Gerald Lyda
Encyclopedia
Gerald Lyda ) was an American cattle rancher, contractor and developer prominent in the state of Texas.
Lyda was reared in Burnet County
at the edge of the Texas Hill Country
in Central Texas. His grandfather was Gideon Paloris Lyda who worked as foreman on Thomas Lyons & Angus Campbell's famous LC Ranch headquartered near Silver City, New Mexico. Separated from his family at age 10 by his mother's death and the foreclosure on the family farm, Lyda worked for various ranches throughout the Texas Hill Country
where he could be close to horses, cattle and ranching life.
During World War II, Lyda worked for the railroad, but soon became a carpenter with a large El Paso
-based general contractor
. He worked with his tools on military projects throughout Texas, Utah and Colorado. Returning to Texas between construction jobs, Lyda broke horses, worked as a ranch hand, occasionally competed in saddle bronc riding
at small town rodeos and learned the art of making saddle
s from legendary rodeo
producer and businessman, T. C. "Buck" Steiner of Austin
.
Lyda married Randa Jean Lyda and moved to Nixon, Texas to manage the Evans Ranch. Times were hard. To support his wife and two young boys, he quit cowboying in 1947 and hired on as a carpenter with Farnsworth & Chambers, a large building contractor with headquarters in Houston. With the support and encouragement of supervisor/mentor H. Alvin Lott, Lyda earned a reputation for being an innovative, cost-conscious project superintendent who could deliver projects on time and under budget. In late 1954, the 31-year old project superintendent was transferred to San Antonio to build the massive Wilford Hall Hospital
project at Lackland Air Force Base
. After completing the hospital on time and within budget, he was promoted to Area Superintendent.
In 1960, he formed his own construction company, Darragh & Lyda, with Burnet County rancher Steinmetz Darragh. In the mid-1960s, a joint venture between the San Antonio-based company and H. A. Lott Inc. built the Tower of the Americas
and most of the major HemisFair '68
structures in San Antonio.
The Lyda organization grew to be one of the most successful general contractors in Texas. Such projects as the Alamodome
, the expansion of the University of Texas Memorial Stadium
, the Hyatt Hill Country Resort Hotel, the San Antonio Convention Center
, the Westin La Cantera Resort Hotel and the Fiesta Texas
theme park, as well as hospitals, hotels, banks and office buildings, have significantly re-shaped the skylines of major Texas cities. The company and its subsidiaries were ranked among the Top 400 Contractors by Engineering News-Record
and was consistently ranked among the Top 3 commercial building contractors based on billings in San Antonio by San Antonio Business Journal. In 2003, Lyda sold Lyda Constructors Inc., the 100% owned subsidiary of Lyda Inc., to Swinerton, Inc. of San Francisco.
After the sale, Lyda retired to his beloved La Escalera Ranch
, just south of Fort Stockton, Texas
. Lyda had owned or traded more than 880,000 acres (3600 km²) of ranch real estate by 1999, including the sprawling Ladder Ranch in southeastern New Mexico
which Lyda eventually sold to television mogul Ted Turner
and his actress wife Jane Fonda
. Lyda died in 2005. Today, sons Gerald D. and Gene Lyda
, along with their sister Jo Granberg, manage the 320,000 deeded acres (1400 km²) La Escalera Ranch, which spreads across four Texas counties: Reeves
, Pecos
, Brewster
, Archer
, and Baylor
. La Escalera Ranch
has been ranked by Texas Monthly
, The Land Report
, and Worth (magazine)
as one of the largest cattle ranches in the United States.
Lyda was reared in Burnet County
Burnet County, Texas
Burnet County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 34,147. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate was 44,488. Its county seat is Burnet. Burnet is named for David Gouverneur Burnet, the first president of the Republic of Texas...
at the edge of the Texas Hill Country
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
in Central Texas. His grandfather was Gideon Paloris Lyda who worked as foreman on Thomas Lyons & Angus Campbell's famous LC Ranch headquartered near Silver City, New Mexico. Separated from his family at age 10 by his mother's death and the foreclosure on the family farm, Lyda worked for various ranches throughout the Texas Hill Country
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
where he could be close to horses, cattle and ranching life.
During World War II, Lyda worked for the railroad, but soon became a carpenter with a large El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
-based general contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
. He worked with his tools on military projects throughout Texas, Utah and Colorado. Returning to Texas between construction jobs, Lyda broke horses, worked as a ranch hand, occasionally competed in saddle bronc riding
Bronc riding
Bronc riding, either saddle bronc or bareback bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding on a horse , that attempts to throw or buck off the rider...
at small town rodeos and learned the art of making saddle
Saddle
A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...
s from legendary rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
producer and businessman, T. C. "Buck" Steiner of Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
Lyda married Randa Jean Lyda and moved to Nixon, Texas to manage the Evans Ranch. Times were hard. To support his wife and two young boys, he quit cowboying in 1947 and hired on as a carpenter with Farnsworth & Chambers, a large building contractor with headquarters in Houston. With the support and encouragement of supervisor/mentor H. Alvin Lott, Lyda earned a reputation for being an innovative, cost-conscious project superintendent who could deliver projects on time and under budget. In late 1954, the 31-year old project superintendent was transferred to San Antonio to build the massive Wilford Hall Hospital
Wilford Hall Hospital
Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, formally know as Wilford Hall Medical Center, is a United States Air Force clinic located on the grounds of Lackland Air Force Base named for former Air Force physician, Major General Wilford F. Hall...
project at Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
. After completing the hospital on time and within budget, he was promoted to Area Superintendent.
In 1960, he formed his own construction company, Darragh & Lyda, with Burnet County rancher Steinmetz Darragh. In the mid-1960s, a joint venture between the San Antonio-based company and H. A. Lott Inc. built the Tower of the Americas
Tower of the Americas
Tower of the Americas is a 750-foot observation tower/restaurant in San Antonio, Texas. The tower was designed by San Antonio architect O'Neil Ford and was built as the theme structure of the 1968 World's Fair, HemisFair '68....
and most of the major HemisFair '68
HemisFair '68
HemisFair '68 was the first officially designated world's fair held in the southwestern United States. San Antonio, Texas hosted the fair from April 6 through October 6, 1968. More than thirty nations hosted pavilions at the fair. The fair was held in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of the...
structures in San Antonio.
The Lyda organization grew to be one of the most successful general contractors in Texas. Such projects as the Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...
, the expansion of the University of Texas Memorial Stadium
Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
-Major Expansions and Renovations:*1926 - "Horseshoe" built on the north end for US$125,000 raising capacity to 40,500*1948 - Two L-shaped sections added to the east and west stands, raising seating capacity to 60,130. General contractor for this work was Farnsworth & Chambers Inc...
, the Hyatt Hill Country Resort Hotel, the San Antonio Convention Center
San Antonio Convention Center
The Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center is located in downtown San Antonio along the banks of the San Antonio River Walk.The facility is the central component of the city’s successful convention industry. The center, named for the late U.S. congressman Henry B...
, the Westin La Cantera Resort Hotel and the Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Fiesta Texas is a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land in San Antonio, Texas.Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the major entertainment component of USAA's La Cantera, a 1,600 acre master-planned development in northwest San Antonio...
theme park, as well as hospitals, hotels, banks and office buildings, have significantly re-shaped the skylines of major Texas cities. The company and its subsidiaries were ranked among the Top 400 Contractors by Engineering News-Record
Engineering News-Record
Engineering News-Record is a weekly magazine that provides news, analysis, data and opinion for the construction industry worldwide...
and was consistently ranked among the Top 3 commercial building contractors based on billings in San Antonio by San Antonio Business Journal. In 2003, Lyda sold Lyda Constructors Inc., the 100% owned subsidiary of Lyda Inc., to Swinerton, Inc. of San Francisco.
After the sale, Lyda retired to his beloved La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch consists of approximately 260,000 acre , located south of Fort Stockton, Texas. The ranch extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County, with the majority of the ranch lying in Pecos County.The 100-year old ranch was acquired by building...
, just south of Fort Stockton, Texas
Fort Stockton, Texas
Fort Stockton is a city in Pecos County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,846 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pecos County.-Geography:Fort Stockton is located at ....
. Lyda had owned or traded more than 880,000 acres (3600 km²) of ranch real estate by 1999, including the sprawling Ladder Ranch in southeastern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
which Lyda eventually sold to television mogul Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
and his actress wife Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an...
. Lyda died in 2005. Today, sons Gerald D. and Gene Lyda
Gene Lyda
Gene Lyda was raised in the San Antonio, Texas area and gained regional fame as a professional bull rider. Lyda now manages the Fort Stockton Division of La Escalera Ranch, one of the largest Black Angus cattle ranches in Texas....
, along with their sister Jo Granberg, manage the 320,000 deeded acres (1400 km²) La Escalera Ranch, which spreads across four Texas counties: Reeves
Reeves County, Texas
Reeves County is a county located in the US state of Texas. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 13,137. Its seat is Pecos. Reeves County is named for George R. Reeves, a Texas state legislator and colonel in the...
, Pecos
Pecos County, Texas
Pecos County is a county located in Texas which is named for the Pecos River. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 16,809. The county seat is Fort Stockton....
, Brewster
Brewster County, Texas
Brewster County is a county located in western part of the US state of Texas, along the border with Mexico. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. As of the 2000 census, the population is 8,866. In 2009, the population was estimated to be 9,481. Its...
, Archer
Archer County, Texas
Archer County is a county located in the US state of Texas, and was formed in 1858 from Fannin County. It is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2005, the population estimate is 9,095, up from 8,854 in 2000. Its county seat is Archer City. Archer is named for...
, and Baylor
Baylor County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,093 people, 1,791 households, and 1,156 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were 2,820 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile...
. La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch consists of approximately 260,000 acre , located south of Fort Stockton, Texas. The ranch extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County, with the majority of the ranch lying in Pecos County.The 100-year old ranch was acquired by building...
has been ranked by Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
, The Land Report
The land report
The Land Report is a quarterly American magazine that focuses on topics of interest to those who own or seek to own or invest in land.In addition to its subscriber base, The Land Report is mailed to The Land Report 100, Forbes' list of the World's 400 Billionaires, the 100 Top CEOs Under 40,...
, and Worth (magazine)
Worth (magazine)
Worth is an American wealth management magazine for high net worth individuals. It is published on a bi-monthly basis and circulated to over 110,000 recipients.-History:Worth was founded in 1992 as a wealth management magazine for high net worth individuals...
as one of the largest cattle ranches in the United States.
External links
- La Escalera Ranch – Official Website
- Gerald Lyda – The Man Behind the Brand
- Wilson County News – Obituary of Gerald D. Lyda Sr.
- Tower of the Americas constructed by Lyda Inc. & H. A. Lott Inc.
- The Westin La Cantera Resort – San Antonio, Texas – constructed by Lyda Constructors
- San Antonio Business Journal – "Lyda Constructors Bought by Swinerton"
- Worth magazine – February 1997 – Top 100 Largest Landowners in the U.S. – Gerald Lyda Sr. ranked #33