This may only be mildly interesting to those not familiar with Texas history but here it is anyway. There are very few large cattle ranches left in Texas and the development concerning this one is sad. It is one of the largest ranches inside one fence left in the world. I grew up just South of it in central Texas hearing about it all the time along with the SMS Swenson ranch, the Four Sixes, and the Pitchfork ranches. It's a huge part of Texas history. And it's up for sale for a mere 725 million bucks. Do you guys have any idea of what kind of a race track we could build on a place that size? It's bigger than L A and New York city combined. http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-famous-texas-waggoner-ranch-for-sale/
I know that eventually everything changes but it's still sad to see a man build an empire like the Wagoner ranch that is still a profitable entity and then watch his greedy assed kids fight over the assets to the point where a judge has to decide how to dispose of it. Is there no personal pride in what Wagoner struggled to build for his family? Panther and I are on the edge of the Walsh Ranch, that borders just West of Fort Worth, and are watching the development of as a major residential conglomeration. It will eventually be part of Fort Worth since it's in the FW ETJ. The kids inherited the almost 9000 acre piece of property and didn't let any grass grow under their little asses when selling it off. Between Panther and I is the Beggs ranch that will also be developing within a few years. The old man died about 5 or 6 years ago and the son is going to develop it rather than continue to raise cattle. Sell, sell, sell, take the money and run.
While I would be proud of what my ancestor had accomplished, I would hate to have my choices limited to what he decided to do with his life.
Do you really think that, in this country as a whole, there are many people of ~any~ age that have any? Of course not. There are two folks that will buy it for 70-75 cents on the dollar, and pay with cash. Either Ted Turner or John Malone (Chairman of Liberty Media).
Of course, leasing out every bit of the Beggs Ranch to the frackers will keep the kids in beer and skittles until the buildout...
Come to think of it, I have a favorite Beggs Ranch story. One spring morning right after we built this house, Anna and I were sitting on the back porch, drinking coffee and watching the sun rise over the pasture. Up on the ridge line an old pickup was busy sounding its siren as the cattle chased it for all they were worth. Anna, who grew up on Long Island, looked at me and asked, "What's going on?" "Looks like a cattle jail break to me." I replied.
Maybe. Both those guys got into the land business as a side-gig. Red Emmerson's 1.9M acres are simply a product of his quest since he was 19 years old. Not that he is interested in NorTex rangeland.