The Barn at Holiday Island has 80 years of history, and in that time different stories have emerged about who owned it and when.
Cornerstone Bank Chairman John Fuller Cross said the property originally was homesteaded in 1854 by Hughey Bandy.
“There are reports that Hughey Bandy was killed by outlaws in 1872, but I can’t swear to that,” Cross said.
Mr. Burnett bought the Bandy Farm after Bandy’s death. Later, the 1,300 acres was purchased by Dick Shields of El Dorado, Kan., who bought it from the Federal Land Bank. Shields purchased additional parcels of land from local residents, and the area was known as Bandy’s Bend. Shields built a ranch house, the Barn and additional buildings on the property in 1938.
“Mr. Shields was a friend to my grandfather, former Congressman Claude Fuller,” Cross said. “Then the Barn was a horse barn for thoroughbred horses, with stalls and places to groom the horses. One day Mr. Shields put me up on a big white stallion while it was being groomed, and it was a big thrill for a kid like me.”
In 1954 Henry Banach, a Chicago banker, purchased the ranch and established Fisherman’s Paradise Resort. The resort was known as Banach Island Ranch Resort. Cross also recalls going with his grandfather to visit Banach.
About 1968 the name of the area was changed to Holiday Island.
In 1970 McCullough Recreation Properties, a subsidiary of the chainsaw and implement company, bought Holiday Island. Cross said a horse track was built by McCullough and horse races were a well-attended activity for a short time.
“McCullough and the Barn featured live entertainment with country music stars including Hank Williams Jr.,” Cross said. “The Barn was used to entertain guests who were considering purchasing property and building a home at Holiday Island.”
In 1979 the Barn was sold to a private owner and became the Barn Steakhouse. The steakhouse continued to be leased intermittently until 1994 at which time the building was purchased by Holiday Island Suburban Improvement District and became part of the recreation area built around it offering a place for classes, meetings, reunions and receptions.
The 80th anniversary celebration will be an Octoberfest, Oct. 6. It will include bratwurst, dancing and music. Tickets will be $5.