Historic "Ma Barker" house on the market

MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A lake house, with connections to one of the most notorious gangsters of all time, is on the market in Marion County.

The house known as "Belle Air" sits along the eastern shore of Lake Weir.

Homeowner Cindi Harper spent her summers at Belle Air.

"They always told us there would be money buried. Somewhere there is money buried on the property," said Harper.

The house belonged to Kate Barker, who was known to the FBI as public enemy No. 1.

"Kate 'Ma' Barker was a very violent woman. I think she would stop at nothing to protect her brood," said historian Jackson Walker.

During the early 1930s, the Barker Gang was wanted for a string of robberies, kidnappings and murders in the Midwest.

"I don't think she would get Mother of the Year," Walkers said.

Barker rented the cottage on Lake Weir to use as a hideout, but on Jan. 16, 1935 agents surrounded the house with "Ma" and son Fred Barker inside. Fred fired the first shot.

The FBI left the home riddled with 1,500 bullets and the gunfight dragged on for four hours. It remains the longest shootout in the history of the FBI.

Fred and "Ma" were killed in the shootout.

Nearly 80 years later, the scene of "Ma's" last stand is on the market. Mark Arnold of Stirling Sotheby's Realty is the Realtor.

"When we look at it, it's older furniture and antiques. But the reason we know all the contents are exactly the same is we have the FBI crime scene photos," Arnold said.

The home still has bullet holes in it from the shootout. Harper said her family no longer uses the house and hopes its buyer will preserve it.

"I mean, that's history. It might not be that good of history, but it's history," said Harper.

The sale price of the house, which includes 10 acres of land, is list at $889,000.

Click here to learn more about the "Ma Barker" House.

WFTV