Rogers Island In Branford Can Be Yours, For $35 Million

BRANFORD, CT — If you want a home with privacy in Connecticut, you can always find one inside a gated community, or hidden in the middle of 35-plus acres. But for those players with means who are really serious about their solitude, there's Rogers Island, located in Long Island Sound, off the coast of Branford's Stony Creek.

The private 7.65-acre island features multiple houses, an artist’s studio, greenhouse, formal gardens, "meandering" trails, "serene" koi pond, and a tennis court, according to the listing by Lamacchia Realty. It just hit the market for $35 million.

With three private beaches, 10 bedrooms, and a Jack Nicklaus-designed putting green, the "meticulously curated" estate "beckons as the ultimate symbol of achievement." The seller is Greg Jensen, co-chief investment officer at hedge fund Bridgewater, founded by Ray Dalio. Jensen purchased the island for just under $22 million in 2018.

The largest in the Thimble Islands archipelago, Rogers Island and its two docks are reachable by a 5- to 10- minute boat ride, according to Mansion Global. Twenty-three of the 365 islands — some might better be described as "rocks" — are inhabited, according to quirky travel guide "Off the Beaten Path: Connecticut." Thimble islanders have included P.T. Barnum, William Taft, and Doonesbury creator Gary Trudeau and his wife Jane Pauley.

There are about 80 houses among the Thimble Islands, which became popular as a summer resort area in the late 19th century. The islands are difficult to price because they rarely change hands, according to The Wall Street Journal.