Cordray’s Mill Plantation
Calhoun County, Georgia⁞953± ACRES
One of Georgia’s Largest Private Waterways - An Income Producing Recreational Paradise!
- 953+/- acre Recreational, Farmland, and Social Storm™ property in Calhoun County, GA
- Nearly 250 acres of private Mill Pond (trophy bass fishing and exceptional waterfowl)
- 20+/- acres viewable from bridge
- 40+/- acres of permanently flooded stream channels
- 80+/- acres of flooded, semi-open fishery marsh conversion into waterfowl habitat
- Mallard, widgeon, gadwall, teal, tree ducks, and wood ducks
- 234+/-acres of prime irrigated farmland
- 5 pivots, 3 water pumps
- Exceptional deep water canal system accessing private 250-acre reservoir
- Income production: $70k per year farmland/water lease
- 76+/- acres of improved pasture
- Itchawaynochaway Creek flows through the property for 1.5 miles
- 393 +/- acres in Mixed Pine and Hardwoods
- Used as an un-hunted wildlife preserve for the last 18 years. Exceptional deer, turkey, duck
- SW Georgia leads the South in B&C Rankings
- Borders the 5,600-acre famed Notchaway Plantation
- Near the 25,000-acre Deer Run Plantation
- Near Jones Research Center at Ichuway
- 5 Cabins/Living Quarters:
- 3 BD / 2 BA main cabin, walking distance to fishing pond, great wood detail (pecky cypress, live edge counters, exposed beams, and more)
- 3 BD /2 BA lakeside cabin (rented for income)
- 1 BD / 1 BA / ½ kitchen charming silo house
- 4 BD / 1.5 BA converted historic church house (rented for income)
- Nice 4 BD / 2 BA mobile home (rented for income)
- 30 minutes to Albany, GA, 35 min to Blakely, GA, and 2 hrs 45 min to Atlanta, GA
- 1 hour to Dothan, AL and 2 hours to Tallahassee, FL
A Legacy Recreational, Social Storm™ & Agricultural Property Steeped in History
Undoubtedly One of Georgia’s most Outstanding Private Waterbodies!
Steeped in history, Cordray’s Mill Plantation is a legacy recreational, Social Storm™, and agricultural property in Calhoun County, Georgia. Its 953+/- acres play host to endless recreation and great abundant wildlife, while simultaneously allowing for generations to gather with five living accommodations on site. Large untouched stretches of privately navigable waterways, private fishing ponds, and agricultural income production make this an exceptionally rare opportunity.
Cordray's Mill Digital Artwork by Robert Brown
Originally built to harvest the power of the famed Ichawaynochaway Creek, this property was once one of Georgia’s first resorts, home to the old grist mill, a pool, a church, a gas station, a store, and was the location of a weekly dance hall. Beginning in the 1900s, for almost 70 years, Cordray’s Mill attracted visitors from all around Georgia and had its impact on many through the years. While these historic structures are now gone, the church is still on the property and has been converted into its own living quarters. The lakeside cabin now stands along the banks where the local dance hall used to be. The property is renown in the region for its fantastic bass, bream and crappie fishing as well as being a waterfowl mecca.
“As a landowner rights advocate, I appreciate the former owner, Mrs. Edna Williams, who, back in the 1950’s, when the DOT wanted to put in a new bridge, she specifically had it recorded that no one could fish her lake from the new bridge!” - Jon Kohler
As one of the largest riparian habitats in SW Georgia, the mill pond backs up almost 250 acres of water, creating a private fishery and waterfowl habitat the likes of no other. There are two private boat ramps.
“When I was a kid, I rode the Disney’s Jungle Cruise for the first time. Even then, I thought it was a bad knock-off of the “real” waterways we have at home, but it changed my life as I realized for the first time how much people wanted a real outdoor experience. Today, I sell outdoor experiences to the tune of $500k per day and can testify that in all of those properties, I have never seen one that offers anything like this.” - Jon Kohler
The pond dam backs up approximately 250 acres of water with the main water-based recreation consisting of approximately 20 acres by the bridge, 40 acres, with a mile of permanently flooded stream channels, and another 80 acres or so of flooded semi-open marsh like shallow fishery and waterfowl habitat.
Waterfowl of all types heavily utilize the pond with mallard, widgeon, gadwall, teal, tree ducks, and wood ducks consisting of the main species. The pond is essentially a one-of-a-kind combination of a “green tree” reservoir, open lake and marsh.
“I’ve got two mud boats, explored a lot of the wetlands across the South but I’ve never seen habitat like this. One could explore for days and fish for weeks on the permanently flooded ancient stream channel and main lake body and never fish the same place twice. The real secret to the fishery and waterfowl habitat is where the ancient hardwood forest has converted into marshland wetlands with time.” - Jon Kohler
Long renowned for its fishing, particularly largemouth bass, a small private club has been leasing it for decades. Over time, some aquatic vegetation has choked out some open water areas and some deferred maintenance has occurred. In the past, an over-abundance of aquatic vegetation could be a big problem. However, today one can effectively and efficiently apply modern herbicides with some mechanical treatments to quickly provide more open water if that is the goal. We help advise a lot of landowners, manage our own lake and can certainly help set up a plan to accomplish the new owner’s goals!
This immediate area has been known for its wild game since the beginning of time. The Itchawaynochaway Creek itself flows through the property for 1.5 miles. Muskogee in name, meaning “place where the deer sleep,” it’s one of the most game-rich river corridors in the South. Utilizing modern management techniques as espoused by Tall Timbers and the nearby Jones Center, landowner’s here have created an abundance of wild game that the early Creek Indians could have never imagined. The region’s quail numbers and whitetail genetics are as good as it gets, and SW Georgia leads the South in B&C Rankings. The immediate neighborhood is a “who’s who” of some of the best hunting plantations in the country.
These 953 acres are included among the 350,000 acres of the famed Albany Area Plantation Belt where sportsmen from around the world flock for some of the best outdoor recreation in America. When it comes to wing shooting and deer hunting, the Albany Area Plantation belt is as good as it gets. With such diversity, the property is extremely game-rich. The current landowner loves the abundant wildlife but does not hunt.
The main cabin itself is rustic in style, with Pecky Cypress kitchen cabinets, a live edge wood kitchen countertop, rich wood tones on the walls and floors, exposed beams, and a charming horse-trough-converted tub. The main cabin is three bedrooms and two baths.
On the Southeastern shore of the lake is a three-bedroom, two-bath lakeside cabin. It too is rustic in detail with rich wood tones, ornate lanterns, and original paneling. There is a private boat ramp. The current landowner rents this cabin out as a long-term rental for income production.
Not far from the main cabin, and closer to the ag fields and equipment barns is a quaint one-bed, one-bath silo guest house with a loft and a half kitchen for visiting guests.
Also on site is a four-bedroom, 1.5-bath converted historic church that is currently rented, and a nice, newer four-bedroom, two-bath mobile home that is currently rented out by the farm lessee.
Southwest Georgia is also known for its fertile farmland and with it some of the best infrastructure to back it up. With this, comes competitive farm rents and investors flock here for safe and consistent returns. This property contains 234 acres of some of the most fertile, irrigated farmland in America, which in today’s rapidly changing world is increasing in demand and importance by the day. There are 3 water pumps accessing the private 250-acre reservoir through a system of deep water canals to reach the 5 pivots on the property as well as leasing water rights to an adjacent farm. The current farm rent brings in considerable income and is at the top of this competitive market.
In addition, few places are more picturesque than a wooded pasture, which too is part of this property’s aesthetic and income stream through a cattle lease.
The diversity, the water resources, the ability to house friends and family, and the ability to grow fertile hard assets, and more make this property the ideal Social Storm™ property. A property that in hard times, serves as a safe retreat, and in good times, serves as the ideal place for recreation. To be able to offer friends and family a place like this to spend the next pandemic or worse is the definition of freedom and true wealth.
This is a great opportunity on a one-of-a-kind private lake, exceptional recreational property, with income production.
**Cabins come furnished.
"This is one of those properties that the next owner is going to take it to an entirely new level and for the next ten years people are going to tell me how much they regret not doing it themselves." - Jon Kohler
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From murky farm ponds to pristine glacier-cut lakes and everything in between, Knox Daniels’ expertise stems from a lifelong fascination of water and the creatures that live in and around it. He recognizes and helps clients appreciate the value water features bring to a property. “My goal is to help buyers realize and sellers maximize the value different water bodies bring to a property, not only in a recreational sense, but also for social storm reasons.” After extensively traveling the country for collegiate BASS fishing tournaments, Knox graduated and worked for the Southeast’s finest fisheries and wildlife biologist, Greg Grimes. With Grimes’ company, AES, Knox managed many of the southeast’s finest private lake estate/impoundment properties, and learned the intricacies of upscale property management. Learning from Greg and other biologists, Knox honed in on the specific conditions and habitat needed for optimal gamefish growth in private lakes. He has also worked as a property manager on several thousand acres and for a commercial developer, facilitating the dirt work and builds of several apartment complexes, but his true passion has always been in the outdoors. “I’ve always had an insatiable fascination with ponds/lakes and am grateful to be able to help to place clients on the properties of their dreams and make their personal fisheries/wildlife goals reality with JKA.” – Knox Daniels
Jason has been assisting landowners for the last 28 years in Georgia and South Carolina obtain achievements the owners did not realize were possible. His degree in Biology from Georgia Southern stemmed from the desire to know how things in nature work. His plantation roots began at just 16 years old outside of Albany, GA and the last 20 years were spent in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. His entire career has been spent developing a global approach to plantation management. That plan included sales. Sales is in Jason’s blood- his mom had a 45-year career as a real estate broker. After college, he chose to pursue his passion of making properties great. In 2011, Jason sold his first plantation. Since then, he has assisted buyers and sellers with over $20 million in sales while most of that time working as a full-time General Manager of a large Lowcountry plantation. Today, he is committed to using his unique skill set and experience to guide landowners through the many challenges of plantation ownership.
Bruce Ratliff is a retired elected official (Property Appraiser Taylor County). Bruce brings years of experience in ad valorem tax knowledge. His property tax background gives JKA Associates & clients a unique insight into the complicated tax process. Bruce held several positions in the Florida Association of Property Appraisers, including member of the Board of Directors, President, Vice-President and Secretary, and served on the Agricultural & Legislative Committees for the Association. The real estate business has been part of Bruce’s life since childhood. His mother, Shirley Ratliff owned Professional Realty of Perry, Florida and his father, Buster owned Ratliff Land Surveying which Bruce was General Manager of before his political career.
Hailing from a long line of outdoorsmen, Tim learned a great deal from his father and grandfather. He saw first-hand what it means to be a good land steward. He believes land is so much more than a place to hunt, fish, and grow timber or crops. “It’s an identity, a resting place, a safe haven and a way of life, said Tim.” Tim’s family ties to Alabama run deep. During his grandfather’s first term, Governor James was responsible for signing into law Alabama’s first state duck stamp which helped to ensure funding for the procurement, development, and preservation of wetlands for migratory waterfowl habitat. He also established Alabama’s lifetime hunting license, so it is no surprise that Tim is an avid outdoorsman with a keen eye as to how best to improve habitat for the greater good of its wildlife.
With Madison County roots, Lori grew up on her family farm at Pettis Springs along the historic Aucilla River. A love of the land was instilled in Lori very early on by her father who was a local farmer. Lori understands the importance of good land stewardship and has witnessed first-hand how her own father, a former 2-term member of the Florida House of Representatives whose district encompassed many rural counties of the Red Hills Plantation Region, with a little bit of sweat equity, so lovingly worked their own family land. These are core values she carries with her today, and nothing gives her more personal satisfaction than to represent some of the south’s best land stewards.
Cole’s dedication to land management lies in his family roots. As a fourth-generation timber expert, Cole’s earliest memories were spent with his father managing timber investments. With a degree in Food Resource Economics from the University of Florida, Cole is the epitome of an up-and-coming leader. He grew up with a hands-on approach to learning land management and conservation and has spent the last 15 years learning every angle of the real estate and forest industry. Cole is a member of the Florida Forestry Association, Red Hills Quail Forever, Southeastern Wood Producers Association and he uses this platform as an advocate for landowners and their land investments. His family has dedicated the past 60 years to providing landowners in North Florida and South Georgia with professional land management services focused on improving and protecting one’s forestland and wildlife investment. In fact, their family business, M.A. Rigoni, Inc., was one of the first to introduce whole tree chipping to the Red Hills Region.
As a landowner of his own family farm, Lick Skillet, along with family land that has been passed down and enjoyed together at Keaton Beach for 40 years, Jon knows what it means to be a steward of the last best places. As a third-generation land broker with more than 30 years of experience in advising landowners in this niche, Jon is known for his innate ability to harvest a land’s unique intrinsic value. Touting several notable sales under his belt, Jon personally closed Rock Creek/Molpus – 124,000 acres of premium timberland at $142,000,000 – which was known as the largest timberland land sale in the Southeast for eight years running. He is a co-founding member of LandLeader and achieved the real estate industry’s highest honor, “2022 National Broker of the Year – Recreational Land Sales,” by the Realtors® Land Institute.