Historic 1,442-Acre Georgia Resort and Private Lake Listed for $8.85 Million
A sprawling 1,442-acre estate in Leary, Georgia, has entered the market for $8.85 million. As Realtor.com reports, the property features a 250-acre private lake and was originally developed as a lakeside resort in the early 20th century. The listing includes several unique residential structures, including a converted church and a renovated grain silo.
Context from Industry Pulse
The listing of Cordrays Mill highlights a niche segment of the Georgia real estate market where historical recreational sites are repurposed into high-value private compounds. The property transition from a public 1900s resort to a secluded $8.85 million estate reflects a shift toward total land control. By encompassing an entire 250-acre lake formed by a dam on Ichawaynochaway Creek, the estate offers a level of privacy unattainable in standard waterfront developments. This trend, described by the listing agent as the social storm property movement, emphasizes self-sufficiency through irrigated farmland and timberland, catering to wealthy buyers who prioritize resource security and exclusive sporting rights over traditional luxury residential amenities.
"You have 250 acres of water backed up in one of the largest private lakes in southeast United States all to yourself."
The estate, known historically as Cordrays Mill, represents a significant piece of Georgia recreational history. According to Realtor.com, the site functioned as a premier resort from the early 1900s through the 1960s, featuring amenities such as a dance hall and a public swimming lake. While many of the original structures from its heyday have vanished, the property retains several remnant guest homes that served visitors during the mid-century era.
Today, the residential offerings on the land are highly unconventional. Realtor.com notes that the primary living spaces include a four-bedroom house converted from an old church and a secondary home, providing a combined total of six bedrooms and two bathrooms. Additionally, the property features a specialized one-bedroom residence built inside a circular grain silo. These structures are scattered across a landscape that once housed a variety of shops and stores serving the former resort community.
The defining feature of the listing is the massive 250-acre private mill pond created by a dam on Ichawaynochaway Creek. As Realtor.com explains, the scale of the water is so immense that navigating its perimeter by boat can take up to six hours. Because the waterway is entirely contained within the property boundaries, the owner maintains exclusive control over all fishing, waterfowl hunting, and boating activities on the lake.
Beyond the water, the acreage offers a diverse range of habitats characteristic of Southwest Georgia. Realtor.com reports the inclusion of irrigated farmland and extensive timberland. The property is currently marketed as a premier sporting estate, noted for its abundance of turkeys and trophy whitetail deer. The combination of self-sustaining agricultural land and extreme privacy positions the estate as a legacy asset for buyers seeking isolation and diverse outdoor recreation opportunities.
The Industry Pulse Bottom Line
This $8.85 million listing demonstrates the high premium placed on private water control and habitat diversity, transforming a historic public resort into a highly exclusive, self-sustaining sporting legacy estate.