Thompson Compound

I first found Lake Gifford while flying a hot air balloon back in 1996.  At that time there was literally nothing out here.  The lake had only 6 homes (still does today) and it was a private water ski lake.  It stood out in my mind for a couple of reasons.  First it was a natural cypress lake surrounded by cypress trees hundreds of years old and the morning we flew over it was being circled by a bald eagle.  The second thing I noticed on the lake was a water ski course and a ski jump.  I thought to myself what a beautiful setting.  Private, peaceful yet it was only about a mile and a half directly west of Disney World.  One day on the way back after a flight I saw a “for sale” sign in the yard of one of the homes and got on the radio and called to the chase truck behind us, “Get that number GET THAT NUMBER!”  That was it.  I found the place I wanted to make my home.