Historic King Ranch

By Savannah Drake

The King Ranch, United States’ largest ranch and, at one time the largest ranch in the world, is located deep in South Texas in Kleberg County.  The King Ranch has land in several states including Texas, Florida and New Mexico.  The land in South Texas covers 825,000 acres, which is larger than the state of Rhode Island.  You may think that you have not heard of this ranch, but if you have driven down the road, you have.
Ford has a luxury edition of their F-series trucks that contain the King Ranch logo and luxurious leather seats.  This, however, is just one of the many projects of this world-famous ranch.  What many don’t know is how historic and influential this ranch is and it is located in our own backyard.
The King Ranch is credited with producing America’s first breed of cattle, the first breed developed in the entire world in more than a century.  This breed, known as the Santa Gertrudis, is comprised of the shorthorn and the Brahman bull.  First recognized in 1940, the Santa Gertrudis breed became very popular, very fast.  King Ranch employee Beto Maldonado recalls he and his father showing the bulls all over the world.
 “We took him to the Dallas Airport, where he behaved like a perfect gentlemen,” recalls Maldonado of prize bull, Macho.  “He stood and took pictures with everyone around him.”  
The famous bull also appeared on national television before departing to the International Fair in Casablanca, Morocco.  
The Santa Cruz breed of cattle was  first produced by the King Ranch and can be seen throughout the ranch today.  The Santa Cruz is comprised of the Santa Gertrudis and the Red Angus.  They are known for producing superior results as a feeder and seedstock animal.
The King Ranch also produces a lot of goods sold all over the world.  Daniel Morales, the comptroller for the Santa Gertrudis division, says that the ranch has much more to offer than just livestock.  
“The ranch produces almost 40 million pounds of beef, 17 million boxes of oranges, 650 thousand tons of sugarcane, and 450 thousand crates of sweet corn in one year,”   Morales said. “We also produce an abundance of cotton and pecans as well.”
Horses are also the pride of the ranch.  The King Ranch has produced many successful racing horses, such as Triple Crown winner Assault and Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Middleground.  The ranch is known for producing champion cutting and quarter horses as well, and every single one of them is as tame as a family pet.
The King Ranch can mostly be identified by its unique “Running W” brand.  Everything associated with the ranch bears this unique brand, from its cattle to the leather goods

sold at its store.  The origin of this world-recognized brand remains a mystery.  Many say that the brand represents the rattlesnakes that can be seen throughout the ranch.  Others believe that the “Running W” is a symbol of the sweeping horns of Longhorn cattle.  Either way, the brand has become synonymous with the King Ranch and the high quality it represents.
If you are looking for a relaxing and educational getaway, the King Ranch is the perfect location to visit.  Its historic past and promising future are both evident in the daily tours given at the ranch.  The tour, guided by Maldonado gets you up-close and personal with the animals and heritage of the ranch. The tour includes sites such as original buildings dating back to 1860.  You also get to see the ranch as it is at the present day, keeping up with modern technology.  The King Ranch is a part of history and continues to be the pride of South Texas.  For information about the ranch and its tours, visit http://www.king-ranch.com, or call 361-592-0613.