Matador Ranch
Encyclopedia
The Matador Ranch is an historic cattle ranch and hunting operation in Motley County, Texas
, on the South Plains
. Established in 1882, the Matador is located some ninety miles east of Lubbock
. According to its website, the current mission of the ranch is improvement of the health and productivity of its livestock, wildlife, and renewable natural resources. The ranch also has a wildlife habitat management program, a guest lodge, and a deer breeding program which utilizes industry-recognized genetics.
, arrived in Texas in 1854, prior to his service in the Confederate
Army and his subsequent work as a cattle drover. In 1879, with four other investors, Campbell launched what became the Matador Ranch based about Ballard Springs. Campbell's wife, the former Elizabeth Bundy, joined him in Motley County in 1880. Rather than accepting life in a dugout as was then customary, Mrs. Campbell insisted on tent camping until lumber could be arranged for a two-room house. She was nurse and hostess at the ranch and the postmistress at the nearby town of Matador
.
In the beginning, the Matador grew to encompass 40,000 head of cattle on 100000 acres (404.7 km²) of land and another 1500000 acres (6,070.3 km²) of open range
rights. In 1882, the ranch was purchased by a syndicate from Scotland
, the Matador Land and Cattle Company, Ltd. Campbell continued as the ranch superintendent until 1891. The Matador Ranch acquired the Cottonwood Mott, named for a stand of trees surrounding a nearby natural spring. Cowboy
s used the camp as a base from which to herd cattle and mend fences on the range. A log cabin
built at the camp by employees of the Jingle Bob Ranch, was the site of at least two gunfights.
. Additional pastures were leased in North Dakota
, South Dakota
, Montana
, and Canada
. At its peak, the Matador Ranch owned 90,000 cattle and had title to 879000 acres (3,557.2 km²) of land in parts of four Texas counties. In 1913, the Quanah, Acme and Pacific Railway
was built through ranch lands in Motley County, and the town of Roaring Springs
was established.
The general manager of the ranch operated from, first, Fort Worth
, Texas, and later Trinidad
and Denver
, Colorado
. The last of the general managers was John Mackenzie, who served from 1937 until the ranch was liquidated in 1951. The last of the on-site ranch managers was John V. Stevens, active from 1941-1951. Corporate offices were maintained in Scotland from 1882 until 1951. The ranch was purchased by Koch Industries, Inc., and a portion of the holdings became the Matador Cattle Company. The land was broken into smaller ranches.
In 1891, Henry Campbell succeeded in his efforts to establish Motley County. He then served two terms as the first county judge, with administrative and judicial functions. Thereafter, he retired to his own ranch on Dutchman Creek.
, headed by Fred Koch. After Koch's death in 1967, his sons, Charles and David Koch
, assumed management of the firm. The later company presidents were Sterling Varner in 1968, Tom Carey in 1969, Wes Stanford in 1975, and John Lincoln in the 1980s.
According to the historian William Curry Holden
, former curator of the Museum of Texas Tech University
in Lubbock, The Matador is noted for its quail
, dove, small deer, and cattle fattened on particularly nutritious grass. In 1960 and through the 1970s, the ranch conducted a program to eradicate the mesquite
tree. The root systems of the mesquite mushroom and absorb what water was available to grow grass. Holden found that several roundups located ten-year-old cattle that had never been branded, a situation he attributed to the toughness of the land. Cattle sometimes get lost in the Croton Breaks in adjoining Dickens County.
The Matador now has 130000 acres (526.1 km²) for cattle raising in five counties, including Crosby County and the four previously mentioned. Its Matador Hunting Lodge, located north and west of the former ranch headquarters, has twelve bedroom suites each named for a person central to the history of the ranch. It accommodates hunters from a wide area of the state and region.
On March 31, 2011, the West Texas Historical Association
, committed to preserving the history of area ranches, conducted a tour of the Matador Ranch and the communities of Matador and Roaring Springs as part of the activities of its annual meeting in Lubbock.
On April 2, 2011, The Matador received the 2010 "Outstanding Rangeland Stewardship Award" from the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
at the group's annual convention in Fort Worth.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, on the South Plains
South Plains
South Plains is a vernacular term that refers to a region in West Texas consisting of the portion of the Llano Estacado extending south of the Texas Panhandle, centered at Lubbock. While prominent in the area of petroleum production, the South Plains is mainly an agricultural region, producing a...
. Established in 1882, the Matador is located some ninety miles east of Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
. According to its website, the current mission of the ranch is improvement of the health and productivity of its livestock, wildlife, and renewable natural resources. The ranch also has a wildlife habitat management program, a guest lodge, and a deer breeding program which utilizes industry-recognized genetics.
Background
Henry Harrison "Hank" Campbell (1840–1911), a native of North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, arrived in Texas in 1854, prior to his service in the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Army and his subsequent work as a cattle drover. In 1879, with four other investors, Campbell launched what became the Matador Ranch based about Ballard Springs. Campbell's wife, the former Elizabeth Bundy, joined him in Motley County in 1880. Rather than accepting life in a dugout as was then customary, Mrs. Campbell insisted on tent camping until lumber could be arranged for a two-room house. She was nurse and hostess at the ranch and the postmistress at the nearby town of Matador
Matador, Texas
Matador is a town in and the county seat of Motley County, Texas, United States. The population was 740 at the 2000 census. In 1891, it was established by and named for the Matador Ranch...
.
In the beginning, the Matador grew to encompass 40,000 head of cattle on 100000 acres (404.7 km²) of land and another 1500000 acres (6,070.3 km²) of open range
Open range
Open range may refer to: vast areas of grassy land that is owned by the federal government.*Rangeland, vast natural landscapes*Open Range, the 2003 Western movie co-starring, co-produced, and directed by Kevin Costner...
rights. In 1882, the ranch was purchased by a syndicate from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the Matador Land and Cattle Company, Ltd. Campbell continued as the ranch superintendent until 1891. The Matador Ranch acquired the Cottonwood Mott, named for a stand of trees surrounding a nearby natural spring. Cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s used the camp as a base from which to herd cattle and mend fences on the range. A log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
built at the camp by employees of the Jingle Bob Ranch, was the site of at least two gunfights.
The ranch at its peak
In its heyday in the early 20th century, The Matador extended from Motley into neighboring Cottle, Dickens, and Floyd counties. In 1902, the ranch also acquired the 210000 acres (849.8 km²) Alamositas Ranch in Oldham County west of AmarilloAmarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
. Additional pastures were leased in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. At its peak, the Matador Ranch owned 90,000 cattle and had title to 879000 acres (3,557.2 km²) of land in parts of four Texas counties. In 1913, the Quanah, Acme and Pacific Railway
Quanah, Acme and Pacific Railway
Quanah, Acme and Pacific Railway was a freight railroad that operated between the Red River and Floydada, Texas, from 1902 until it was merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.- History :...
was built through ranch lands in Motley County, and the town of Roaring Springs
Roaring Springs, Texas
Roaring Springs is a town in Motley County, Texas, United States. The population was 265 at the 2000 census.Roaring Springs was originally an Indian campground. At the time of the recapture of Cynthia Ann Parker in Foard County, Roaring Springs was the main Comanche outpost. It was known for the...
was established.
The general manager of the ranch operated from, first, Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, Texas, and later Trinidad
Trinidad, Colorado
The historic City of Trinidad is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Las Animas County, Colorado, United States...
and Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The last of the general managers was John Mackenzie, who served from 1937 until the ranch was liquidated in 1951. The last of the on-site ranch managers was John V. Stevens, active from 1941-1951. Corporate offices were maintained in Scotland from 1882 until 1951. The ranch was purchased by Koch Industries, Inc., and a portion of the holdings became the Matador Cattle Company. The land was broken into smaller ranches.
In 1891, Henry Campbell succeeded in his efforts to establish Motley County. He then served two terms as the first county judge, with administrative and judicial functions. Thereafter, he retired to his own ranch on Dutchman Creek.
Later years
The Matador Cattle Company was a subsidiary of Koch IndustriesKoch Industries
Koch Industries, Inc. , is an American private energy conglomerate based in Wichita, Kansas, with subsidiaries involved in manufacturing, trading and investments. Koch also owns Invista, Georgia-Pacific, Flint Hills Resources, Koch Pipeline, Koch Fertilizer, Koch Minerals and Matador Cattle Company...
, headed by Fred Koch. After Koch's death in 1967, his sons, Charles and David Koch
Koch family
The Koch family of industrialists and businessmen is most notable for their control of Koch Industries, the second largest privately owned company in the United States. The family business was started by Fred C. Koch, who developed a new cracking method for the refinement of heavy oil into...
, assumed management of the firm. The later company presidents were Sterling Varner in 1968, Tom Carey in 1969, Wes Stanford in 1975, and John Lincoln in the 1980s.
According to the historian William Curry Holden
William Curry Holden
William Curry Holden , also known as Curry Holden, was an historian and archaeologist. In 1937, he became the first director of the Museum of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. During his tenure, the museum gained regional and state recognition for excellence...
, former curator of the Museum of Texas Tech University
Museum of Texas Tech University
The Museum of Texas Tech University is part of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. It is made up of the main museum building, the Moody Planetarium, the Natural Science Research Laboratory, the research and educational elements of the Lubbock Lake Landmark, and the Val Verde County research...
in Lubbock, The Matador is noted for its quail
Quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
, dove, small deer, and cattle fattened on particularly nutritious grass. In 1960 and through the 1970s, the ranch conducted a program to eradicate the mesquite
Mesquite
Mesquite is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in northern Mexico through the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Deserts, and up into the Southwestern United States as far north as southern Kansas, west to the Colorado Desert in California,and east to the eastern fifth of Texas, where...
tree. The root systems of the mesquite mushroom and absorb what water was available to grow grass. Holden found that several roundups located ten-year-old cattle that had never been branded, a situation he attributed to the toughness of the land. Cattle sometimes get lost in the Croton Breaks in adjoining Dickens County.
The Matador now has 130000 acres (526.1 km²) for cattle raising in five counties, including Crosby County and the four previously mentioned. Its Matador Hunting Lodge, located north and west of the former ranch headquarters, has twelve bedroom suites each named for a person central to the history of the ranch. It accommodates hunters from a wide area of the state and region.
On March 31, 2011, the West Texas Historical Association
West Texas Historical Association
The West Texas Historical Association is an organization of both academics and laypersons dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of the total history of West Texas, defined geographically as all Texas counties and portions of counties located west of Interstate 35.-Formation of the...
, committed to preserving the history of area ranches, conducted a tour of the Matador Ranch and the communities of Matador and Roaring Springs as part of the activities of its annual meeting in Lubbock.
On April 2, 2011, The Matador received the 2010 "Outstanding Rangeland Stewardship Award" from the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association was created in 1877, when 40 Texas cattlemen joined together out of their common interest to end unbridled livestock theft and formed what was to become Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association....
at the group's annual convention in Fort Worth.