Kingsville, Texas

Ranches are undoubtedly a symbol of Texas, but no where in the Lone Star State is that legacy more apparent than in the South Texas community of Kingsville. Located 39 miles south of Corpus Christi, Kingsville is the home of the world famous King Ranch, long recognized as the birthplace of the American ranching industry.

King Ranch traces its history to 1853 when it was founded by Captain Richard King, a self-made man who left home at an early age and made his fortune on Rio Grande riverboats. This area was first called The Wild Horse Desert by early settlers and later became part of the Rincon de Santa Gertrudis Spanish Land Grant. Soon this rugged land was tamed by Captain King who fenced these coastal plains and moved an entire village from Mexico to staff the ranch, people who would become the first cowboys of Texas.

During his years, King developed the Santa Gertrudis and King Ranch Santa Cruz breeds of cattle as well as the first registered American quarter horse. But King's legacy goes far beyond these breeds. The King Ranch ranks as one of the largest spreads in the world, spanning 825,000 acres, larger than the state of Rhode Island. Today it's home to over 60,000 cattle and 300 quarter horses and welcomes visitors from around the world who come to see a working ranch first hand.

Visiting the Ranch

Visitors to the ranch, located 155 miles southeast of San Antonio or 39 miles south of Corpus Christi, can enjoy a guided tour of the ranch in air-conditioned buses. Don't expect reenactments of typical ranch activities here, though--this is the real thing. First and foremost a real working ranch, this site gives visitors the chance to see how ranches operate.

Vacationers can enjoy 90 minute tour of the ranch aboard air-conditioned buses. The drive around the ranch includes a look at Longhorns, horses, and the many breeds of cattle which made this ranch famous.

Nature Tours

The guided ranch tours are just one of several tours offered by the ranch, however. There's a growing popularity of the nature tours, half and full-day tours especially designed for both bird and wildlife lovers in search of a glipse at white-tailed deer, javelinas, coyotes, and other animals native to this region. The tours vary throughout the year, with themes that range from butterflies and dragonflies to birding tours in search of white-tailed hawk, ferruginous pygmy owl , great kiskadee, and numerous additional species. Private birding tours and nature tours (especially popular with photographers) can also be arranged.

Nature tourism is also becoming an increasingly popular draw for the Kingsville region, which boasts eight locations on the Coastal Bend birding trail. The official bird of Kingsville is the green jay, one of over 350 species that have been identified in the region. Many fall visitors also come to enjoy a look at the feathered residents and migratory birds. A stop on the Coastal Birding Trail, the ranch is home to over 300 feathered species. "We have a lot of birders and we're getting more and more," says Henry. Species such as green jays, pygmy owls, and common paurauque are spotted on different areas of the ranch.

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