It is the nations biggest ranch within the confines of a single fence, a spread so vast that it extends across six counties and covers more than eight hundred square miles. Some of the wells discovered in the 1920s are still in operation. Since Electra IIs death, in 2001, the board has been composed of these two men who rarely speak to each other. [9] One of the lakes on the ranch provides water for the City of Wichita Falls. On each of those transactions, Kroenke had relied on Leadbetter's counsel and the insights of Sam Connolly, general manager of Kroenke Ranches. The greatest annual precipitation occurs to the east, in Archer and Wichita Counties, at just over 29 inches per year annually. The terrain varies from fairly level to gently rolling, sloping and hilly, but there are areas of rougher breaks and scenic, very eroded, red clay badland. Additionally, all livestock (cattle and horses), an extremely substantial inventory of rolling stock, farm equipment, pickups, trucks, etc., and considerable other personal property are included in this offering. Its a constant battle. Over these past three decades, Bucky has absorbed every inch of this ranch and most of its colorful history. The last e-mail I got from him, he testified, [was] five years ago.. There is a photograph of her in the Red River Valley Museum, near Vernon College, along with a large collection of her work: busts of Will Rogers, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Bob Hope, Knute Rockne, Amon Carter, John Nance Garner. But there has been no substantial rain for days now, and we kick up a trail of dark red dust as we head toward Santa Rosa, the area that E. Paul inherited and where his daughter, the second Electra, grew up. W.T. The operation can breed outside mares as well as ship cooled or frozen semen. That became the seed money for the Waggoner empire. Some people dont see it, but shes beautiful. I guess you could say its traumatic, but in two or three days the calves will forget they ever had mamas, Weldon Hawley says in response to my city-boy question. In over 165 years of the Waggoner family ownership, commercial hunting has never been allowed on this expansive ranch. [4][8] From 1889 to 1903, they acquired land in Wichita County, Wilbarger County as well as Foard County, Knox County, Baylor County and Archer County. [8] By 1903, he sold some of the land near China Creek to developers. Waggoner Estate Ranch. The ranch's wild steers, huge supply of . The 1905 hunt was a classic Waggoner production. The W.T. E. Paul was a dapper, dashing Hollywood-style cowboy, with a mustache and mischievous eyes. Most other ranches in this general area also rely on creek water and earthen ponds. The ranch is fenced and crossfenced, with an estimated several thousand miles of ranch roads and ranch fencing. He either didnt care or didnt notice that E. Pauls clanespecially his socialite wife, Helenconsidered Electras line of the family to be tainted and Buster to be an irresponsible spendthrift, and they were plotting for the day when they could force the Whartons out. Buster received income from his share of the estate, but he had no role in the ranch management and was happy to leave the ranching to E. Paul. These lakes were built by the Corps of Engineers as a major source of municipal and irrigation use water for Wichita Falls, area towns and nearby farming communities. Waggoner Estate Ranch and related assets are now, for the first time ever, being offered for sale at a guideline listed price of $725,000,000. LOCATION Brooks, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, and Willacy counties. Dan sent Tom (his son), who was only 16 years old at the time, to Kansas City with a herd of 5,000 steers. Beaver Creek feeds Santa Rosa Lake, and the Wichita River feeds Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion. [6] It has about 14,000 cows and bulls as well as 500 horses. Even the water in Beaver Creek was reda sign, Bucky said, that it was fresh and contained no gypsum. Several small on-site water wells are also located in this large block of farmland. Potential buyers include a group of Japanese investors, Ross Perot Jr., Boone Pickens, even the Mormon churchor so go the rumors. To Buckys surprise, the Biggs family responded by filing suit, asking the court to liquidate the estate. has created a haven for deer, turkey, quail, dove, waterfowl and feral hogs. Dan Waggoner, who was born in Tennessee in 1828, moved to Texas with his family in the mid-1840s.
Residents of Waggoner Ranch told to vacate property by Rams - Chron In fact, when this ranch was first established, Abe Lincoln was in Congress, California was petitioning to join the U.S. as a free state, and neighboring Oklahoma was Indian Territory. The little village of Lockett, where the descendants of those settlers now live, is wet in another way: It is the nearest spot where citizens of Vernon can buy beer and liquor. By the late fifties, forces were marshalling to ensure total control for E. Paul and his heirs. There is also a rumor that the Willinghams have already bought a home in Fort Worth.
[9], In August 2014, the ranch was listed on the real estate market with an asking price of US$725 million. 20% off all products! We try not to put stress on the livestock.. Her best-known work is the statue of Will Rogers on horseback at the entrance to the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, in Fort Worth. The Big Pasture, however, remained available for grazing and hunting. You have no voice here and you never will.. But for how much longer? Buster too had multiple spouses (four, to be exact), but his only heir was A. Its now the home of Electras grandson, Bucky Wharton, his wife, Joline, and their two children. Now available for sale on the open market, the Waggoner Ranch represents a singular opportunity so rare, it only comes along every 165 years or so. Waggoner Ranch is a working one, with 20 cowboy camps scattered throughout the property to house the more than 120 workers. Probably the nation's largest single-parcel ranch, the 510,000-acre property is about 175 miles northwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and 12 miles south of Vernon, the county seat of. Besides receiving revenue from these house lot leases, the ranch charges a daily use fee for boating and fishing on these lakes and also controls concession rights.
Tim Leon - President, Chief Strategy Officer - LinkedIn The facility is equipped to do embryo transfers and has both indoor and outdoor arenas, two barns, and over 30 stalls. Some say these deer may have never heard a rifle shot. One morning she packed, jumped in her car, and headed for town, not bothering to stop and open any of the ten gates on the way. [3] It spans six counties[3][6] and is half as large as Rhode Island. Sep 1989 - Present33 years 6 months. Another number brand is placed on the left hip to denote the year. Disgusted, he continued drilling for water. They cant wait to get started. Dan took advantage of this great opportunity. No way I could live in the city. He means Vernon (population: 12,000). Waggoner Estate Ranch and related assets are now, for the first time ever, being offered for sale at a guideline listed price of. The headquarters at Zacaweista is a small, self-contained village built around a park that the cowboys call the square. In its center lies the grave of Tony Hazelwood, a legendary Waggoner cowboy and longtime foreman, who died in 1965. This was a time when much of Texas was open range and unexplored. The entryway is glass, and there is a skylight over the vaulted ceiling above the staircase. This is a robust and versatile multi-faceted operation like none other available on the market today. She hosted parties of celebrities, movie stars, and barons of capitalism, including the daughter of J. P. Morgan. Bernard Uechtritz of Briggs-Freeman Sothebys International Realty in Dallas, and Sam Middleton, of Chas. A number that denotes the foal's dam is placed on the left shoulder, and the ranch's famous D brand is placed under that. The dam was right on the dividing line. [11] Buster raised polo ponies and established the El Ranchio Polo Club on the ranch. The mesquite trees that now dominate the land arrived later, their seeds transported in cow droppings as herds from South Texas passed through on their way to railheads in Kansas. SOLD. After the first freeze, 120,000 geese will land on Santa Rosa Lake and feast on winter wheat fields. It was in terrible condition, Joline explained as she showed me through their home. Without question, this legacy ranch represents a once-in-a-lifetime chance for an investor with vision and love of the land the rare opportunity to take this legendary offering to the next level. After Biggs fell ill with cancer in the early seventies, Moore was essentially running things, and the boardwhich then consisted of Electra II and Buckyappointed him trustee after Biggs died, in 1975. The ranch has perfected water right permits to pump approximately 3,893 acre feet of water annually, which is used to irrigate farmland and water the grounds around major headquarter improvements. Both families are already fabulously wealthy, though the wealth is in the land rather than their pockets. The W.T. They were super, super people. Nevertheless, Smith resigned in 1997, tired of being caught in the middle of the power struggle. The Waggoner is the largest U.S. ranch within one fence, measuring 520,527 acres (207,000 hectares) or 800 square miles (2,072 square kilometers). Electra II married twice, the second time for keeps to John Biggs, a Texan who worked for International Paper Company, in New York, in 1943. Who was going to be responsible for it? I worked for six months with various people in the oil and the ranching divisions, he told me. Hed consult with him and get back to us. [2][3] It was originally established in 1852 near Vernon, Texas, by Daniel Waggoner under the name of Dan Waggoner & Son; his son being William Thomas Waggoner. The Texanist: Why Dont Texas Houses Have Basements? Members of American Quarter Horse Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, National Beef Council, Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, and the Texas Land and Mineral Owners Association. Anne was the granddaughter of W.T.s friend Burk Burnett and hardly the type to sit around waiting for a roving husband. The ranch is approximately 175 miles northwest of the Dallas/Ft. divided the ranch that he and his dad had founded into four large tracts. It comprises 520,000 acres in six counties, and is the home for 12,000 mother cows. Why do they fight on? A unified decision has now been made by the shareholders to sell this legendary ranch. The other half belonged to Electra Waggoner Biggs, through various trusts. [3][14][15] It was ultimately sold in February 2016 to billionaire Stan Kroenke, the husband of Wal-Mart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke and current owner of the National Football League's Los Angeles Rams and the Premier League's Arsenal F.C. Bring on the Shiplap. When they presented the map to Gene, they say, he asked for more details. Meanwhile, W.T.s widow, Ella, ran the ranch as dowager empress until her death, in 1959. An additional 320 acres were then purchased in 1856 near the small town of Decatur, marking the first major expansion of Waggoner's estate. E. Paul, a whiskey-drinking, poker-playing party animal, stayed married to his wife, Helen, for fifty years, but few people doubted the rumors that he kept mistresses in Mexico and South Texas. Some area ranches have rural water systems available, but still principally rely on creeks and ponds as their major water source. He was teaching at Will Rogers Elementary School, in Houston, where Helen Biggs was also a teacher. He began buying land in western Wise County in 1870. Waggoner Ranch cowboys like and respect both families and consider them fair and generous. She was strikingly pretty, with a long, sensitive face and dark, sparkling eyes. Back in town, I am introduced to 79-year-old G. L. Proctor, the old cowboy who Weldon Hawley has modeled himself after. King Ranch. But selling the ranchor, worse still, permitting the court to liquidate itwould cost both sides dearly in taxes and prestige. The family made their main homes in the city and returned to the ranch for weekend getaways and holidays. The Waggoner Ranch has been very well managed over time, and considering the recent four-year drought, the worst in recorded history, the ranch supports an overall good turf of native grasses. Waggoner Estate office building in downtown Vernon, and most importantly, the exclusive right and use of the iconic Waggoner Ranch name, historic brand, and related rights are expected to convey within the sale. This sprawling property is approximately three-fourths the size of Rhode Island. In addition to Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion, the ranch boasts several other large private lakes, some of which, such as Santa Rosa Lake, are reserved for the exclusive use of the families. We see a bunch of javelinas too, and a bobcat as big as a mountain lion. One story has it that a gunslinger named Jimmie Roberts, originally hired to deal with rustlers, was sent out to make farmers an offer they couldnt refuse. Its been vacant ever since. Waggoner acquired more land. One thing you dont see on the ranch is windmills.
The Biggest Ranches - Texas Monthly Hes not a large man, but his pleasant and unassuming manner and his quiet, considered confidence give him stature. In the Roaring Twenties, Electra Waggoner was the most infamous socialite in Texas. ACRES One closet was filled with fur coats, another with 350 pairs of shoes, and yet a third with the latest gowns from Paris and New Yorkand she was said never to wear one more than once. ACRES 825,000. The Waggoner (Three D) Ranch had its beginnings in the early 1850s when Daniel Waggonerqv and a fifteen-year-old black slave trailed 242 longhorn cattleqv and six horses into Wise County. We were talking in Buckys office, a large corner suite on the second floor of the long, low W. T. Waggoner Estate Building just off the main highway in Vernon. The Waggoner Ranch was established in 1849 by Dan Waggoner. Neither of her parents came to the wedding; biographer Porter reports that E. Paul and Helen were having marital problems. He served as trustee, and his three children, Guy Waggoner, Electra Waggoner Wharton, and E. Paul Waggoner comprised the Board of Directors. Waggoner Ranch, the 800-square-mile plot of land in North Texas, is really big. The house sits on high ground, mostly hidden by oak and pecan trees and a fieldstone wall. Today the ranch consists of approximately 535,000 acres, and is recognized as the largest ranch in Texas under one fence. One side wants the ranch divided equally but otherwise left intact. Biggss brother-in-law was the president of General Motors, and he later named a Buick model for Electra. He didnt want to sell the ranch, but he thought it could be divided, that a line could be drawn on a map so that each side would have a separate but equal share. The cowboys sided with Bucky, who felt that hunters left litter, cut fences, and left gates open. Waggoner, a widower, and his young son, William Thomas, settled on Catlett Creek, near present-day Decatur. Waggoners have a series of brands that go on each foal, the history of which goes back to the days of W. T. Waggoner. W.T. They include a bunkhouse for single cowboys, more homes for the foreman and senior cowboys, a cookhouse, several maintenance sheds, and a truck barn. It seems inconceivable that they cant agree on a compromise. Numerous smaller cultivated fields are scattered throughout the ranch. Buckys home sits on one side of the square. What the hell could he do with oil! Thats the case that has been snaking through Judge Tom Neelys Forty-sixth District Court, in Wilbarger County, for these past twelve years.
Brokers: Sale of Waggoner ranch looks hopeful as bidding ends - Chron All together, as one may imagine, with this many contiguous acres, there is an immense variety of land types on the Waggoner. The cost of buying out Guys third of the estate had put a crimp in the flow of dividends, and Buster was running short of money. We opened it up. Today the home is bright and welcoming. Today, the ranch boasts 7 stallions and over 90 broodmares containing bloodlines of Poco Bueno, High Brow Cat, Peppy San Badger, Top Sail Cody, Smart Chic Olena, and Wimpys Little Step. Now he lives in the bunkhouse.
What the new buyer gets with this $725 million North Texas ranch But we are so far from the lights of townany townthat half an hour before daylight its still pitch black. W.T. Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch. All pens are very well maintained. Reply Anonymous February 3, 2013 at 8:00 PM Quality horses are always the pride of a true rancher, and this original set of broodmares became a huge influence in the development of the Quarter Horse breed. In a January 2003 deposition, Gene said he sent Bucky his own draft of the map but never got a reply. He owns a bank, an oil company, and a cattle company, but he is happiest when he is working outdoors or having dinner with his family. Waggoner divided the Waggoner Ranch into four subsections: one for himself (White Face); and three smaller 8,500 acre sub-ranches for his children: Zacaweista, Four Corners, and Santa Ros. "W. T. Waggoner Estate: Venerable, $725 million ranch about to be sold", American Quarter Horse Association: Waggoner Ranch, "You Can Now Buy a Texas Ranch That's the Size of a Small Nation, For $725 Million", "Waggoner Ranch: 1994 Best Remuda Winner", "NFL Owner Stan Kroenke Buys Texas Mega-Ranch Listed for $725 Million", "Legendary Waggoner Ranch Historical Combination of Then and Now", "Massive Waggoner Ranch, "last of the True West," is up for grabs", "Mammoth estate to be split up, auctioned", "Waggoner Ranch, among US' largest, listed for sale", "Ranch Dressing: Brokers Prep Giant Waggoner Farm for Sale", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waggoner_Ranch&oldid=1097984814, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 July 2022, at 17:07. They are already being augmented by Kroenke Ranches' world-class commercial Angus herd. He borrowed a large sum from his nonagenarian grandmother, Ella, who later transferred the note to E. Paul. Copyright 2023 W. T. Waggoner Ranch Uptown Style WordPress theme by, 2013 Gelding (Cat Man Do X Smoked Diamonds), 2015 Stallion (Cat Man Do X Smokin and Swingin). Because of Toms great influence on the horse industry, he became a founding member of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). (Tom) Waggoner had a good eye for quality horse flesh and developed a herd of broodmares to produce working ranch geldings for his cowboys. The cattle will be sold, along with the trucks that haul them, and the vast pastures will be chopped up, and who knows what will replace them. She took everythingthe furniture, even the light fixtures. Handsome and trim, Joline once competed in the New York and Paris marathons and still gets up before first light to run.
Map: The Waggoner Ranch is really, really big, y'all - MySA Wichita Falls, the county seat of Wichita County, is approximately 20 miles east of the eastern boundary of the ranch. Horses have always been big business at the Waggoner Ranch. Under the terms of the trust, each of the children owned one third of the 100,000 shares in the estate, elected the board of directors of the trust and served on the board themselves, and retained their homesteads. Waggoner Ranch livestock have access to water at both lakes. He built the newlyweds an eighteen-room mansion in Fort Worth, where he later built a twenty-story office building as the base for his empire. But the difference is that the cattle barons of the King Ranch led private, almost secretive lives, running their empire themselves and living on the land, while the Waggoners turned their ranch over to professionals, moved away, and pursued flamboyance.
San Antonio Luxury Resort - The Villas at La Cantera This iconic ranch property has been owned and operated by Waggoner heirs for approximately 165 years. Depending upon weather and moisture conditions, the ranch has been operated with 11,000 14,000 mother cows, plus calves, bulls and replacements; however, due to the recent drought, and in order to protect the ranch, current stocking rates have been reduced to around 7,000 mother cows/calves, plus replacements and bulls. The house eventually fell apart and was torn down. Moore resigned as trustee in the early eighties, at a critical moment for the estate. They still talk here of Paul Whitley, an unmarried cowboy who in 1950 rode his horse to Cedar Top, the most remote camp on the ranch, and lived alone in a primitive cabin until his final illness, in 2002.
Cattle - W. T. Waggoner Ranch Deal of the Century: Waggoner Ranch - The Land Report This iconic ranch property has been owned and operated by Waggoner heirs for approximately 165 years. Each camp manager is responsible for the operation of his specific unit, but all of the managers and cowboys work together during spring branding and shipping. When Helens father died, in 1975, they moved to the ranch, where Gene gradually assumed the position of head of the family. I didnt ask for the nuts and bolts, he said and walked away. Nothing is too trivial to spark an argument. At midnight, March 31, 2003, the clock ran out on the W. T. Waggoner trust. At every opportunity, Dan Waggoner purchased land. Either way, your shopping cart will be active until you leave the store. A unified decision has now been made by the shareholders to sell this legendary ranch. Santa Rosa Lake covers approximately 1,400 surface acres when full. The only time we dont work, Hawley tells me, is when its raining and lightning, or when its very hot. [5], The ranch is located west of Wichita Falls, Texas, south of Vernon, near the Red River. The Waggoner Ranchis a historic north Texasranch located 13 miles south of Vernon, Texas. Waggoner found oil while drilling for water. A drought in the last part of the nineteenth century made the land where the Waggoner Ranch now sits nearly useless for growing crops. He first settled on Catlett Creek near the site of present Decatur. The second Electra was, like her namesake, a globe-hopping socialite (she was once linked romantically to Cary Grant by Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons), but she also was an acclaimed artist, who knew all the celebrities of her day and sculpted busts of many of them. We love our customers, so feel free to visit during normal business hours. Find a huge selection of trailers from DooLittle and SureTrac in MO. Ranch Manager. W.T. Without a trustee to keep them at arms length, they set off on a collision course. was determined to keep Electra nearby. Quanah saw his alliance with the Waggoners and other cattle barons as a way to better the lives of his peopleand his own to boot. He offered to pay Buckys attorney fees and pitch in an extra one million. But Wait, There's More A smattering of the more than 4,000 items listed on the. It may be hard to truly comprehend the sheer vastness of the Waggoner Ranch.
The Bold Brand - The Land Report The only thing I can figure, it was give to them. The dispute seemed to highlight Bucky and Genes contrasting attitudesone loved the land, the other loved the money.
W T Waggoner Ranch Brand Honoring Waggoner Ranch Family and Owners The main headquarters at the Waggoner Ranch has municipal-quality water from Vernon. Vernon, the county seat of Wilbarger County, is located approximately 12 miles due north of the ranch. [11], The ranch has been surveyed by the United States Department of Agriculture for matters of preservation. Currently, Waggoner Ranch offspring are excelling in multiple competitive associations, including AQHA, Stock Horse of Texas, NRHA, NRCHA and NCHA. In the meantime, the Waggoners had been buying out small farmers on the Texas side of the river, paying $1 an acre and often less. She left an enduring reputation and two children from the first of her three marriages: Tom Waggoner Wharton, who died of syphilis at age 25, eight-times married but childless, and A. . Though he wouldnt talk about the lawsuit, he spoke freely about his bewildering transformation from New Mexico schoolboy to co-owner of one of the countrys most famous ranches. In later years, W.T. Land Broker and Land Appraisalfirm established in 1920. The party bagged seventeen wolves (some of which were really coyotes), and the president beat a five-foot rattlesnake to death with his quirt. A portion of this acreage is seeded to very productive Coastal Bermuda. Settling into an apartment attached to Busters former home at Zacaweista, he enrolled at Midwestern State University, in Wichita Falls, and commuted between ranch and campus, pursing a degree in business administration while learning the ins and outs of the estate.