Ill tell you one thing: Mrs. Biggs [Electra II] was the nicest person in the world to me, said Jimmy Lee Smith, who cowboyed at the ranch for 38 years, rising from cowpuncher to foreman and ranch manager. Waggoner biographer Roze McCoy Porter writes that Electra spent $90,000 remodeling the one-year-old mansion and another $55,000 on draperies. I ask him what he thinks of the family feud that threatens to end the way of life that he knew. [8] W.T. This legendary horse was named the Grand Champion Stallion at Denvers National Western Stock Show, the Fort Worth Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show, the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, and the American Royal Livestock Show in Kansas City. Now he lives in the bunkhouse. 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. W.T. The settlers, most of them German or Czech, moved north of Paradise Creek, which runs just beyond the present northern boundary of the ranch. The other wants to sell the ranch and divide the assets. Currently, the ranch has a water well lease on a nearby offsite well, which furnishes livestock water through an extensive waterline network to the large block of farmland located on the northwest side of the ranch, and also to the main ranch headquarters. Jim Jennings, in a 2005 article in The Quarter Horse Journal, states, By 1868, the Waggoner outfit had grown considerably, but help was still short. It doesnt seem real to even think about it, he says. Approximately 160,000 acres of the 560,000 acres areproven prolific oilproperties. SOLD. As the sun begins to crawl over the horizon, Hawley marvels at the endless prairie. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. [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. Inside the Decades-long Effort to Commemorate a Notorious Waco Lynching. Bring on the Shiplap. It's one of the largest ranches in the world with 825,00 acres. a full partner, gave him $12, a group of drovers, and fifty hard-used saddle horses, and sent him to Abilene, Kansas, with a herd of five thousand steers. His most arresting feature is his green eyes, which are reminiscent of the luminous eyes that made his grandmother, the original Electra, such a commanding figure. It may be many years before a similar ranch of this magnitude becomes available, if ever. Neither the Willinghams nor the Whartons have the funds to buy the other out. He went on and on about how heartbroken he was and how much he missed them, but he didnt write them. You Can Now Buy a Texas Ranch That's the Size of a Small Nation, For [7] Parts of it can be seen from highways U.S. 183 W.T.s granddaughter, Electra Waggoner Biggs was nationally known as a sculptress, and with her national notoriety, General Motors named their most luxurious Buick model the Electra and Lockheed Aircraft named a plane in her honor. Though their homesteads are only a few miles apart, the families of Bucky Wharton, the original Electras grandson, and Gene Willingham, Electra IIs son-in-law, might as well live on separate continents. After that, negotiations were dead in the water. Gene remembered it differently. Waggoner, a widower, and his young son, William Thomas, settled on Catlett Creek, near present-day Decatur. Now look at it! At an early age, Dan started building what would become a ranching empire and founded the Waggoner Ranch in 1849. Then, in 1997, Bucky and Roberson drew another map, this time setting aside the two homesteads, and again offered Gene first choice. You have no voice here and you never will.. Land Broker and Land Appraisalfirm established in 1920. By all rights the Waggoner Ranch ought to be the equal of the King Ranch in Texas lore. The assets of the estate have been estimated at $200 to $300 million, but it would surely fetch far less if liquidated. 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. Some people think that the last chance for a settlement died with Electra II. Waggoner left behind in East Texas the grave of his wife. Choose from multiple print sizes and hundreds of frame and mat options. The history and the legend surrounding the Waggoner Ranch are as big as the ground it covers. 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. Thats the case that has been snaking through Judge Tom Neelys Forty-sixth District Court, in Wilbarger County, for these past twelve years. 20% off all products! According to a 2005 article in The Western Horseman Magazine, But another event in 1902 had a lasting impact on the Waggoner Ranch. But we are so far from the lights of townany townthat half an hour before daylight its still pitch black. Disgusted, he continued drilling for water. The ranch is fenced and crossfenced, with an estimated several thousand miles of ranch roads and ranch fencing. For more than a century the520,000-acre Waggoner Ranch has been an inseparable part of the culture and fabric of the Red River country west of Wichita Fallsand of Texas itself. Thats how it was reported in nearly every newspaper in Texas, including the Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and the Houston Chronicle. [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. Consequently, climate data can vary over such a large area of the state. The farmers probably didnt need intimidating. 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. 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. The Waggoner Ranch was established in 1849 by Dan Waggoner. Most sets of pens are capable of handling several thousand head of cattle at one time. Rani's World Foods (Texas & Nevada) - Indian supermarket chain. The major drainages through the ranch are Beaver Creek, which starts on the west side of the ranch and runs through the entirety of the northern portion of the property, and the North Wichita and the South Wichita Rivers, which converge in the southwest portion of the ranch and meander through the entire south side of the property. [11], The ranch has been surveyed by the United States Department of Agriculture for matters of preservation. 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. A drought in the last part of the nineteenth century made the land where the Waggoner Ranch now sits nearly useless for growing crops. In later years, W.T. We try not to put stress on the livestock.. WAGGONER RANCH (VILLAS 18-21) Vernon, TX | Founded 1852 Archer, Baylor, Foard, Knox, Witchita, and Wilbarger Counties Established in 1852, the ranch was primarily used to raise crops, Longhorn cattle and horses. The Waggoner Ranch is a historic north Texas ranch located 13 miles south of Vernon, Texas. Look out there! Hed consult with him and get back to us. On each of those transactions, Kroenke had relied on Leadbetter's counsel and the insights of Sam Connolly, general manager of Kroenke Ranches. (Tom) Waggoner was heard to say, There I was with more than 5,000 big, wild steers, 50 sore-backed horses, $12 and 16 years of my life., In a 1956 article in The Quarter Horse Journal, Franklin Reynolds notes, It was possibly Tom Waggoners experiences with those sorry horses that caused him to resolve to always have good ones. Hughes grew up in Vernon and has been hunting and fishing on the ranch since high school. But by the 1920s, with the advent of the automobile, W.T.s attitude about oil had changed. Many carry the bloodline of Poco Bueno. The Wichita River, the two branches of Beaver Creek, countless small streams and tributaries, and dozens of stock tanks supply the ranchs water. Waggoners have a series of brands that go on each foal, the history of which goes back to the days of W. T. Waggoner. Dan sent Tom (his son), who was only 16 years old at the time, to Kansas City with a herd of 5,000 steers. Now 56, Bucky is one of the protagonists in the battle over the future of the ranch. Some say these deer may have never heard a rifle shot. Our cattle herd consists of approximately 10,000 mother cows comprised of 60 percent Hereford and 40 percent Angus/Hereford and Brangus/Hereford cross. The Municipal Airport at Wichita Falls is served by American Eagle, and the runway is 13,100 feet long. Our ranching operation includes, cattle, horses and the farm. With the trust on the verge of expiring, Bucky and Electra II agreed to extend it until March 31, 2003. Joe Roberson showed me how to read the books. Other areas show substantial regrowth, and those areas of the ranch with a dense canopy of mesquite offer exceptional protection for wildlife. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Concerned about the future of the ranch, W.T. Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch. Perhaps they are afraid of ghosts. Some of these were bred strictly for ranch work, and others for the show arena, but they all had one thing in common, they were cow horses., Poco Bueno was foaled in 1944 and was purchased by E. Paul Waggoner in 1945. Its like watching the death of a huge and magnificent animal: People cant bear to look, yet theyre powerless to turn away. Texas Almanac Rainfall Records show the lowest annual rainfall for this six county area is in Foard and Knox Counties, at 24 inches and 26 inches per year, respectively. Lonny Morrison [Genes attorney] said he knew an expert who could advise on that matter. Bucky and Gene run the operation from offices in the W. T. Waggoner Estate Building. We could drive the 60 miles from Bull Run Pasture, on the northeast corner, where the 10th Cavalry camped in 1871, to the David Camp, on the southwest corner, and never venture outside the Waggoner fence. Shortly before she ended her eighteen-year marriage to A.B., she purchased another magnificent home on Preston Road in Highland Park and named it Shadowlawn. Richard King and Captain James Walworth's King Ranch brand was registered June 27, 1859 3. We have unique items that feature our brand. We met in the boardroom at the Waggoner building, Roberson told me. "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. Skyfood Supermarket (six locations in New York) - Asian Oriental Supermarket. 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. 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. Leave them blank to get signed up. Instead of six bedrooms, it now has four. 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. Some whitetail deer on the Waggoner Ranch are estimated to be of Boone and Crockett quality. Another number brand is placed on the left hip to denote the year. Subscribe Contact Us We love our customers, so feel free to visit during normal business hours. I worked for six months with various people in the oil and the ranching divisions, he told me. Or you draw a line and Ill take first pick.. It was in terrible condition, Joline explained as she showed me through their home. Marketing is done through private treaty and production sales. [5], The ranch is located west of Wichita Falls, Texas, south of Vernon, near the Red River. Please create an account or shop as a guest. . Electra prevailed, as usual. The W. T. Waggoner Estate is the nation's largest ranch under one fence. By the turn of the century, settlers were overrunning Indian reservations, and the open range was all but gone. The ranch originally operated under the name of Dan Waggoner & Son. An additional 320 acres were then purchased in 1856 near the small town of Decatur, marking the first major expansion of Waggoner's estate. [6] Meanwhile, Electra Waggoner Biggs became a renowned sculptor. Roosevelt remembered later: We broke into a lope a mile outside the limits, and by the time we struck the main street, the horses were on a run and we tore down like a whirlwind until we reached the train.. Even when he was a young lad of 14, W.T. (It still is, except for the magnificent Wise County courthouse.) Two of the camp divisions, the Zacaweista and the Santa Rosa, are very highly improved. This land sits atop the Seymour Aquifer, while the ranch itself is bone-dry. The land was used primarily to raise crops, beef cattle and horses as well as for oil production. Reply Anonymous February 3, 2013 at 8:00 PM In May, Judge Neely heard the motion for partial summary judgment and made his ruling. The family made their main homes in the city and returned to the ranch for weekend getaways and holidays. Neither of her parents came to the wedding; biographer Porter reports that E. Paul and Helen were having marital problems. W.T. I just knew that life there was a lot different from life in Albuquerque. In 1963, when Bucky was fifteen, Buster Wharton died, leaving a will that gave his share of the Waggoner estate to his widow and his shotguns to Bucky. began courting Quanah Parker, the Comanche chief, with their eyes on the Big Pasture, a huge block of Indian land just across the Red River in what would eventually become Oklahoma. But when I talked to Judge Neely in October, he told me, No, that wasnt my ruling. The two sides had agreed to this wording: An event has occurred [Buckys notice of termination] which requires the winding up of. After dinner by the creek, Dan suggested that they all ride into Frederick, Oklahoma, personally setting the pace. 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. Both families are already fabulously wealthy, though the wealth is in the land rather than their pockets. Wichita Falls, the county seat of Wichita County, is approximately 20 miles east of the eastern boundary of the ranch. [6], The ranch was originally established in 1852 near Vernon, Texas, by Daniel Waggoner under the name of Dan Waggoner & Son; his son being William Thomas Waggoner, who was an infant at the time. 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. Her best-known work is the statue of Will Rogers on horseback at the entrance to the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, in Fort Worth. Since his retirement, in 1991, Proctor has lived in Vernon, raising a few cows and tending his yard. The Bold Brand - The Land Report Ranching operations began with 230 head of longhorn cattle and some horses. Houses back then were very dark, with low ceilings and small windows. W. T. Waggoner Ranch - LARGEST RANCH UNDER ONE FENCE To Buckys surprise, the Biggs family responded by filing suit, asking the court to liquidate the estate. 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. 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. 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. Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch - Cowboys of Waggoner Ranch John and Electra had two daughtersa third Electra and Helen. Its now the home of Electras grandson, Bucky Wharton, his wife, Joline, and their two children. On a slight rise behind this house is a much grander two-story Spanish-style villa with a red tile roof, a swimming pool, and a formal garden. The sale of the iconic Waggoner Ranch, while marking the end of one era, creates for a new owner the opportunity to begin another. Salt cedar is found along creek and river courses, and cedar is moderate to dense in the rougher, eroded areas of the ranch. The Waggoner Ranch was founded by a man named Dan Waggoner around 1854 when he and his son relocated to a 160-acre farm in Wise County, TX, after the untimely passing of Dan's wife Nancy in 1853. LOCATION Brooks, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, and Willacy counties. They say he was as mad as a nest of hornets. PRIMARY USE cow-calf, feed yard, farming, horses, oil and gas, wild game hunting, birding . After a big wedding in Decatur, the couple honeymooned in Europe and then planned to settle in Philadelphia. The dispute seemed to highlight Bucky and Genes contrasting attitudesone loved the land, the other loved the money. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vista Caliente - Signed Print by Woodrow M. Blagg - Cowboys - Waggoner Ranch at the best online prices at eBay! We invite you to browse through our store and shop with confidence. The majority of the ranch is in native pasture, supporting a mixed variety of palatable native grasses. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? Ill draw a line and you take first pick, he offered. Buster never liked cows; the only thing about the ranch he cared about was horses, especially his polo ponies. They cant wait to get started. Map: The Waggoner Ranch is really, really big, y'all - MySA Dan Waggoner, who was born in Tennessee in 1828, moved to Texas with his family in the mid-1840s.
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