History of Jewfish Key According to local lore, Jewfish Key has hidden treasure of its own. Legend has it that Spanish explorers buried treasure in the 1500s on what is now Jewfish Key. Until the 1930s, present-day Jewfish Key was actually two islands: Pickett Key to the north and Fisherman’s Key to the south. Then, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged the Intracoastal Waterway and needed a place to put spoil. Two investors, whose last names were Jordan and Zeisse, owned the two islands and agreed to let the Army Corps deposit the spoil to form a single island in exchange for the deed to the island and a case of whiskey. For years, the island held a single home owned by Jordan. The island is part of the town of Longboat Key and was named by local fisherman for the Goliath Grouper (also known as Jewfish) they used to catch in abundance for many years in a 20-foot-deep hole off the south end of the island. In 1954, Jordan and Zeisse sold the island to a man whose last name was Smidt, who had plans to develop the island. Smidt platted the land and cleared out a road, naming it La Lenaire Drive. (La Lenaire was possibly a family name.) He planned to develop the island into 29 half-acre lots. The project was a failure. Only Mayers’ aunt, Theresa Smiley, bought one. Smidt couldn’t make payments on the island, so ownership went back to Jordan and Zeisse. They bought back Smiley’s lot to make the island whole. Then, their daughters spent the next 30 years trying to sell it. In the 1980’s, they approached Joan Bergstrom, sister of Mayers and real-estate developer Michael Saunders. Bergstrom, who works in real estate and had lived on north Longboat Key her entire life, received a lot on the island instead of a commission. Bergstrom reduced the plans to 13 one-acre lots and also created the nature preserve that exists on the east half of the island. Today Jewfish Key is a 38-acre private island, across from Longboat Pass only accessible by boat. 15 of the 38 acres have been devoted to a conservation easement shared by the private property owners. There are 13 buildable lots with eight estates currently occupying the key. Electricity comes from submerged power lines, and water comes from one of several wells located throughout the island. The only “road” is La Lenaire Drive, a grassy 50-foot-wide footpath that runs the length of the island which leads to private beaches and a private marina for the residents. There are daily parades of water birds, great horned owls and screech owls, gopher tortoises, and rabbits, and they see manatees and dolphins swimming in the Intracoastal every day. The Jewfish Key sandbar is on the western side of the island and is huge. It’s a perfect place for relaxing with family and exploring for sea creatures with crystal clear waters at your ankles. The edges of the bar offer fantastic swimming holes.

Guests will be provided access 2 hours before arrival. Guests have access to the entire home and both front and rear docks. Front Dock: Water and power hookups; convenient for pontoons or smaller boats. Rear Dock: Part of a shared community marina (dock only in the designated spot). There’s a common dirt road running through the island — great for exploring or getting around on foot. Guests can park and dock boats at Bradenton Beach Marina and use it as a base when heading to the island. Feel free to use available amenities such as paddleboards, outdoor seating, and the fire pit. Minimal Rental Period is 30 Days.