Family amasses 575 acres of land in Johnston County. Here’s what’s coming next
In 1972, Selma developer A.Z. Thompson Jr. bought roughly 100 acres of premium land — including a 1930s-era millhouse, lake and dam — in northern Johnston County.
Over the years, Thompson added more parcels. Eventually, the family’s estate expanded to roughly 575 acres, serving as both a retreat and gathering place for every family holiday.
Flash forward to today: Thompson’s 48-year-old grandson, Rob Bailey, is transforming the homestead into a 295-home planned subdivision called Cattail. It’s minutes from the well-known Flowers Plantation and Wendell Falls, two master-planned communities, and about 10 miles east of fast-growing Clayton.
However, the focus of Cattail is large, low-density lots.
“There’s been a lot of sacrifice on my family’s part to preserve this place up until now,” Bailey told The N&O in a phone call Friday. “It’s a living tribute to the Thompson family legacy.”
Working with his extended family has been surprisingly pain-free, Bailey added. In 2023, his company, R&R Development, purchased the property from Cattail Family LLC and promised to maintain the property’s integrity.
“Often when properties are handed from generation to generation, there’s a lot of bickering,” he said. “That’s not the case here. The family has been so unified.”
This month, Bailey broke ground. The 80-acre Cattail Lake borders the neighborhood, adding some two miles of shoreline. Lots will range from $475,000 to over $2 million, according to its website. Among the amenities: a restored dam, a 5,000-square-foot pavilion, a swimming pool, boat ramps and fishing docks.
The project is also a boon to Johnston County, which has been among the state’s fastest-growing for decades due to its proximity to the Research Triangle and major highways such as Interstate 40 and N.C. 540.
Here’s a peek at what’s coming:
Big lots, big price tags
Cattail will feature 296 homes ranging from 1,871 to 4,700 square feet on one-to-three acre lots. Builders include Crosswind Custom Homes, Homes By Dickerson, New Home Inc. and Royalty Homes Inc., each with a portfolio of home designs reflecting “a variety of architectural styles,” the firm said.
The first phase includes The Peninsula at Cattail, which is divided into three enclaves: Lakeside, Lakeview, and Manors that are closest to the waterfront.
About 50 homes will be situated directly on the lake or with a direct view in The Peninsula. The remainder will be built in private enclaves, “one phase at a time,” the firm said.
That includes The Preserve at Cattail, a cul-de-sac neighborhood within walking distance of the lake, pool, clubhouse, and community amenities, including the private dock.
Prices start in the mid $700,000s at The Peninsula and the upper $500,000s at The Preserve.
Construction is expected to be completed over four to five years.
This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Family amasses 575 acres of land in Johnston County. Here’s what’s coming next."
