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 |
King Ranch is the biggest ranch in the United States. It covers about 825,000 acres, which is larger than the entire country of Luxembourg in Europe! While it's mostly known for its cattle, the ranch also raised a famous racehorse named Assault. Assault won the prestigious Triple Crown in 1946.
The main office of King Ranch is in Houston. 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 Texas counties: Kleberg, Kenedy, Brooks, Jim Wells, Nueces, and Willacy.
The ranch is divided into four main areas: Santa Gertrudis, Laureles, Encino, and Norias. In 1961, King Ranch was named a National Historic Landmark, recognizing its important history. The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame also honored the ranch in 2019. It was one of the first ranches added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
Contents
The Ranch's Beginnings
Richard King's Early Life
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 later ran away to sea. He eventually became a skilled river pilot.
In 1843, King met Mifflin Kenedy, who would become his business partner. Both men worked as steamboat captains during the Mexican–American War, helping to move supplies for the U.S. Army. After the war, King earned a good living by transporting goods on the Rio Grande river.
Finding the Land
King first saw the land that would become King Ranch in April 1852. He was riding north from Brownsville to attend a fair in Corpus Christi. After a long journey, he discovered the Santa Gertrudis Creek. This was the first stream he had seen in the dry Wild Horse Desert.
The land, with its large mesquite trees, deeply impressed him. When he arrived at the fair, he and his friend, Texas Ranger Captain Gideon K. "Legs" Lewis, decided right then to create a ranch there.
Starting the Ranch
King and Lewis set up a cow camp on Santa Gertrudis Creek. On July 25, 1853, Richard King bought the Rincón de Santa Gertrudis land grant for $300. This area is now part of Kingsville, Texas. King then sold half of this land to Lewis.
The King Ranch LK brand, which is still used today, stands for partners Lewis and King.
In 1854, King and Lewis bought more land, adding about 53,000 acres. Over the years, the ranch continued to grow, reaching 1.2 million acres at its largest size. Sadly, Lewis passed away in 1855. King then worked with other partners to continue building the ranch.
The Kineños
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 severe drought. He bought all their cattle, which helped the villagers in the short term.
However, King realized he had taken away their future income. So, he returned and offered the villagers jobs on the ranch, providing food, shelter, and wages. Many accepted and moved to Texas. As the ranch grew, these workers became known as kineños, meaning "King's men." Their families have played a vital role in the ranch's history for generations.
Ranch Animals and Brands
In 1859, the ranch officially registered its first brands (HK and LK). In 1869, the famous "Running W" brand was registered, and it remains the King Ranch's official symbol today.
The ranch raised cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. By the mid-1870s, the tough Texas Longhorn became a key part of the ranch's livestock. The ranch also brought in Brahman bulls from South Asia. These cattle were well-suited to the hot South Texas climate.
The Brahmans were crossed with Beef Shorthorn cattle to create a new breed unique to the ranch: the Santa Gertrudis cattle. This new breed was officially recognized in 1940.
Challenges and Growth
Civil War and Cattle Rustling
During the United States Civil War, the price of cattle first dropped, then rose again. After the war, during the Reconstruction period, cattle rustling (stealing) became a big problem. Many cattle were lost from ranches.
To fight this, ranchers formed the Stock Raisers Association of Western Texas in 1870. Mifflin Kenedy led the first meeting. When the Texas Rangers were re-established in 1874, they helped control the cattle theft.
Cattle Drives
By 1870, many cattle were being driven from Texas to Kansas, where they could be loaded onto trains and sent to big markets like Chicago. A steer worth $11 in Texas could sell for $20 in Abilene, and then for $31.50 in Chicago. King would drive his cattle for about 100 days to reach the Kansas railheads.
King had a clever way to manage costs: he made his trail bosses (the leaders of the cattle drives) the owners of the herd. The bosses would sign a note for the cattle, drive them to market, and then pay back their debt after selling the herd. This allowed them to earn a profit beyond their regular wages.
After Richard King
Richard King passed away in 1885. When his wife, Henrietta King, died in 1925, the ranch was 1.2 million acres. Her only surviving child, Alice Gertrudis Kleberg, and her husband Robert J. Kleberg Jr. inherited over 800,000 acres. This land was officially incorporated as the King Ranch in 1934.
The ranch faced financial challenges, especially during the market crash of 1929. However, in 1933, Robert J. Kleberg, III, leased the ranch's land for oil and gas exploration to Humble Oil of Houston, Texas. By 1939, Humble Oil found oil and gas, which helped the ranch pay off its debts and continue to thrive.
Modern Connections
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 the land has returned to farming.
Since 2001, Ford has used the King Ranch name on some of its vehicles, like the F-150, Super Duty, Explorer, and Expedition trucks and SUVs. These vehicles feature special dark brown leather seats and the King Ranch 'Running W' brand on their badges.
Education at the Ranch
The Santa Gertrudis Independent School District's first elementary and middle school, built in 1917, was located on King Ranch property. The ranch leased the building to the school district. Today, the district has a new, modern 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
