It has been said that owning a beautiful piece of land is like owning a piece of fine art- but with the added dimension of permanence. If you believe this to be true, we invite you to explore the masterpiece of Roosevelt Island! Boasting 61 acres of Missouri River frontage, the Northeast flank of Roosevelt Island is bordered by (but not part of) the quaint, historic town of Fort Benton. The Missouri River Monument, which designated the head of 150 miles of National Park, protects the island downstream. What lies between these boundaries are 30 acres of island paradise and 31 acres of lush mainland.

Watch a video of Roosevelt Island

The privacy and solitude this property has to offer is only interrupted by the peaceful sounds of nature. On occasion, a neighbour or two may pay a visit to stroll along its banks or explore the island's lush interior. In fact; a while back on June 14, 1805, two such visitors, Meriweather Lewis and William Clark, passed the island's shores while enroute to a fabulous journey--but they haven't been back since!

The island sits above the flood plain, enabling development of the entire sixty-one acres. With all it has to offer, this truly unique and versatile property might just empower you to accomplish your goals beyond your dreams, such as:

• Create magical surroundings for your once-in-a-lifetime dream home;or

• Reap the financial benefits of developing a high-end subdivision and sell off highly sought after river frontage lots; or

• Simply partake in the innocence of nature and share the beautiful surroundings with some of the long-time residents who first homesteaded the island hundreds of years ago, such as; whitetail and mule deer, beaver, otter, coyote, pheasants, and a vast variety of birds and waterfowl. In fact, the island is host to one of just a few Montana sites chosen by the Blue Heron for its rookery, or breeding grounds.

History of Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island was purchased by Fredrick Roosevelt (relative of President Theodore Roosevelt) on October 5th, 1876 for the price of $200. Fredrick farmed and resided on the island for six years along with his wife, during which time he was elected Mayor of nearby Fort Benton, Montana. He opened a furniture store which burned to the ground in 1885. After the store burned, he sold the island and moved to Armington, Montana. he resigned as Fort Benton Mayor in December of 1885. as he was then residing outside of the city limits. While in Armington, he opened a hardware store. It was there that Fredrick lived out the rest of his days to the ripe age of 85 years until passing away on December 10, 1923.

It is said (although not confirmed) that Roosevelt Island was then sold to a lumber company and was the site of a saw mill. Logs were supposedly floated down the Missouri River to the island, where they would then be cut into lumber. Since that time, Roosevelt Island has had many private owners, but has remained virtually unchanged since the early 1900's.

Today, the only evidence of Fredrick Roosevelt's life on the island is exemplified by a few bricks and remnants of stone foundation, which still remain from the homes he once built there. The island is now host to a variety of plants and wildlife that thrive along the Missouri River.