“Millpond Plantation is 3 miles south of downtown Thomasville, in the Red Hills region of Georgia. The property includes 3,267 wooded acres, give or take, and a 38,000-square- foot main house—11 bedrooms, 10 1⁄2 baths— with a huge atrium that has a retractable glass
roof and all sorts of plant life. (You can pick a lemon for your cocktail.)…Bring your shotgun. The property’s raison d’être is quail hunting, which is something of a religion in these parts. The family owners of Millpond Plantation have been hosting hunting parties since the estate was completed in 1910…”
Plum Nelly
Aptly named, Plum Nelly is charming plum cottage situated on 160 private acres in Madison, Florida. The road leading to home is lined with a canopy of live oaks, fruit trees, a windmill and gorgeous land native to North Florida. The home is 2 bedrooms and 1 bath, and has original heart pine floors, countertops and exposed ceiling beams. The land has mature pines, young planted pines, and hardwood bottoms providing excellent habitat for deer, turkey and quail. The property also includes multiple ponds, a rifle range, a skeet range, utility barn, fencing, multiple wells, and electronic gate. The property is perfect for a private country retreat or quiet country living – contact us for pricing on this exclusive listing.
Tallahassee Magazine, November/December issue
“This dream escape was renovated with meticulous construction and every detail was considered. Hidden among oak trees in the Red Hills Region, “Oak Rise” boasts distinct features inspired by Louisiana architect A. Hayes Town. The property includes the main home with three stories and wrap-around veranda porch, a two-bedroom, two-bath guest house, pine trees providing cover for deer, ponds stocked for fishing, and plots and fields ideal for quail and turkey. “
The Land Report, Fall 2017
“When it comes to bobwhites, it doesn’t get any better than Thomasville, Georgia. Wait a minute. It does… at Millpond Plantation, where traditions such as mule-drawn wagon hunts have never gone out of style.” Featured in “One-of-a-kind Properties For Sale Right Now,” Fall 2017
Atlanta Business Chronicle, September 29, 2017
“The property includes a Spanish Revival main house listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s 38,000 square feet under cover, and 16,843 square feet heated and cooled, with 11 bedrooms and 10.5 bathrooms…
The plantation includes seven additional homes ranging in size from 3,449 to 980 square feet; a 14-stall barn; and it comes with 30 bird dogs, seven horses and four mules; nine trucks or SUVs and five antique horse carriages; and all equipment necessary for hunting and property maintenance, said Ben McCollum, broker and founder of Thomasville-based The Wright Group, which has the listing.”
The Wall Street Journal, September 26, 2017
“A Georgia quail-hunting estate that has been owned by the descendants of one of the founders of Western Union for well over a century is seeking $25 million…
There is also a four-bedroom “manager’s house,” two 2,000-square-foot guest cottages, a variety of other homes for employees, a barn and a dog kennel, said listing agent Ben McCollum of the Wright Group in Thomasville. To aid in the hunt, 30 trained bird dogs, seven horses and four mules are included, plus hunting wagons, saddles, tractors and an array of farm equipment…
Millpond Plantation is in a region known as the Red Hills, which spans a region north of Tallahassee, Fla. up to Thomasville. Characterized by a grassy, hilly landscape, it is known for a number of quail-hunting estates and old-fashioned traditions, such as hunting via mule-drawn carriage.”
Millpond Plantation
The Wright Group is pleased to announce that after careful consideration and strategic analysis, Millpond Plantation is no longer available for purchase and will remain with the original family. Consequently, new significant land holdings in the Red Hills Region will be brought to market this spring. Preservation of this iconic bobwhite quail hunting plantation has been a priority for The Wright Group since its listing debut, and the firm is happy to share that the historic main house and surrounding acreage will remain with the original family, who have established themselves as excellent land stewards and conservationists during their five generations of ownership.
Despite multiple market price offers following Millpond’s listing release, the family struggled with the contemplation of selling this landmarked property and cherished estate. In its advisory capacity, The Wright Group was able to assess the family holdings and formulate a solution that allowed for the retention of the historic main house and surrounding acreage. In evaluating the overall family land holdings, which amounts to upwards of 10,000 acres, the firm identified that many of the non-core land assets could be sold at premium prices that create an overall offset.
The first of these is Conifer. Call our office to find out more on this exclusive sealed bid sale.
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More than a century ago, Thomasville, Georgia was celebrated as one of the most fashionable places in the world to visit, voted the “Best Winter Resort” on three continents by Harper’s Magazine in 1898. During this Victorian era, many wealthy travelers came South by rail to enjoy the mild winter climate and the “pine infused” air. Attracted to the genteel sporting life centered around the pursuit of wild bobwhite quail, the area quickly became known its inviting climate, beautiful architecture and welcoming hospitality. Over one hundred years later, the plantation culture of the area is more vibrant than ever and continues to attract some of the country’s most influential families. Of all of the area properties, Millpond Plantation is understandably the most iconic.
The Wade family of Cleveland, Ohio purchased the property in the early twentieth century and hired the prominent Cleveland architectural firm Hubbell & Benes to design the home. Unlike the Classic Revival style homes usually associated with plantations built during the period, Millpond was constructed in a California Spanish revival style. One of the most distinctive features is Millpond’s atrium. It is constructed of large retractable glass roof panels that open and close with the season, providing protection to the indoor garden below- blooming with bougainvillea, palms, citrus, and camellias. The home is over 38,000 sq. ft. and consists of 11 fully appointed bedrooms and 10.5 baths, all of which are accessible to the veranda flanking the center atrium.
The elaborate grounds were designed by noted landscape architect Warren Manning, who apprenticed under Frederick Law Olmstead, and who also designed the intricate grounds of the Biltmore Estate for the Vanderbilt family in Asheville, North Carolina. By 1910, the entire complex was complete and to this day remains true to the original vision set forth by the Wade family.
Millpond Plantation dates back to 1860 when Thomas Clark Wyche, one of Thomas County’s pioneer families, first assimilated 1,600 acres and constructed a grist mill. Jeptha Wade’s purchase in 1903 marked the continued expansion and improvement of this highly coveted property just minutes from downtown Thomasville. For over a century, Millpond has been managed with a strict emphasis on bobwhite quail habitat. During this timeframe, a perfect balance of native ground cover alongside an overstory of towering pines has been created and beautifully maintained. The same management ethic exists on the surrounding plantations including Milestone, Holly Hill, and New Hope which serves to further enhance not only the quail component of Millpond but also quality deer and turkey habitat. In addition to 7 wild quail courses, Millpond also includes two established dove fields and a fully stocked 85 acre lake with the capability to be planted and flooded to further improve the duck hunting component of the property.
Millpond offers vast improvements which comprise a 36 run dog kennel, 6 run cocker kennel, a period barn with 3 wagon bays, 12 stalls, and tack room, 3 paddocks, along with additional utility barns, shops, and office. In addition to the manager’s house, the property contains two guest cottages, 3 gatehouses, and two employee homes. An additional 799+/- acres is also available for purchase- greatly expanding the carrying capacity and hunting opportunities of the overall property.
Wiregrass Summer 2017
“Trulock Farms has a long rich history as it derives from a deed dating back to an original land grant from King George III in the late 1770s…the property is incredibly diverse and attractive as it has been intensively managed with an emphasis on timber, agriculture and widlife.”
Land Report, Summer 2017
The Wright Group
2016 Sales: $50-$100 Million
Who: Southeastern authority for high-quality estates, recreational properties, farms and plantations.
Wow: Exclusive sealed-bid auction process yielded 63 bids for Nancemeade Farms, a 3,593-acre property in Mitchell County, resulting in a record-setting farmland sales price for the state of Georgia.
Insight: Overall land valuations and general consumer sentiment point toward a stable real estate environment in 2017.
Oak Rise
Hidden in the Red Hills Region, where South Georgia and North Florida’s plantations line the road with distinct beauty, a raised cottage sits, nestled between Oak trees. Nicknamed “Oak Rise,” the house boasts distinct features, all inspired by famed Louisiana architect A. Hayes Town known for his use of proportion, symmetry and salvaged materials. Oak Rise is a new home, meticulously constructed with forethought, balancing the integrity of its design with its position in nature. Call for pricing and to schedule an appointment to see this exclusive listing!