Our feature home, Lonestar Manor

By Steve Nussbaum | Photos by Kim Nussbaum

The 12,000+ square foot west side estate encompasses more than 840 feet of sloping waterfront, an amount almost unheard of at PK.  The lakefront home sits on 4 acres in a quiet cove, with four separate buildings on the property. 

Every issue of PK Magazine features an iconic home on Possum Kingdom Lake – but to make the cut, it has to be one that people talk about.

There are hundreds of beautiful luxury dwellings surrounding the lake that qualify, but this issue’s featured home is the beautiful west side estate called “Lonestar Manor†by owners Jeff and Jennifer Connole. The lakefront home sits on 4 acres in a quiet cove, with four separate buildings on the property in addition to a pumphouse for a water well. Jeff Connole said he first heard about Possum Kingdom Lake from one of his finance managers in 1989. He said he always wanted to check out PK, and he finally made a trip to the area in 2001.

Connole, who said he raced speedboats on Lake Conroe in the 1970s, bought a home the first weekend he visited the lake. The original house measured 5,800 square feet and sat on a half-acre lot, with 5 feet on each side of the house. One year later, he bought the land adjacent to his property and built a 2,100-square-foot  “toy shop† that  houses  his  two  boats and other lake toys. Then, in 2017, Connole gutted the original home and added 7,000 square feet to the existing structure, for a new home measuring more than 12,000 square feet. The entire expansion took 18 months to complete, he said.

Before expanding the main house, though, Connole bought the house next to his and completed an extensive remodel of the 3,000-square-foot structure. He and his wife lived in the smaller house while expanding the main house, and it now is used as a guest house.

The entire estate is surrounded by a rock wall and gated front entry from the road. The expanded property encompasses more than 840 feet of sloping waterfront, an amount almost unheard of at PK. The estate also features a large area for a summer garden.

Connole is retired from the car business, where he owned five dealerships in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He said he’s still a partner with his son in those dealerships, but that his son runs the show now.

It was after Connole almost died from a medical procedure that his wife convinced him to slow down and enjoy what he had built. Jennifer Connole describes her husband as a “total workaholic,†but after his health crisis the couple moved to their expansive Possum Kingdom estate full time.

The couple recently purchased a home in Southlake and are remodeling that dwelling. They still plan to spend most of their time at PK, but said they needed a place in the Dallas-Fort Worth area when they visit. They said they share the home with three rescue dogs and two cats.

Visitors entering their PK estate property drive down a wide, paved driveway to the main house. A huge fountain out front and large custom metal doors at the grand entry are attention-grabbers, but once inside the only word that comes to mind is “opulent.â€

Jeff Connole is a self-described conservative and a big supporter of former President Donald Trump, and if there was a home at PK that resembled Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, it would be Lonestar Manor. In fact, the Connoles were the guests of the former president at his rally in El Paso during the runup to the 2020 presidential election. They sat right behind Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the event.

Once inside the large entryway, visitors are immediately drawn into the huge bar area with a great view of the lake. The bar, one of the cornerstones of the home, measures 40 feet long and features hand-carved walnut from top to bottom. It took more than nine months to complete, and it’s nicer than most bars that can be found in five-star hotels.

The couple loves to entertain, and Jeff Connole is famous for his  margaritas,  but  it’s  his  wife’s  recipe that he uses to make the margaritas. 

The bar has two televisions and a large fireplace surrounded by beautiful custom-made furniture.

The bar is so large, in fact, that once construction began the Connoles realized the need to expand the back wall out another 9 feet so it would fit. Beautiful chandeliers hang above the bar area to add to the elegant space.

Jennifer Connole designed and furnished most of the home herself, and the couple relied on several local businesses to buy the many custom pieces in their home.

The huge master bedroom is adjacent to the bar area and overlooks the lake, and it sports an arched ceiling that almost looks like liquid gold. The bedding is custom-made, with beautiful fabrics and textures. The master bath has a his-and-hers toilet room and two large custom closets, and attached to the master bedroom is a “safe room†that’s built to withstand 400-mph winds.

Outside the master bedroom is one of the many outdoor spaces, and it’s the one that Jennifer Connole said she really enjoys, because she loves the lake view and watching the beautiful sunsets.

To the other side of the bar area is an exquisite dining room. On one side is a beautiful view of the lake, while the other three sides are surrounded by climate-controlled wine closets. Each wine closet is open to view and has a custom metal door, and up to 1,800 bottles of wine can fit in the entire storage area. The centerpiece of the room is a round dining table, with seating for 10 and gorgeous gold chairs. The intricate black-and-gold table was made in Italy and shipped to PK, and the Connoles had to keep the table in storage while the home was being finished.

Just down from the dining room is a huge chef’s kitchen that features two huge islands and custom cabinets, and just off the kitchen is the family room that houses an 18-foot-long custom sectional made especially for the home. This space is where the couple, and their rescue dogs, like to relax on the plush sofa and watch movies.

Beautiful metal doors lead off the family room to the main outdoor living space. The space is large enough to accommodate more plush custom furniture on the patio. The area is just a few steps away from the lake and the home’s huge custom dock. The patio features a large grill, a huge smoker and a pizza oven, along with a full outdoor kitchen.

 The main house features five bedrooms and a “dorm room†for visitors with families, as well as six bathrooms. The guest house, meanwhile, has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. All told, 22 people can sleep very easily at the estate.

“It just depends on how cozy you want to get,†Connole said.

It’s not uncommon for the couple to travel over to Hemmingway’s in their Schiada powerboat and end up back at their house with a large group of friends gathered around the beautiful bar. Their vessel could be one of the most unusual watercraft to be found on the lake, too. The boat features a 2,000-horsepower motor, and it’s built for performance and speed. The company is based in Long Beach, California, and makes just 10 or 11 boats each year. Jeff Connole said he bought his first Schiada in the 1970s.

One of the events the couple enjoys at the lake every year is the neighborhood fireworks show they help sponsor in their cove. The Connoles share the fireworks show with friends and neighbors in the same cove as The Breakers. Jeff Connole helps sponsor the show, with Action Fireworks hired to put on the event. This year’s fireworks show will take place July 2, and each year the group spends roughly $18,000 to $19,000 on the fireworks display.

Jeff and Jennifer Connole’s beautiful west side estate is one of the most luxurious homes on the lake, and the couple put their heart and soul into making the home truly spectacular. Those lucky enough to be invited to a party and drink margaritas at the Lonestar Manor shouldn’t pass up the opportunity.