Texana Thursday: 4 Frequently Asked Questions about the King Ranch

1. Was King Ranch founder Richard King really a captain, or was it just an honorary title?

Richard King (1824-1885) was a steamboat captain. Originally from New York, King served during the U.S.-Mexican War. His ship transported supplies and troops along the Rio Grande River. He remained in South Texas following the war and began what would become the King Ranch in 1853.

The King Ranch played a leading role in developing the Santa Gertrudis cattle line (Creative Commons license attribution: photo courtesy J. Stephen Conn)

2. Is the King Ranch really larger than Rhode Island?

Yes. The King Ranch is comprised of four areas, called divisions, which when totaled becomes 825,000 acres, or 1,300 square miles, which makes it larger than Rhode Island, which has 1,212 square miles.

The divisions are the Santa Gertrudis, just east of Kingsville; Laureles, just west of Kingsville and directly south of Corpus Christi; Norias, directly south of the Laureles Division, and Encino, which is south of the Santa Gertrudis Division.

The King Ranch Visitor Center is on the Santa Gertrudis Division, as is the main house. Tours are available but the main house is closed to the public.

The King Ranch Museum and King Ranch Saddle Shop are both in Kingsville.

3. The King Ranch is known for its work in developing the Santa Gertrudis breed of cattle. Has the ranch had any involvement with horses?

Yes. The King Ranch has been involved with the breeding and development of quarter horses since the 1930s. The 1946 Triple Crown winner, Assault, was from the King Ranch. So was Middleground, winner of the 1950 Kentucky Derby and 1950 Belmont Stakes.

4. What are some of the books written about the King Ranch?

The King Ranch has had several books written about it. Four of the more recent books are:

• Bill Benson and Helen Kleberg Groves, Bob and Helen Kleberg of King Ranch (Bright Sky Press, 2004)
• John Cypher, Bob Kleberg and the King Ranch: A Worldwide Sea of Grass (University of Texas Press, 1995)
• Frank Goodwin, Life on the King Ranch (Texas A&M University Press, 1951, copyright renewed 1993)
• Don Graham, Kings of Texas: The 150-Year Saga of an American Ranching Empire (John Wiley & Sons, 2003)

One of the most popular of these is a two-volume set, The King Ranch, written by the artist Tom Lea (Little, Brown, 1957), which was commissioned by the King Ranch. The books cover the ranch’s development following the death of its founder, Captain Richard King, to its centennial in 1953. The set is out of print and is a collector’s item. Lea died in 2001.