The
King Ranch 1,250,000 acres
The King Ranch is the largest ranch in the continental United
States. It includes 1,250,000 acres spreading over four counties and is larger
than Rhode Island. The man who created the ranch, Richard King, came to the
Rio Grande to captain one of the riverboats that supplied the army during
the Mexican War. In 1853 he purchased a Spanish land grant, called the Santa
Gertrudis.
The area was so sparsely settled then that he had to go
to Mexico to buy the cattle to stock his land and to find men to work the
ranch. During the Civil War, the King was a way station on the Cotton Road,
the lifeline of the Confederacy over which cotton was hauled to Mexico to
trade for war materials. After the war the famous Running W brand followed
the cattle trails to northern markets. As he prospered, King bought more land.
Among the achievements of the ranch are the improvement of the herds, which
led to the production of a new breed of cattle called the Santa Gertrudis.
The ranch also was the home of a stable that has produced several Kentucky
Derby winners, but now breeds quarter horses.
Visitors may take self-guided driving tour on a 12-mile
loop road (a cassette describing the tour may be rented at the gatehouse).
The drive includes views of feeding and show pens, and pastures containing
cattle and quarter horses.
Location: The ranch is
located in Kingsville, near Corpus Christi. Travel west on Hwy 44 to Robstown,
then south on Route 77 to Kingsville. Travel west on Hwy 141 through 5 stoplights
to a set of flashing lights at the visitor center.
