Living in Florida's Space Coast
Georgiana Settlement
Georgiana Settlement is the oldest continuously occupied stretch of Merritt Island, about five miles south of State Road 520 where the island narrows to roughly half a mile. Crooked Mile Road and South Tropical Trail carry acreage parcels running from the Indian River toward the Banana River, some with houses dating to 1901 and some still being built today.
Georgiana Settlement In Merritt Island, Florida
Georgiana was an agricultural settlement before it was anything else. Twenty four homesteaders were recorded here in 1889, growing citrus and pineapple on parcels laid out as narrow strips running from the Indian River across to the Banana River. Old Settlement Road began as a footpath between the post office and the riverboat landing. That original geometry is still on the ground, and it is why lots here are deep and odd shaped rather than square.
The result is a neighborhood with almost no repetition. Houses range from 1,646 to nearly 6,500 square feet and from 1901 to brand new construction, sitting on anything from a quarter acre to nearly three acres. Two story frame homes under shingle are the dominant type, often with balconies facing water. Oak canopies over private driveways are common, and several parcels are fenced compounds you cannot see from the road.
Two thirds of what trades here is waterfront, split between Indian River frontage on the west side of Crooked Mile Road and Tropical Trail and Banana River frontage on the east, with Honeymoon Lake in the mix. River front here means Intracoastal frontage with navigable access and, on most parcels, a dock. Deep water is not uniform, so frontage depth is a lot specific question worth answering before you fall in love.
Septic is universal. Every parcel here runs a septic system with public water, which is the standard trade for acreage in South Merritt Island. Drainfield age, tank location and the setback to the water all belong on your inspection list. So does the well, if the property carries one for irrigation. None of it is a problem, but it is a different due diligence than a sewered plat further north.
This is the top of the market on the island and it behaves like it. Prices have run from the low 500s for a smaller parcel into the millions for the largest riverfront compounds, with the middle around 817,500 and roughly 311 dollars per square foot. Properties sit for months rather than weeks, and sellers commonly settle well under their opening ask. Buyers who wait tend to be rewarded.
Georgiana Settlement At A Glance
What acreage on the old Georgiana strips actually looks like.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Location | Crooked Mile Road and South Tropical Trail, about five miles south of State Road 520, Merritt Island 32952 |
| Built | 1901 to current new construction, with the middle around 1987 |
| Home size | 1,646 to about 6,500 square feet, roughly 2,929 in the middle |
| Bedrooms | Two to six bedrooms, three to eight baths |
| Lot size | 0.27 to 2.78 acres, with about 1.12 acres typical |
| Construction | Mostly frame with stucco or siding, shingle roofs, two story dominant |
| Association | None. No association, no dues and no architectural review |
| Utilities | Public water with septic systems on every parcel |
| Price range | About 530,000 into the millions, middle near 817,500 |
| Price per square foot | Around 311 dollars |
| Water frontage | Indian River, Banana River and Honeymoon Lake; two thirds of activity is waterfront |
| Docks | Private docks on many riverfront parcels, navigable and Intracoastal access |
| Pools | In ground pools on most of the larger homes |
| Garage | Two to six car, three car typical on the newer builds |
| Lot character | Heavy oak canopy, many trees, long private drives |
| Streets | Crooked Mile Road, South Tropical Trail, Old Settlement Road |
| Typical time to sell | Around four and a half months |
| Gated | No community gate, though individual estates are frequently gated |
Georgiana Settlement Details
Nineteenth Century Lot Lines
The homestead strips platted in the 1880s ran river to river across the narrowest part of the island. Modern parcels are carved from those strips, which is why you get long, deep lots with water at one end and a canopy road at the other.
Two Rivers, One Neighborhood
West side parcels front the Indian River and get the sunsets. East side parcels front the Banana River and get the sunrises and the rocket views. Honeymoon Lake sits inside the settlement. Pick your light before you pick your lot.
Genuine Privacy
Several properties here are set several hundred feet back behind oaks and a gate, invisible from Crooked Mile Road. If seclusion is what you are after, this is one of the few places on Merritt Island that delivers it without leaving paved road behind.
Septic On Every Parcel
There is no sewer here. Every property runs its own septic system with public water service. Get the tank located, the drainfield aged and the last pump out documented, and understand the setbacks if you plan to add a pool or a structure.
A Slow, Thin Market
Very little trades in Georgiana in a given year, and what does trade sits for months. That means comparable properties are scarce and pricing is more art than arithmetic. It also means a patient buyer often writes the winning number well under the ask.
Build Or Restore
The range here runs from a 1901 house to a shovel ready riverfront site with plans in hand. Both exist. Decide early which project you actually want, because the diligence for a century old frame house and for a raw two acre build site have nothing in common.
Homes For Sale In Georgiana Settlement
Current listings in and around Georgiana Settlement follow. Acreage, water frontage and whether the parcel is buildable as is drive the numbers here far more than square footage does.
Georgiana Settlement Frequently Asked Questions
Is Georgiana Settlement a subdivision with an HOA?
No. It is a historic settlement area, not a modern platted subdivision, and there is no homeowners association, no dues and no architectural review. Merritt Island is unincorporated, so Brevard County code governs what you can build and how.
Why are the lots shaped so strangely?
The original 1880s homestead parcels were narrow strips running from the Indian River across to the Banana River, at a point where the island is only about half a mile wide. Today's lots are subdivisions of those strips, which produces long, deep, irregular parcels.
Do these properties have sewer?
No. Every parcel in Georgiana Settlement is on septic with public water. Have the system located and evaluated during inspection, and confirm setbacks before planning any addition, pool or accessory structure near the drainfield.
Can I dock a boat here?
On most riverfront parcels, yes. Frontage on both the Indian River and the Banana River here is navigable Intracoastal water and many properties already have a dock. Anything new, a dock, a seawall or a lift, needs a Residential Marine Construction permit issued by Brevard County Planning and Development, plus a Natural Resources review and a current survey.
How long do homes take to sell in Georgiana?
Considerably longer than the island average, typically four to five months, and often longer for the largest estates. The buyer pool for acreage waterfront is small. Sellers who price to that reality move; sellers who do not sit.
What is Old Settlement Road?
It began as the footpath connecting the settlement's post office to the riverboat landing on the Indian River in the late 1800s. It survives today as a short road inside the settlement, and it is one of the oldest continuously used rights of way on Merritt Island.
How far is it to anything?
Georgiana sits roughly five miles south of State Road 520 and about five miles north of the Pineda Causeway. That puts groceries and the 520 corridor about ten minutes north, and the Pineda crossing to Suntree and I-95 about ten minutes south.
Should I get a flood determination?
Yes, and it matters more here because parcels are large and elevation varies across them. Call Brevard County Public Works, Floodplain Administration at (321) 617-7340. That office keeps the official FEMA flood map panels for the county and will issue a determination and an elevation certificate in writing.
Crooked Mile Road and South Tropical Trail, Merritt Island 32952
Georgiana occupies the narrow waist of South Merritt Island, roughly halfway between the State Road 520 causeway and the Pineda Causeway. South Tropical Trail is the through road; Crooked Mile Road loops west of it and rejoins, running closer to the Indian River. Hilltop Lane and South Oaks Drive connect the two. Honeymoon Lake sits near the south end of the settlement.
Driving north, State Road 520 and the Merritt Island retail corridor are about ten minutes, with Cocoa Beach about twenty across the causeway. Driving south, the Pineda Causeway reaches Suntree and I-95 in roughly ten to fifteen minutes. Orlando International is about an hour and fifteen either way. It is quiet out here, and the drive is part of what you are buying.
Near Georgiana Settlement In Merritt Island
Considering Georgiana Settlement?
Buying acreage down the Crooked Mile is a different exercise than buying a house in a plat. Survey, septic, frontage depth, tree canopy and what the county will actually permit all matter more than the kitchen. My partner Nichole and I work this end of the island and can tell you which parcels have the setbacks you need. Call or text (321) 212-7676 and we will go look at land.
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