The Largest Private Lake in Texas Was Once a Power Plant, Now It’s Pristine — And Up For Sale!

Two hours east of Dallas, Texas is one of the largest privately owned lakes in the state.

Located near the town of Mount Pleasant in Titus county, Lake Monticello and its surrounding 5,700 acres have made a splash in the real estate world as the property has been officially listed as for sale.

The asking price? A staggering $131,000,000.

Beefy Price Tag, Rich Potential

The sale of Lake Monticello and its surrounding acres is brokered through Cash McWhorter of the Hortenstine Ranch Company and the listing itself is a treasure trove of history and detailed information.

The brokerage's marketing of Lake Monticello hinges on the land's 'rich potential' and sheer size. The lake itself occupies 2,001 acres of the 5,700 total acres. That's 17 miles of land surrounding it!

The listing states that 1.9 miles of lake frontage on an adjoining lake is part of the parcel, along with an additional 36 miles of a drainage basin. The sheer expanse of pine and hardwood forest, waterfront, and terrain could be used in countless ways with the right buyer.

There's even mention of 18 additional lakes as part of the package. That's a lot!

The Reclamation of Lake Monticello

Check out the listing to get the full details, but one thing that really stood out to me when reading through it was the section about the lake's history.

Lake Monticello is a product of human invention. It's a manmade lake that was formed in 1971 when the Texas Utilities Electric Company built the eponymous dam along two creeks. It's original purpose was to act as a cooling reservoir for the old Lake Monticello power plant.

The power plant closed in 2018 and has since been demolished. But the lake remains. with depths of up to 38-40 feet. Additionally, the surrounding land was once mined for lignite coal--a process that guts the landscape and disrupts the ecosystem.

The current owner has apparently made the substantial investments to reclaim the land, restoring it to a pristine state. His efforts have been substantive enough to receive a national award.

So, without further delay, take a look at the incredible 5,700 acres of Lake Monticello