Ted Turner – St. Phillips Island, $4.9 Million

One year before giving the world CNN in 1980, media mogul Ted Turner bought himself St. Phillips Island. He purchased the 4,680-acre island both to own a piece of the  South Carolina Lowcountry he loves and to save the island from development.

Turner did some developments on the island, most notably a beach cottage, caretaker house, and some trails to explore the island, but he still managed to maintain and preserve its core value. He sold the island to the state in 2017 for $4.9 million. They plan to open the island, offering tours, overnight stays, and private events.