King Ranch facts for kids
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King Ranch
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King Ranch logo - the running W brand
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 King Ranch
Location in Texas
King Ranch
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Kingsville, Texas |
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| Area | 825,000 acres (334,000 ha) |
| Built | 1852 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000820 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | November 5, 1961 |
The King Ranch is the biggest ranch in the United States! It covers about 825,000 acres, which is even larger than the whole country of Luxembourg in Europe. While it's mostly known for its cattle, the ranch also raised a famous racehorse named Assault. He won the prestigious Triple Crown in 1946.
The main office for King Ranch is in Houston. But the ranch itself is located in South Texas, between the cities of Corpus Christi and Brownsville, right next to Kingsville. Captain Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis started the ranch in 1853. It spreads across parts of six different Texas counties, including most of Kleberg and Kenedy counties.
The ranch is divided into four main sections: Santa Gertrudis, Laureles, Encino, and Norias. The Santa Gertrudis and Laureles sections are connected, but Encino and Norias are separate. In 1961, King Ranch was named a National Historic Landmark. It was also one of the very first ranches to be added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame welcomed the ranch in 2019.
Contents
History of King Ranch
Early Days and Founding
Richard King (1824–1885) was born in New York City to Irish parents. When he was 11, he was sent to work for a jeweler, but he ran away to sea. He eventually became a skilled river pilot. In 1843, King met Mifflin Kenedy, who would later become his business partner. Both men worked for General Zachary Taylor (who later became the 12th U.S. President), using steamboats to move supplies during the Mexican–American War.
After the war, King earned a good living by transporting goods on the Rio Grande river. In 1850, King, Kenedy, and others formed a company to move goods by steamboat. During the American Civil War, their steamboats were re-registered under a Mexican flag. This made them neutral, meaning they couldn't be stopped by Union forces. They helped transport Texas cotton to ships waiting in Mexico.
In April 1852, Richard King first saw the land that would become King Ranch. He was riding from Brownsville to Corpus Christi. After a long, hard journey, he found the Santa Gertrudis Creek, about 124 miles from the Rio Grande. It was the first stream he had seen in the dry "Wild Horse Desert." He was so impressed by the land, shaded by large mesquite trees, that he and his friend, Texas Ranger Captain Gideon K. "Legs" Lewis, decided to start a ranch there.
Growing the Ranch
King and Lewis set up a cow camp on Santa Gertrudis Creek. Richard King bought the first piece of land, called the Rincón de Santa Gertrudis grant, in July 1853 for $300. This land is where Kingsville, Texas is today. King sold half of this land to Lewis. They also bought more land together. The King Ranch's "LK" brand, which stands for Lewis and King, is still used today!
Sadly, Lewis was killed in 1855. King then bought Lewis's share of the ranch. As the years passed, more and more land was added. At its largest, the ranch covered 1.2 million acres. Today, it's about 825,000 acres.
The Kineños and Ranch Life
When King and his partners needed workers for the ranch, they hired many people from Mexico. In 1854, King visited a village in Tamaulipas, Mexico, that was suffering from a terrible drought. He bought all their cattle, which helped the villagers in the short term. But then he realized he had taken away their future income. So, King went back and offered the villagers jobs, food, and shelter at his ranch in Texas. Many accepted and moved there. These workers became known as kineños, or "King's men." They played a huge role in the ranch's success.
In the early days, a Mexican range cow cost about $6, and a mustang horse also cost $6. The ranch started using its first official brands, "HK" and "LK," in 1859. In 1869, the famous "Running W" brand was registered, and it's still the official mark of King Ranch today.
Cattle and Innovations
The ranch first raised cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. By the mid-1870s, the tough Texas Longhorn became the ranch's main type of cattle. The ranch also had Brahman bulls from South Asia, which were great at living in the hot South Texas climate.
These Brahman cattle were crossed with other breeds like Beef Shorthorns. This led to the creation of the ranch's very own special cattle breed: the Santa Gertrudis cattle. This new breed was officially recognized in 1940.
Challenges and Growth
During the United States Civil War, cattle prices first dropped, then rose again. After the war, there was a lot of cattle rustling (stealing). To fight this, ranchers formed the Stock Raisers Association of Western Texas in 1870. The re-establishment of the Texas Rangers in 1874 also helped control the rustling.
By 1870, many cattle were being driven from Texas to Kansas railroads, then shipped to Chicago. A steer worth $11 in Texas could sell for $20 in Abilene. King would drive his cattle for about 100 days to reach the Kansas railheads. To save money, King sometimes made his trail bosses (the leaders of the cattle drives) the owners of the herd. They would buy the cattle, drive them to market, and then pay King back, keeping the extra profit.
After Richard King
Richard King passed away in 1885. His wife, Henrietta Maria Morse Chamberlain King (1832–1925), took over the ranch. She was a strong leader and kept the ranch going. The "HK" livestock brand stands for Henrietta King. When Henrietta King died in 1925, the ranch was 1.2 million acres. Her daughter, Alice Gertrudis Kleberg, and her husband, Robert J. Kleberg Jr., inherited over 800,000 acres. This land was officially made into the King Ranch company in 1934.
In 1933, Robert J. Kleberg, III, leased the ranch's land for oil and gas exploration to Humble Oil of Houston, Texas. Humble Oil found oil and gas by 1939, which helped the ranch pay off its debts.
Lauro Cavazos, who became the first Hispanic United States Cabinet officer, was born on the King Ranch in 1927. His father worked there as a ranch foreman.
During World War II, the Navy bought parts of the ranch land to build airfields for flight training. Many of these airfields have since been removed and turned back into farmland.
Modern Connections
Since 2001, the Ford has used the King Ranch name on some of its vehicles. You can find King Ranch versions of the F-150, Super Duty, Explorer, and Expedition. These vehicles often feature special dark brown leather seats and have the King Ranch 'Running W' brand on them.
Education
The Santa Gertrudis Independent School District once leased its elementary and middle school building from the King Ranch. This original school, built in 1917, was on ranch property. Today, the district has a new campus. The Santa Gertrudis ISD area is also part of the Coastal Bend College district.
See also
- Anna Creek Station
- List of ranches and stations
- List of the largest stations in Australia
