Skip to main content

A logo with a blue star with a blue hexagonal pattern behind it on the left and the text Texas in blue at the top and the text America 250 in red underneath. A red star is shown on the left and right of the main logo


In This Exhibit:   Sounds and Scenes of Texas  |  New Frontiers  |  Cattle Ranching and Rodeo  |  Oil and Gas  |  Higher Office  |  Bluebonnets and Big Bend  |  Historical Documents From Texas History  |  HOME

Texas America250: Cattle Ranching and Rodeo

Eighteenth century Texas or Téjas was the northernmost province of New Spain, and cattle ranching became important to the livelihoods of residents of both the missions and the private haciendas dotting the landscape. Spanish and Mexican vaqueros working with cattle became skilled in the activities necessary for the job like riding and roping, which later evolved into competitive events at modern rodeos. Sprawling ranches and cattle drives thrived after the Civil War, and cowboys emerged as icons of the vast Texas range. Rodeos became professional enterprises and major entertainment events, and in 1997 rodeo was designated the official state sport.

Sideview photo of a cowboy wearing a white shirt light tan chaps boots with spurs and a tan cowboy hat on a bucking brown horse. Cowboys, 1970s. Texas Tourist Development Agency photographs and audiovisual materials,1991/077-419-017

Cowboys, 1970s. Texas Tourist Development Agency photographs and audiovisual materials,1991/077-419-017.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 


 

A black and white photo of a cowboy on a horse with a rope extended to a calf.  The horse is in the midst of stopping with its front legs extended.  Calf roping scenes – Reaching the end of the rope, 1950. L. L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1827

Calf roping scenes – Reaching the end of the rope, 1950. L. L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1827. 
Click or tap on image to view larger version.
 
 


 

A photo of a man on a bucking brown bull with tan chaps and striped shirt and no hat. Two rodeo clowns wearing stripes are on the left and right of the bull.  Rodeos, 1970s. Texas Tourist Development Agency photographs and audiovisual materials,1991/077-203-018

Rodeos, 1970s. Texas Tourist Development Agency photographs and audiovisual materials,1991/077-203-018. 
Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 

 


A sideview photo of a man on a black bucking bull wearing  light blue shirt and tan chaps over blue jeans. Cowboys, 1970s. Texas Tourist Development Agency photographs and audiovisual materials,1991/077-419-015

Cowboys, 1970s. Texas Tourist Development Agency photographs and audiovisual materials,1991/077-419-015.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

From early Spaniards to modern cowboys honing their skills on the range, rodeo roots run deep in Texas. Professional rodeos now feature competitive riding, roping, herding, branding, and more. 

 

The cover  of a book with the text King Ranch 100 years of ranching 1835 1953  on tan paper with drawing of a bull skull the center and a etching type of drawing of a bull in purple in front of the skull. 100 Years of Ranching: King Ranch, Corpus Christi Caller-Times,1953. TSLAC-MAIN Collection 976.4063 K589c

100 Years of Ranching: King Ranch, Corpus Christi Caller-Times,1953. TSLAC-MAIN Collection 976.4063 K589c.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.
 


 

An aerial black and white photograph of two multi story buildings with trees all around them. King Ranch, 1955. L.L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1047

King Ranch, 1955. L.L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1047.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

The sprawling King Ranch in South Texas epitomizes the way of life depicted in Westerns and was said to have inspired the book and film Giant by Edna Ferber. What began in 1853 as a cattle camp on Santa Gertrudis Creek in Nueces County grew to encompass hundreds of thousands of acres over multiple counties with diverse interests. They raised Longhorns and bred their own Santa Gertrudis cattle and even got into the thoroughbred business with a Triple Crown winner in 1946.

 


 

A photo of a slightly rusted cowbell with the sphere missing at the end of the clapper. Cowbell, undated. Artifacts collection, ATF0082

Cowbell, undated. Artifacts collection, ATF0082.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 


 

A black and white photo of multiple men on horses with ropes on different calves. Scene on King Ranch N 127,1948. L.L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1069

Scene on King Ranch N 127,1948. L.L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1069.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 

 

A black and white photo of three men on three horses chasing after calves with a herd of cows behind them. Calf roping, King Ranch, 1948. L.L. Cook Company collection, 1968/089-1068

Calf roping, King Ranch, 1948. L.L. Cook Company collection, 1968/089-1068.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 

 

A book cover on tan paper of a frame of cattle brands around the cover and a drawing of one cowboy branding a cow on the ground while another cowboy holds the cow down. A horse is in the background. 50 cent  is stamped on the cover. The text of A Century of Cattle Brands with Brief Outline of Texas History, Sketch of Texas Cattle Industry and Story of Cattle Brands. A Century of Texas Cattle Brands, Fair Publishing Company, Fort Worth, Texas, 1936. TSLAC-MAIN Collection, 636.08 F15

A Century of Texas Cattle Brands, Fair Publishing Company, Fort Worth, Texas, 1936. TSLAC-MAIN Collection, 636.08 F15. Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 

 

A post card with vibrant colors of six brown and white longhorns standing on a field. Longhorn cattle, undated. Photographs, Graham (R. Niles) collection,1964/306-1272

Longhorn cattle, undated. Photographs, Graham (R. Niles) collection,1964/306-1272.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

A post card with vibrant colors showing front view and side view of two different brown longhorns. Longhorns, undated. Photographs, Graham (R. Niles) collection,1964/306-1273

Longhorns, undated. Photographs, Graham (R. Niles) collection,1964/306-1273.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 

 

A black and white photograph sideview of a large bull on a field. The bull has a cattle brand on his side. Santa Gertrudis Beef Bull, King Ranch, N 146, 1948. L.L. Cook Company collection, 1968/089-1057

Santa Gertrudis Beef Bull, King Ranch, N 146, 1948. L.L. Cook Company collection, 1968/089-1057.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

A black and white photograph closeup of the head of a large bull. The bull has a cattle brand on his side. Santa Gertrudis Beef Bull, King Ranch, N 146, 1948. L.L. Cook Company collection, 1968/089-1057

Santa Gertrudis Beef Bull, King Ranch N 163, 1955. L.L. Cook Company collection, 1968/089-1059.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.
 

 

A yellow tinted photograph of four men on horses wearing cowboy hats with flattened round brims in front of a stone wall.  Four horsemen posed in front of a masonry structure,1893. Owen Wister photograph collection,1969/072-63

Four horsemen posed in front of a masonry structure,1893. Owen Wister photograph collection,1969/072-63.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

A black and white photograph of a man with a large moustache and round brimmed hat with a white shirt and vest with his legs in stirrups sitting on a horse.  Man on horseback posed on road, about 1895. Owen Wister photograph collection,1969/097-8

Man on horseback posed on road, about 1895. Owen Wister photograph collection,1969/097-8.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.
 

 

A drawing on white paper showing ranch houses with ranchers branding calves at the top, longhorns crossing a river on the left, a rancher facing left with chaps and a closeup of his boot in the center, and horizontal lines showing ranch brands on the right

“Ranching Heritage” drawing by Robert Jackson, 1990-1994. Los Caminos Del Rio Heritage Project files, small illustrations (originals),OS 2000/092-1.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 

 

A map on white paper showing a cattle trail from the Red River Crossing to the Old Pacific Railway. Guide Map of the Great Texas Cattle Trail from the Red River Crossing to the Old Reliable Kansas Pacific Railway, 1874, Kansas Pacific Railway Co. Texas State Archives Map collection, Map#1493

Guide Map of the Great Texas Cattle Trail from the Red River Crossing to the Old Reliable Kansas Pacific Railway, 1874, Kansas Pacific Railway Co. Texas State Archives Map collection, Map#1493.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 

 

The cover of a pamphlet with a drawing of barbed wire and wooden fence posts and text of Old West Barb Wire and Patent Dates $1.50. Old West Barb Wire and Fence Tools: A Picture Guide of Most Popular Wire from our Western Old Time Ranches, Louisville, Kentucky: Gateway Press. 1966. TSLAC Main Collection, 631.27 J417An opened pamphlet showing two pages of drawings of types of barb wire barbs and their names. Old West Barb Wire and Fence Tools: A Picture Guide of Most Popular Wire from our Western Old Time Ranches, Louisville, Kentucky: Gateway Press. 1966. TSLAC Main Collection, 631.27 J417

Old West Barb Wire and Fence Tools: A Picture Guide of Most Popular Wire from our Western "Old Time" Ranches, Louisville, Kentucky: Gateway Press. 1966. TSLAC Main Collection, 631.27 J417.
Link to Old West Barb Wire and Fence Tools: A Picture Guide of Most Popular Wire from our Western "Old Time" Ranches, cover.
Link to Old West Barb Wire and Fence Tools: A Picture Guide of Most Popular Wire from our Western "Old Time" Ranches, two pages.
  Click or tap on images to view larger versions.

The invention of barbed wire closed the West to long cattle drives and herds of Longhorns suited to the open range. 

 

A black and white photograph sideview of a horse with a jockey on the horse and a large laurel wreath on the horses neck. A man holding the reigns and a man in a suit are standing on the left. Assault the pride of King Ranch and all of Texas, King Ranch, 1946. L.L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1053

Assault the pride of King Ranch and all of Texas, King Ranch, 1946. L.L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1053.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

A black and white photo of a sign showing photos of a horse winning races in different races with the text of Flash Assault wins the Belmont The seventh horse to win the triple crown. The pride of King Ranch, 1946. L.L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1054

The pride of King Ranch, 1946. L.L. Cook Company collection,1968/089-1054.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

Assault, a Thoroughbred born on the King Ranch in 1943, was the only Texas-bred racehorse to win the Triple Crown. Assault secured victories in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes over the course of the racing season of 1946.
 
 

 

A photo of a metal spur with tan engraved leather in the front and next to the metal buckle. Spur, 1900-1950. Artifacts collection, ATF0414

Spur, 1900-1950. Artifacts collection, ATF0414.  Click or tap on image to view larger version.

 

Next - Oil and Gas -->

Texas America250 Exhibit Pages:
Home | Sounds and Scenes of Texas | New Frontiers | Cattle Ranching and Rodeo | Oil and Gas | Higher Office | Bluebonnets and Big Bend | Historical Documents From Texas History

Top of page

Lobby Exhibits Home



Page last modified: January 15, 2026