Clapboard, one of Maine’s most luxurious private islands is welcoming guests following a dramatic makeover that renovated not only its elegant mansion but also its surroundings.
The stunning 13-bedroom, 9-bathroom home was fully restored when 2018 after Neal Kolterman purchased the property after 40 years of dreaming about it.
“With 3,200 feet of frontage on Casco Bay, Clapboard Island Estate is a nature lover’s paradise. The serenity of island life was felt the second we pulled up to the deepwater pier,” wrote the Outpost, Longwharf Supply Co.
New interior and outside furnishings, an updated kitchen with high-end appliances, and new mahogany decks with elegant garden chairs providing elevated views of the surrounding waters were all part of the renovation.
The Island home features six bathing beaches, vintage gardens, and walking trails that stretch for 40 acres into adjacent conservation land.
“Guests can experience the remoteness and privacy of an island without having to go to the end of the Earth,” said Kolterman. “We like to say, ‘away from the world, but minutes from reentry’.”
The natural side of the island has remained unspoiled for the last 125 years since a Philadelphia railroad owner first acquired the land and built the now-renovated home in the 1890s.
A Parker sport cabin boat docked near a helicopter landing place provides easy access to the island.
While the Island feels entirely private and remote, it is only minutes away from Portland, which is home to a wide variety of craft breweries and top-notch restaurants as well as the international airport.
The island can host up to 26 guests, with six more people sleeping in a gorgeous antique farmhouse.
When on the island, picking a favorite spot is a just challenging task. For Kolterman, it’s the beach at Little Clapboard Island, a place that can be accessed at low tide “for picnics and afternoon swims,” a dream come true.