The two-story piece of history internationally known as the “Ma Barker” house will float across Lake Weir by barge at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27. Its new home will be Carney Island Recreation and Conservation Area, 13275 SE 115th Ave., Ocklawaha.
The house is currently on private property which is not open to the public. Motorists should expect pedestrian and traffic congestion along East Highway 25 near the property where the house is currently located. Parking is available behind the nearby Lake Weir Chamber of Commerce property. Carney Island user fees have been waived to allow the public to watch from the beach, while fees for launching boats ($7) will remain in effect. Media will be received in a designated area at the current site. Boaters are advised to maintain a safe distance of 500 feet from the barge for the duration of the move and treat the route as a no wake zone. Lighting will provide nighttime visibility for boaters while the building is temporarily afloat on the shore of Lake Weir, as the final touches are made to its ultimate destination.
Transport of the barge is expected to take approximately 30 minutes from the original lakefront to a holding area across the lake. The Ma Barker house will settle on its final resting place in the next few weeks. Restoration efforts will continue prior to opening the scene of the Baker gang’s last act as a public museum under the supervision of Marion County Parks and Recreation.
The hideout’s move was sparked by the sale of the lakefront property that did not include the house. Relocation of the donated building is the first major step in the county’s plans to restore and preserve the house as a museum.
Opening the house to the public will showcase the 1935 triumph of good versus evil deemed the “Battle of Ocklawaha.” Visitors will walk through the life-sized time capsule and see firsthand the bullet holes still peppering the furniture and walls after a four-hour stand-off with the FBI and local law enforcement.
For more information, contact the Office of Public Information at 352-438-2300.
