Another number brand is placed on the left hip to denote the year. Two large, privately-owned lakes are located on the Waggoner Ranch. [6], In 1991, Electra Waggoner Biggs sued to be able to sell the ranch. Though its a nicer house, the Willinghams have never moved up there. They built him a grand home on West Cache Creek, the only permanent structure between Fort Sill and the Texas border, and the chief decorated the roof of his Comanche White House with fourteen stars, symbolizing his generalship in battle. B. Wharton III, known as Bucky. When I asked Joline if they had found any memorabilia from Electras time, she laughed. 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. divided the ranch that he and his dad had founded into four large tracts. In a deposition filed with the court in 2001, Bucky acknowledged: We do not meet face to face, just he and I. Waggoner raised Quarter Horses on the ranch, including Poco Bueno, who was buried on the ranch. 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. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. I can remember the Firestones and the Beverages and the cream of New York society flying in for those matches, Don Ross Malone, a Vernon attorney and son of the former game warden for the ranch, told me. Waggoner biographer Roze McCoy Porter writes that Electra spent $90,000 remodeling the one-year-old mansion and another $55,000 on draperies. In the late sixties Bucky attended the University of the Americas, in Mexico City. Copyright 2023 Waggoner Ranch Store - All Rights Reserved. Approximately 160,000 acres of the 560,000 acres areproven prolific oilproperties. 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. We have unique items that feature our brand. In early 1963 Buster filed a lawsuit, seeking a dispensation to sell shares, but he died before the matter was litigated. Killen knew that Bucky was strapped with legal fees from the court battles of the sixties, Hughes told me. As it turned out, he didnt. I worked a couple of weeks gauging wells. The substantial structural improvements, thousands of miles of fences and roads, hundreds of earthen pond dam sites, rolling stock, waterlines, natural gas and oilfield lines, oil field equipment, the Waggoner office building, the included livestock (horses and cattle) and the entire operation are offered as a turn-key sale on an as-is, where-is basis. Some people think that the last chance for a settlement died with Electra II. (It still is, except for the magnificent Wise County courthouse.) 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. The land was used primarily to raise crops, beef cattleand horsesas well as for oil production. W.T. Vernon, the county seat of Wilbarger County, is located approximately 12 miles due north of the ranch. [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. Our horses are American Quarter Horses and we raise them for our use on the ranch. [6] It has about 14,000 cows and bulls as well as 500 horses. I tried college in Vernon for a little while, but it wasnt for me. We invite you to browse through our store and shop with confidence. 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. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. One thing you dont see on the ranch is windmills. I ask him what he thinks of the family feud that threatens to end the way of life that he knew. 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. and fellow cattle baron Burk Burnett sent their pet Indian to Washington, D.C., in 1905 to ride in President Theodore Roosevelts second inaugural paradeand to invite Roosevelt to go wolf hunting on the Big Pasture. The Waggoner is one of the 20 largest cattle ranches in the U.S. and is known worldwide for its quarter horses. Seafood City (California, Hawaii, Washington, Nevada, Illinois) - Filipino American. It would be Helens husband, Gene Willingham, who would one day become Bucky Whartons main opponent in the struggle over the Waggoner Ranch. As previously noted, this massive holding spans six North Texas counties. The majority of the ranch is in native pasture, supporting a mixed variety of palatable native grasses. To make the trip, Dan gave Tom $12, a group of drovers, and 50 saddle horses, all of which had sores on their backs from heavy use. The W.T. 27 of 56 28 of 56 Cowboys on the Waggoner Ranch brand calves in the spring of 1983. 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. After the Biggses requested liquidation, he hired Hughes and Roberson to draw a map, splitting the ranch in a way that would be acceptable to both sides. To Buckys surprise, the Biggs family responded by filing suit, asking the court to liquidate the estate. The South and Westernportionsof the ranch are within the shelf and slope regions ofthe carbonate platform where the application ofnew seismictechnology tied to solid geological models will lead to a verysuccessful venture. Ranching operations began with 230 head of longhorn cattle and some horses. Its second only to the King Ranch in size, and second to none in its history of drink, divorce, and dissension. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. (and future trustees) would have the sole right to make all management decisions. W.T. He went on and on about how heartbroken he was and how much he missed them, but he didnt write them. These camps range in size from just over 20,000 acres to nearly 40,000 acres each. Two years after Prathers resignation, Bucky gave notice of termination of the trust in a letter to Electra IIs family. Weve root-plowed, sprayed, pulled it up with a tractor, dug it up with a backhoe. 1700 Deaf Smith St., Vernon, TX 76384, US. The dam was right on the dividing line. When my wife got sick with cancer, Gene and Buck got the company plane to fly her to M. D. Anderson. Dan died in 1903, leaving everything to Tom. After a big wedding in Decatur, the couple honeymooned in Europe and then planned to settle in Philadelphia. Consequently, climate data can vary over such a large area of the state. Some whitetail deer on the Waggoner Ranch are estimated to be of Boone and Crockett quality. Oil was a nuisance, and any good cattleman knew the value of water. 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 color of this ground is the color of the ranch, Bucky told me as we bumped over the maze of rutted roads, he driving his Toyota Land Cruiser and talking nonstop and I jumping out to open gates. 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. Hes not a large man, but his pleasant and unassuming manner and his quiet, considered confidence give him stature. The horses are bred for working ranch purposes,and many still carry the bloodline of the famous quarter horse, Poco Bueno; Decendants of the Waggoner family sold the ranch to Kroenke-Ranches of Bozeman, MT in 2016. (Tom) Waggoner had a good eye for quality horse flesh and developed a herd of broodmares to produce working ranch geldings for his cowboys. Mesquite is the major invader in this part of Texas. She left the motor running, didnt even bother to shut it off, and walked to the depot and took the next train out of town. When Guy moved to New Mexico, Tony Hazelwood, who hated his guts, showed his disrespect by storing oats on the homes prized hardwood floors. All rights reserved. [9] It also includes 30,000 acres of arable land and about 1,100 producing oil wells. Waggoner Estate Ranch. 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. [8] By 1903, he sold some of the land near China Creek to developers. Since Electra IIs death, in 2001, the board has been composed of these two men who rarely speak to each other. This treated water is used for human consumption to serve the substantial headquarter improvements. Its a constant battle. Over these past three decades, Bucky has absorbed every inch of this ranch and most of its colorful history. Buster too had multiple spouses (four, to be exact), but his only heir was A. [6], After W.T. While drilling for water, W.T. Sep 1989 - Present33 years 6 months. The other half belonged to Electra Waggoner Biggs, through various trusts. The history and the legend surrounding the Waggoner Ranch are as big as the ground it covers. The Waggoner Ranch was established in 1849 by Dan Waggoner. Potential buyers include a group of Japanese investors, Ross Perot Jr., Boone Pickens, even the Mormon churchor so go the rumors. Seymour, the county seat of Baylor County, is several miles south of the ranch, and has a runway that is 4,300 feet long. 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. Bernard Uechtritz of Briggs-Freeman Sothebys International Realty in Dallas, and Sam Middleton, of Chas. 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. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? An enormous picture window with a panoramic view of the ranch replaced the porthole-size window of 1910. The Wichita River, the two branches of Beaver Creek, countless small streams and tributaries, and dozens of stock tanks supply the ranchs water. Dan took advantage of this great opportunity. Waggoner Ranch is a working one, with 20 cowboy camps scattered throughout the property to house the more than 120 workers. Our ranching operation includes, cattle, horses and the farm. Killen told Bucky, Take this, go back to New Mexico, and live your life. The wooded river and creek courses offer exceptional cover and desirable habitat for native game. Wharton, a Philadelphia blue blood she met while traveling in the Himalayas. Buster Wharton Jr., a polo player, playboy, and famous drunk who died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1963. What does it take to be a good cowboy? I ask. Add to cart. In the Roaring Twenties, Electra Waggoner was the most infamous socialite in Texas. Joe Roberson, who was the estates auditor for many years, describes him this way: Big belt buckle, expensive boots, a bottle of whiskey. E. Paul had a good eye for horseshe bought Poco Bueno, the great cutting horse sireand loved to be seen as the ultimate cattle baron, but a retired Waggoner Ranch foreman named G. L. Proctor told me, He wasnt much of a rider. Meanwhile, the Waggoner family tree was sprouting more branches. By that time, Ella had died, at the age of one hundred, and her successor as trustee was John Biggs, the son-in-law whom E. Paul had groomed for the job. 20% off all products! After a hard rain, this endless maze of graded red clay becomes a network of quagmires. 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. On the other three sides are a number of buildings constructed of identical reddish-brown stone, quarried on the eastern part of the ranch. W.T. He was teaching at Will Rogers Elementary School, in Houston, where Helen Biggs was also a teacher. By the time he was 27, Tom had full reins of the Waggoner cattle empire.. All canvas prints are professionally printed, assembled, and shipped within 3 - 4 business days and delivered ready-to-hang on your wall. [14] Her second cousin, Albert Buckman Wharton III, also known as Bucky Wharton, who was Buster Wharton's son, appealed to stop the liquidation. The family feud began the moment the old man rigged the game. Today, it is estimated there are over 1,000 producing oil wells on the Waggoner Ranch, with the W.T. The Waggoner (Three D) Ranch had its beginnings in the early 1850s when Daniel Waggoner, his son W. T. (Tom), and a fifteen-year-old Black slave trailed 242 cattle and six horses into Wise County. This sprawling property is approximately three-fourths the size of Rhode Island. Didnt any of them have to work or suffer to get it. Electra married A.B. Approximately 30,000 acres are in cultivation. By the 1880s, the Waggoners Victorian mansion, El Castile, was the most prominent structure in Decatur. Electra died in 1925 at the age of 43, her life and much of her fortune spent on extravagance. This iconic ranch property has been owned and operated by Waggoner heirs for approximately 165 years. We try not to put stress on the livestock.. 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. This is a diverse operation consisting of cattle, horses, farming, oil, recreational lakes and wildlife. Dan sent Tom (his son), who was only 16 years old at the time, to Kansas City with a herd of 5,000 steers. Nothing is too trivial to spark an argument. Perhaps they are afraid of ghosts. Vernon Regional Airport has a 5,100 foot long runway. I got two dollars a match. Cecil Smith, the world-famous ten-goal player, rode with Busters Waggoner Ranch team. The ranch is fenced and crossfenced, with an estimated several thousand miles of ranch roads and ranch fencing. The two sides have never been able to agree on a replacement. Nearby Vernon, which serves as the famed headquarters for the ranch operations office complex, receives an average of 28 inches per year. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. hoped that his kids would learn to ranch and develop a sense of responsibility. Yesterday a helicopter herded one hundred mother cows and their calves into a trapa corner of the large pastureand soon cowboys on horseback will be stripping the calves away from their mothers, herding them into separate pens and loading them onto trucks for transportation to other parts of the ranch. In 1869 Dan made seventeen-year-old W.T. The dispute seemed to highlight Bucky and Genes contrasting attitudesone loved the land, the other loved the money. What he got was just the opposite. Why do they fight on? In one last attempt to keep the range open, W.T. [9] One of the lakes on the ranch provides water for the City of Wichita Falls. One side wants the ranch divided equally but otherwise left intact. Historically, the Waggoner Ranch has been operated as a cow/calf ranching unit, with stocker cattle used for seasonal grazing on wheat fields. Texas Purple Hull Pea Festival Is More Than an Event. The Municipal Airport at Wichita Falls is served by American Eagle, and the runway is 13,100 feet long. Some people believe that she would never have permitted the sale of the Waggoner Ranch. 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. By the turn of the century, settlers were overrunning Indian reservations, and the open range was all but gone. Guy had a weakness for the ladies; he once skipped town with the lead actress from a traveling burlesque show. Originally, Dan Waggoner burned the Reversed 3Ds into the right hip, thigh or rib of his cattle; however, as the price of hides increased, it made economic sense to only use one Reversed D in order to save more of the hide. He kept the east side of the ranch, called White Face, for himself. She was strikingly pretty, with a long, sensitive face and dark, sparkling eyes. Now he lives in the bunkhouse. All pens are very well maintained. Hed consult with him and get back to us. All framed prints are professionally printed, framed, assembled, and shipped within 3 - 4 business days and delivered ready-to-hang on your wall. Waggoner Ranch with all of its history and be a part of its future unbridled potential. It seems inconceivable that they cant agree on a compromise. In addition to land and cattle, the family owned five banks, three cottonseed mills, and a coal company. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. The operation can breed outside mares as well as ship cooled or frozen semen. Main interests of the company are ranching, oil, and approximately 26,000 acres in cultivation. The Waggoner Ranch can be characterized as a potential sportsmans paradise. 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. 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. Waggoner had built a great ranch, but in 1909 he was 57 years old and thinking about its future. Shortly after leaving, he got his draft notice, at the height of the Vietnam War. A unified decision has now been made by the shareholders to sell this legendary ranch. 2021 Chas S Middleton and Son. He ended up using it for cattle dip, and the well became Electras city dump., Near the entrance to Zacaweista, once the home of the first Electra, we stop at the grave of Poco Bueno. had said, I want to run the most cattle, breed the best horses and work harder than anyone. When he was 17, his dad made him a full partner. The ranch was established in 1849 and spans six Texas counties and almost 800 square miles. St Louis, Missouri, United States. The Waggoner Ranch owns all of the land surrounding and under these lakes, but the water itself is used for off-site municipal water purposes. ACRES 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.
Florida Man September 25, 2005,
Florida Man September 26 2002,
Articles W