King Ranch | ranch, Texas, United States (2024)

King Ranch, largest ranch in the United States, composed of a group of four tracts of land in southeastern Texas, totaling approximately 825,000 acres (333,800 hectares).

The King Ranch was established by Richard King, a steamboat captain born in 1825 in Orange county, New York. Drawn to Texas by the Mexican War (1846–48), King piloted a steamer on the Rio Grande. After the war he bought his own steamer and went into partnership with Captain Mifflin Kenedy, who had been his commander. King purchased a part of the 75,000-acre (30,350-hectare) Spanish land grant known as Rincon de Santa Gertrudis. The King-Kenedy partnership dissolved in 1868. King and his heirs eventually accumulated more than 1,250,000 acres (505,850 hectares) of land, building an empire (supporting chiefly cattle, sheep, and horses) that spread over Kleberg, Nueces, Kenedy, and Willacy counties in Texas. Headquarters for the ranch are in Kingsville.

After King’s death in 1885, the King Ranch continued to deal in cattle and horses, as well as in sorghum and wheat. Beginning in about 1910, the ranch began to develop the breed of beef cattle known as Santa Gertrudis, which is part Brahman and part Shorthorn. Oil and gas leases, first contracted in the 1940s, provided additional income. By the mid-1970s, the ranch owned millions of acres of land in countries such as Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, and Morocco; falling market prices caused them to sell off much of this land in the 1980s. Now a National Historic Landmark, the ranch—which provided the model for Edna Ferber’s novel Giant (1952)—remains an important working centre of agricultural production; its museum and visitor centre draw tens of thousands of guests each year.

King Ranch | ranch, Texas, United States (2024)

FAQs

King Ranch | ranch, Texas, United States? ›

The King Ranch LK brand, still in use today, stands for partners Lewis and King. King and Lewis established a cow camp on Santa Gertrudis Creek. During this time, Richard King purchased the Rincón de Santa Gertrudis grant, a 15,500 acres (63 km2; 24.2 sq mi) holding that encompassed present-day Kingsville, Texas.

Who currently owns the King Ranch in Texas? ›

The King Ranch LK brand, still in use today, stands for partners Lewis and King. King and Lewis established a cow camp on Santa Gertrudis Creek. During this time, Richard King purchased the Rincón de Santa Gertrudis grant, a 15,500 acres (63 km2; 24.2 sq mi) holding that encompassed present-day Kingsville, Texas.

What is the King Ranch in Texas famous for? ›

Over the course of over 160 years, King Ranch led some of the first cattle drives, developed the Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz breeds of cattle, bred the finest Quarter Horses, and produced champion Thoroughbreds—all under its iconic Running W® brand.

Does anyone live on King Ranch Texas? ›

Today only one of the estimated two hundred lineal descendants of Richard and Henrietta King works and lives full-time on the ranch: 31-year-old James Clement III, whose father, Dallas resident James H. Clement Jr., is the chairman of the King Ranch board of directors.

How much does it cost to get into the King Ranch in Texas? ›

Cost: The 4-hour Special Interest Tour – $160.00 + tax minimum (up to two people); additional people $80 + tax/person. RESERVATIONS must be made in advance for these tours. Private vehicles are not allowed on King Ranch tours. Only service animals are allowed on tours.

How much money does King Ranch make a year? ›

King Ranch revenue is $58.0M annually.

What is the largest family owned ranch in Texas? ›

King Ranch, largest ranch in the United States, composed of a group of four tracts of land in southeastern Texas, totaling approximately 825,000 acres (333,800 hectares). The King Ranch was established by Richard King, a steamboat captain born in 1825 in Orange county, New York.

Who owns the largest ranch in the US? ›

The nation's largest private landowners are the Emmerson family in California who own over 2.4 million acres. The bulk of that land is dedicated to timber in Northern California. But the most headline-worthy transaction of 2022 was the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas.

What is the largest ranch in the world? ›

The largest ranch in the world is Anna Creek Station, a cattle ranch operating in Australia. This ranch measures 2,000,000 acres or 3,100 square miles, larger than Israel and the state of New Hampshire. The ranch is located in a very remote part of the country called South Australia.

What are King Ranch Cowboys called? ›

The King Ranch is in south Texas. That's at the bottom of the state. Today, the King Ranch is the biggest cattle ranch in the whole world! The vaqueros who work there have a special name: "Kineños."

How many employees work on King Ranch in Texas? ›

King Ranch has 776 employees. 38% of King Ranch employees are women, while 62% are men.

How many animals are in the King Ranch in Texas? ›

Today, King Ranch sprawls across 825,000 acres of South Texas land, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island. As the home of 35,000 cattle and over 200 Quarter Horses, King Ranch is one of the largest ranches in the world today.

Who owns the largest ranch in Texas? ›

Waggoner Ranch
W. T. Waggoner Estate
CountryUnited States of America
Construction started1849
OwnerStan Kroenke
Grounds510,527 acres
2 more rows

What is the most expensive ranch in Texas? ›

#1 Sandow Lakes Ranch, Texas | $250,000,000

Sandow Lakes Ranch covers 33,800 acres and is for sale at $250 million.

Who owned a 600000 acre ranch in South Texas that is still there today? ›

Briscoe Ranch

The second largest ranch in Texas, the 600,000+ acres Briscoe Family ranch was once home to the largest individual landowner in Texas, Gov. Dolph Briscoe, Jr., known to close relatives as “Big Daddy”.

What ranches make the most money? ›

Large cattle ranches make the most money because of the price of a cow.

Do ranch owners make good money? ›

As of May 26, 2023, the average annual pay for a Ranch Owner in the United States is $131,526 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $63.23 an hour.

How many families live at King Ranch? ›

There are a total of 26,038 households in King Ranch Estates, each made up of around 3 members. Family establishments represent 77.25% of these King Ranch Estates households, while non-family units account for the remaining 22.75%.

What ranch is bigger than King Ranch? ›

Summary of the 12 Largest Ranches in Texas
RankRanchAcreage
1King Ranch800,000
2Briscoe Ranches640,000
3O'Connor Family Ranch587,000
4Waggoner Ranch535,000
8 more rows
May 1, 2023

Who owns the most land in Texas? ›

1. Jay Kleberg and The King Heirs. King Ranch, spans an astounding 900,000 acres across a vast expanse of South Texas.

How big is the 6666 Ranch in Texas? ›

Being one of the largest ranches in Texas, the 6666's Ranch comprises 142,372 acres, more or less. To put this massive ranch in perspective, the ranch encompasses almost 225 square miles of land. The ranch generally measures approximately 20 miles long from north to south and around 12 miles wide from east to west.

Who is the richest rancher in America? ›

Largest private land owners in the United States in 2021
NameAcres
1Emmerson family2,330,000 2,330,000
2John Malone2,200,000 2,200,000
3Reed family2,100,000 2,100,000
4Ted Turner2,000,000 2,000,000
10 more rows
Aug 16, 2022

Who owns most property in the world? ›

The Biggest Landowners in the World
RankNameLocations
1King Charles III and the British Royal FamilyUnited Kingdom, Canada
2Catholic ChurchWorldwide
3Inuit People of NunavutCanada
4Gina RinehartAustralia, United States
21 more rows

Which US state has the most ranches? ›

Texas had the most farms in the United States in 2021 followed by Missouri and Iowa.

Who owns the most expensive ranch? ›

However, the most expensive ranch ever sold in the U.S. is a title that remains with the W.T. Waggoner Ranch. The sprawling 510,000-acre estate in Texas was purchased in 2016 by billionaire real estate and sports mogul Stan Kroenke for a whopping $725 million.

What is the oldest ranch in Texas? ›

With that in mind, the oldest surviving ranch in Texas is possibly Rancho de la Purisima Conceptión, founded in 1716.

Who owns the most cows in USA? ›

South Dakota has the most cattle per person in the United States followed by Nebraska and Montana.
RankStateHuman
1South Dakota844,877
2Nebraska1,868,516
3Montana1,015,165
4North Dakota723,393
46 more rows
Apr 16, 2023

Who owns the most cows? ›

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USA), India is the country with the largest number of cows worldwide. This country precisely protects cattle for being "sacred".

What is the biggest cowboy ranch in the world? ›

If you don't have $725 million for the Waggoner Ranch, the world's largest working cattle ranch is on the market. Australia's remote Anna Creek Station clocks in at roughly 6 million acres—more than seven times the size of King Ranch in Texas–and its sale package will include 160,000 head of cattle.

What is 6666 Ranch known for? ›

Located near Guthrie, Texas, the ranch is dedicated to the production of the finest American Quarter Horses and Angus cattle in the country, as well as providing state-of-the-art veterinary and reproductive services.

What ranch is Yellowstone based on? ›

The Dutton family's gorgeous log cabin is actually a 5,000-square foot mansion located on Chief Joseph Ranch near Darby, Montana. Just like on TV, it' a real working cattle ranch and family home—and it's totally stunning, of course.

What is a Texas cowboy called? ›

Vaqueros: The Original Cowboys of Texas.

What race were the first cowboys? ›

But, as much as film stars John Wayne, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry come to mind when “cowboy” is mentioned, the first actual cowboys in the Americas were Spanish vaqueros who introduced cattle to Mexico in the 1500s.

How much does the King Ranch pay Cowboys? ›

Total Pay Estimate & Range

The estimated total pay for a Cowboy at King Ranch is $62,064 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated base pay is $56,809 per year.

How many Ford trucks does King Ranch own? ›

King Ranch Ford F-Series Trucks

Ford Motor Company and King Ranch are built on the same heritage, ruggedness, and authenticity. It's why King Ranch trusts Ford as a strong partner and why King Ranch depends on a fleet of 260 Ford trucks to get the job done every day at King Ranch.

Is King Ranch privately owned? ›

A private company, King Ranch is owned by 60 or so descendants of company founder Captain Richard King, a legendary figure in the history of cattle ranching in the United States.

Who has the most cattle in Texas? ›

Deaf Smith

How did the King Ranch in Texas get so big? ›

During the Civil War years, King began farming the land. Early on, a drought hit South Texas, and King hired townspeople who sold him their cattle to work his land in exchange for shelter and food. By the end of the war, the acreage had grown by more than 100,000 acres and King's cattle business was thriving.

Can you hunt King Ranch in Texas? ›

one of the most exclusive hunting destinations in America and one of the Lone Star State's most iconic treasures. King Ranch, comprising over 825,000 acres in South Texas, is the premier destination for hunting in the United States.

What are the 4 largest ranches in Texas? ›

The 10 Biggest Ranches in Texas
  • Waggoner Ranch - 535,000 acres.
  • O'Connor Family Ranches - 500,000 acres. ...
  • Hughes Ranch - 390,000 acres. ...
  • Longfellow Ranch - 350,000 acres. ...
  • Nunley Brothers - 301,500 acres. ...
  • Kokernot Heirs (06 Ranch) - 278,000 acres. ...
  • The Four Sixes Ranch - 275,000 acres. ...
  • Jones Family Ranch - 255,000 acres. ...
May 27, 2022

Who owns 6666 Ranch? ›

How many ranches does Taylor Sheridan own? In addition to the famous 6666 Ranch, Taylor Sheridan owns Bosque Ranch in Weatherford, Texas. The equine ranch hosts competitions and is expanding its operations with TV and film shoots, concerts and festivals, dining, and special events.

What was the largest ranch in Texas just sold? ›

The 510,000-acre W.T. Waggoner Ranch spans nearly 800 square miles and is believed to be the largest ranch behind a single fence in the U.S., said Joel Leadbetter of Hall and Hall, who represented Kroenke in the deal.

What is the oldest family owned ranch in Texas? ›

Located nine miles south of the Alamo, between Leon Creek and the Medina River, Rancho de la Purisima Conceptión may quite possibly the oldest surviving ranch in North America, And, incredibly, is still owned by the same family.

What breed did King Ranch create? ›

Santa Gertrudis, breed of beef cattle developed in the 20th century by the King Ranch in Texas. It originally resulted from crossing Brahman bulls of about seven-eighths pure breeding and purebred Shorthorn cows.

What is the oldest ranch in the world? ›

Sierra Bonita Ranch
LocationGraham County, Arizona, USA
Nearest cityWillcox, Arizona
Coordinates32°30′37″N 110°02′25″W
Built1872
Significant dates
11 more rows

What is the oldest family owned ranch? ›

Tuttle Farm, now known as Tender Crop, has often been referred to as having been the oldest known family-owned farm in the United States; however, this claim has been challenged. The Shirley Plantation in Charles City, Virginia, was founded in 1613 and has been in operation since 1638.

Who runs the King Ranch today? ›

The King Ranch LK brand, still in use today, stands for partners Lewis and King. King and Lewis established a cow camp on Santa Gertrudis Creek. During this time, Richard King purchased the Rincón de Santa Gertrudis grant, a 15,500 acres (63 km2; 24.2 sq mi) holding that encompassed present-day Kingsville, Texas.

Who is the CEO of King Ranch? ›

Robert Hodgen - Chief Executive Officer - King Ranch, Inc.

Is the King Ranch in Texas privately owned? ›

A private company, King Ranch is owned by 60 or so descendants of company founder Captain Richard King, a legendary figure in the history of cattle ranching in the United States.

Does Taylor Sheridan own the 6666 Ranch? ›

How many ranches does Taylor Sheridan own? In addition to the famous 6666 Ranch, Taylor Sheridan owns Bosque Ranch in Weatherford, Texas. The equine ranch hosts competitions and is expanding its operations with TV and film shoots, concerts and festivals, dining, and special events.

Who owns the largest cattle ranch in Texas? ›

Waggoner Ranch
W. T. Waggoner Estate
CountryUnited States of America
Construction started1849
OwnerStan Kroenke
Grounds510,527 acres
2 more rows

How much do King Ranch Cowboys make? ›

How does the salary as a Cowboy at King Ranch compare with the base salary range for this job? The average salary for a Cowboy is $52,764 per year in United States, which is 14% lower than the average King Ranch salary of $62,064 per year for this job.

What is the biggest ranch in the world? ›

The largest ranch in the world is Anna Creek Station, a cattle ranch operating in Australia. This ranch measures 2,000,000 acres or 3,100 square miles, larger than Israel and the state of New Hampshire. The ranch is located in a very remote part of the country called South Australia.

What ranch is Yellowstone filmed at? ›

The Dutton family's gorgeous log cabin is actually a 5,000-square foot mansion located on Chief Joseph Ranch near Darby, Montana. Just like on TV, it' a real working cattle ranch and family home—and it's totally stunning, of course. "On the ranch, we're actually filming where it's actually set.

Who owns Yellowstone ranch? ›

Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States located in the Paradise Valley in Park County, Montana, east of Bozeman and west of Livingston. The ranch is owned by John Dutton.

Who is the richest rancher in Texas? ›

1. Jay Kleberg and The King Heirs. King Ranch, spans an astounding 900,000 acres across a vast expanse of South Texas.

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