In 1879, the Waggoners foiled rustlers by changing their brand from the D-71 to the now-legendary three reverse Ds. [6] Meanwhile, Electra Waggoner Biggs became a renowned sculptor. [6] Other towns nearby include Electra and Seymour. These cows are bred to Hereford, Angus, and Charolais bulls. But by the 1920s, with the advent of the automobile, W.T.s attitude about oil had changed. Waggoner biographer Roze McCoy Porter writes that Electra spent $90,000 remodeling the one-year-old mansion and another $55,000 on draperies. 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. My first job was walkin hotscooling down winded horsesbetween chuckers. 1700 Deaf Smith St., Vernon, TX 76384, US. The entryway is glass, and there is a skylight over the vaulted ceiling above the staircase. This well-renowned offering includes the 510,527 contiguous acres, together with all permanent improvements, approximately 41.67% of the mineral estate, all water rights, and all wind generation royalty rights. Both families are already fabulously wealthy, though the wealth is in the land rather than their pockets. 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 The American Quarter Horse Journal, Jim Jennings writes, The Waggoner contribution to the Quarter Horse industry has long been recognized. A unified decision has now been made by the shareholders to sell this legendary ranch. In over 165 years of the Waggoner family ownership, commercial hunting has never been allowed on this expansive ranch. Hed consult with him and get back to us. The cowboys are already waiting on horseback just outside the loading pens, cutting up like schoolboys awaiting the bell for recess. Potential buyers include a group of Japanese investors, Ross Perot Jr., Boone Pickens, even the Mormon churchor so go the rumors. (Waggoner) hit oil instead. By the time he was 27, Tom had full reins of the Waggoner cattle empire.. Sold! Texas's legendary Waggoner ranch bought by Arsenal owner Stan Buckys home sits on one side of the square. . Back in town, I am introduced to 79-year-old G. L. Proctor, the old cowboy who Weldon Hawley has modeled himself after. Its now the residence of Gene and Helen Willingham. The Waggoner Ranch was ordered liquidated. When it is necessary for them to be in the same room, they let third parties do the talking. [6] It has about 14,000 cows and bulls as well as 500 horses. 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. Seafood City (California, Hawaii, Washington, Nevada, Illinois) - Filipino American. Thistle Hill, as Electras mansion was called, stands to this day on the crest of Summit Avenue, near downtown. The Bronc-busting, Cow-punching, Death-defying Legend of Boots ONeal, At Texas Swingers Clubs, the Lifestyle Is Booming. 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 only time we dont work, Hawley tells me, is when its raining and lightning, or when its very hot. 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. When Helens father died, in 1975, they moved to the ranch, where Gene gradually assumed the position of head of the family. The answer lies in the rich and rowdy heritage of the Waggoner clan. The Waggoner Ranch can be characterized as a potential sportsmans paradise. [10], By 1909, W.T. The W. T. Waggoner Estate is the nation's largest ranch under one fence. Some people dont see it, but shes beautiful. The only thing I can figure, it was give to them. This is your chance to purchase the W.T. Nothing is too trivial to spark an argument. The other half belonged to Electra Waggoner Biggs, through various trusts. The three smaller, 85,000-acre parcelsZacaweista, Four Corners, and Santa Rosawere gifts to his three children, Electra, Guy, and E. Paul. I cant sit down, never could, he tells me. The Waggoner has been owned by the same family almost as long as Texas been a state. There are none to be seen, because there is not a drop of groundwater. It comprises 520,000 acres in six counties, and is the home for 12,000 mother cows. Jim Hughes, a longtime attorney for the Waggoner estate who was being groomed to become a trustee before the feud cost him the opportunity, slows down as a dozen or more wild turkeys scamper across the highway and disappear into thick stands of mesquite. The rich and spoiled siblings nearly squandered the family fortune on wild parties, all-night poker games, trips around the world, and divorce settlements. (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. 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. Thats where Electra Waggoner Biggs lived and where she kept her studio, Hughes tells me. W.T. Its now the home of Electras grandson, Bucky Wharton, his wife, Joline, and their two children. She joined him in the apartment, and they set to work remodeling the Zacaweista mansion, which had sat vacant for nearly a dozen years. Historically, the Waggoner Ranch has been operated as a cow/calf ranching unit, with stocker cattle used for seasonal grazing on wheat fields. After a hard rain, this endless maze of graded red clay becomes a network of quagmires. Photographs of his wife and children occupied a bookshelf beside four footballs labeled Coach Bucky Whartongifts from former University of Texas coach David McWilliams, whod invited Wharton to join him on the sidelines at several UT games. What does it take to be a good cowboy? I ask. 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. What the new buyer gets with this $725 million North Texas ranch The squabbling that has ensnared the ranch for almost a century began on Christmas Day of. All I ever knew is the Waggoner Ranch, he tells me. W. T. Waggoner Ranch is currently developing hunting opportunities for quail, wild hog and deer. But Buckys mother was not about to give up her sons inheritance without a fight. 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. To sum up the great legacy of the Waggoner Horse Program, it has produced three AQHA Hall of Fame Members (one Waggoner heir and two Waggoner horses): E. Paul Waggoner, Poco Bueno and Poco Lena; it is the number one All-Time Leading Breeder of NCHA Hall of Fame Members, Poco Lena, Poco Mona, Poco Stampede and Snipper W; it is the number three All-Time Breeder of AQHA Champions; and it is the Breeder of All-Time Leading Sires, Poco Pine, Poco Tivio, Poco Dell and Poco Bob. Some say these deer may have never heard a rifle shot. Many carry the bloodline of Poco Bueno. Its like watching the death of a huge and magnificent animal: People cant bear to look, yet theyre powerless to turn away. Ranching operations began with 230 head of longhorn cattle and some horses. He had grown up in Albuquerque, where his mother, the third of Buster Whartons four wives, had moved after their divorce, when Bucky was two. You can still see Busters polo fields across the road from the big house Electra had built, next to his landing strip, and the skeet- and trap-shooting range where he and his guests gunned down live pigeons. 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 Two large, privately-owned lakes are located on the Waggoner Ranch. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. Since Electra IIs death, in 2001, the board has been composed of these two men who rarely speak to each other. Another number brand is placed on the left hip to denote the year. (It still is, except for the magnificent Wise County courthouse.) Ill draw a line and you take first pick, he offered. All-night parties that started at Shadowlawn sometimes ended up on the ranch, after a trip by private railroad car, so that Eastern dandies could be treated to the sights of cowboys branding and castrating calves. FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) One of the largest ranches in the U.S. and an icon for Texas horse and cattlemen has been listed for $725 million, marking the end of a decades-long courtroom battle among. The W.T. Leave them blank to get signed up. Sign up to receive timely, useful information in your inbox. 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). The main headquarters at the Waggoner Ranch has municipal-quality water from Vernon. Lake Kemp, a popular North Texas fishing and recreational site, is located approximately 40 miles west of Wichita Falls in Cara Blanca Park, the recreational park surrounding the lake. Seymour, the county seat of Baylor County, is several miles south of the ranch, and has a runway that is 4,300 feet long. W.T. Bickering and backstabbing have been a way of life in the family. In later years, W.T. As the frontier pushed westward, he expanded his herd and bought more land, in Clay and Wichita counties. Waggoner first settled his wife and son, William Thomas (Tom) Waggoner,qv in a home on Catlett Creek near the site of present Decatur. 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. Other areas show substantial regrowth, and those areas of the ranch with a dense canopy of mesquite offer exceptional protection for wildlife. By the 1880s, the Waggoners Victorian mansion, El Castile, was the most prominent structure in Decatur. Approximately 30,000 acres are in cultivation. No way I could live in the city. He means Vernon (population: 12,000). They were super, super people. Nevertheless, Smith resigned in 1997, tired of being caught in the middle of the power struggle. The property is divided into approximately 16 camp or division units. We have unique items that feature our brand. Ranch Manager. 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. Today the ranch consists of approximately 535,000 acres, and is recognized as the largest ranch in Texas under one fence. ACRES 825,000. The ranch is reported to be the largest contiguous ranching operation of its kind under one fence in Texas, and one of the largest in the United States. It may be many years before a similar ranch of this magnitude becomes available, if ever. 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. It is doubtful there is any other contiguous area of this magnitude in Texas which has had no commercial hunting pressure since the land was first settled. Waggoner, a widower, and his young son, William Thomas, settled on Catlett Creek, near present-day Decatur. Marketing is done through private treaty and production sales. Richard King and Captain James Walworth's King Ranch brand was registered June 27, 1859 3. Vernon, the county seat of Wilbarger County, is located approximately 12 miles due north of the ranch. These camps range in size from just over 20,000 acres to nearly 40,000 acres each. 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 Texanist: Why Dont Texas Houses Have Basements? 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. 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. 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. 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. . asked his children to draw cards for the three parcels. A good cowboy does what the foreman tells him and waits for his paycheck and for the sun to go down., Now the sun is going down on the Waggoner Ranch, perhaps forever. 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. Waggoner Ranch - Wikipedia Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Making Texas history: Legendary Waggoner Ranch sells to Rams owner 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. [4] It was acquired by Stan Kroenke, who is married to Ann Walton (niece of Sam Walton), in February 2016. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. He served as trustee, and his three children, Guy Waggoner, Electra Waggoner Wharton, and E. Paul Waggoner comprised the Board of Directors. There is also a rumor that the Willinghams have already bought a home in Fort Worth. Hawley is the ranch manager, and Im sitting in the passenger seat of his pickup, holding my third cup of coffee. At an early age, Dan started building what would become a ranching empire and founded the Waggoner Ranch in 1849. It seems inconceivable that they cant agree on a compromise. reclaimed all land and assets in 1923 and placed them in a so-called Massachusetts trust, a draconian arrangement in which he, as the trustee, controlled everything, including one of the biggest shallow oil fields in the world. Electra died in 1925 at the age of 43, her life and much of her fortune spent on extravagance. We met in the boardroom at the Waggoner building, Roberson told me. has created a haven for deer, turkey, quail, dove, waterfowl and feral hogs. The horse operation, known as the Whiteface Division, is a state-of-the-art training/breeding facility located in the northeastern portion of the Waggoner Ranch. The nearly 30,000 acres of farmland is generally farmed in wheat for grazing, but Coastal Bermuda fields and haygrazer fields are baled and used to feed cattle and also to supply quality hay for the large horse operation. Employees of the Waggoner Ranch horse operation concentrate on raising horses for working ranch purposes and strive to create athletic and trainable horses that are 15-hands tall with outstanding conformation. On the other three sides are a number of buildings constructed of identical reddish-brown stone, quarried on the eastern part of the ranch. Today, the W. T. Waggoner Ranch is managed by Sam Connolly of Bozeman. Over the years, a substantial amount of brush work has been done, and the mesquite canopy ranges from nearly extinct to moderate over portions of the ranch. the estate. Judge Neely accepted this language. Beaver Creek feeds Santa Rosa Lake, and the Wichita River feeds Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion. 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. The W. T. Waggoner Ranch is five-time winner of the Texas Ranch Roundup and a recipient of the American Quarter Horse Association's "Best of the Remuda Award". He sits across the table from me in his starched jeans and freshly shined boots, ramrod straight, his hat resting in his lap, his gray hair slicked down.