, connecting the main house to several outbuildings and cottages, including a former art studio now reimagined as a private suite, and lead to the beach house, where the Mellons often hosted President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy.

With over five hundred feet of waterfront, a private dock, and access to a private island, now serving as a protected bird sanctuary, this is an island haven like no other. Truly a paradise on earth.