Ranching in the Coastal Bend began with the Spanish mission system. By 1726, Mission Espíritu Santo was located on the Guadalupe River in Mission Valley and Presidio La Bahía was established southeast of the mission on the opposite bank. Successful cattle ranching and farming enabled the presidio and mission to supply themselves and other Texas missions with ample food. By 1778, it was estimated that the mission had some 40,000 cattle.
De León Plaza is a prominent feature in downtown Victoria. The name hints at the origin story of the city. In 1824, Martín de León and his family founded the village of Guadalupe Victoria which would later become Victoria. He acquired an empresario grant to bring 41 families to live along the Guadalupe River. With the settlement of this town, came the legacy of a ranching tradition that would follow for many generations.
The Spanish were the first and most influential group of ranchers in Texas, establishing many traditions. Immigrants who settled in Texas after the Spanish imitated their style of ranching. When others began occupying the area, it was often at the expense of the Spanish landowner.
There were some challenges associated with the transition as well. Many ranchers had to source water from artesian wells if there was not an ample supply of water on the property. When other methods failed, many cattle were saved by eating prickly pear. The cactus provided nutrition and also hydration. Cowboys burned the hair-like spines off the plants so the cattle would be able to eat them.
Images: Bull laying in a pasture, courtesy of the Louise O'Connor Collection; Dick and Alvina Hanley leaning on a fence in 1925, courtesy of the Louise O'Connor Collection.
Herding North
When the Longhorn still roamed the open coastal plains, ranchers needed to find a way to market them for sale. Texas cattle owners did this by organizing drives to northern railheads, stocking ranches in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Occasionally, these drives were extremely lucrative for cattle owners. Other times, they barely made enough to cover the cost of the trip.
Men of diverse ethnic backgrounds came together for these drives with the common goal of completing the job quickly and efficiently. Travel time could take up to two months and the group had to be prepared for all sorts of danger they might encounter on the trail. Many Coastal Bend ranchers participated in this tradition, three of whom were women.
On these drives, there were several different jobs. One of the most esteemed positions on a trail drive was that of the cook. Everyone needed to nourish their bodies after the long taxing days, and the cook was there to cater to everyone. Not even the cowboys could challenge their authority.
Cattle drives came to an end in the mid-1880s as a result of cattle being susceptible to diseases, the increased use of railways, and the transition to a closed-range system. The legend and lore associated with these drives still survives in Texas ranching culture today.
Images: Cowboys driving cattle, courtesy of the Louise O'Connor Collection; Cattle being loaded into cattle shoots in 1922, courtesy of the Louise O'Connor Collection.
Diversity in Tradition
Ranching in the Coastal Bend started with the creation of the mission system in the late 1600s. As ranching evolved, many groups of people became immersed in this culture. Native Americans, Hispanics, African Americans, and women all contributed heavily to the livelihood and function of the ranching tradition.
The first herdsmen in Texas were Native Americans living among the Franciscan missionaries. Although they were initially not permitted to ride, they quickly became skilled horsemen as they learned from the 𝘷𝘢𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘴 (Spanish cowboys). The Karankawa, the Aranama, the Tamique, the Tawakoni, and the Tonkawa were some of the first to take part in this practice.
Many cowhands in the Coastal Bend were the descendants of earlier Spanish vaqueros and African slaves. There was some division between races because of this history, but all families lived and worked together on the ranch. Ranching was not exclusively dominated by Anglo-Americans. People of color were extremely influential in the creation and practice of this tradition.
Women were invaluable on the ranch. They took care of the house, the children, their husbands, and some were very involved in the day-to-day operations of the cattle business. Several women of the Coastal Bend owned and operated very successful ranches independently. A select few even attended and organized cattle drives, such as Maragaret Hardy Borland, pictured here.
Images: Two cowboys riding down Main Street in the early 1900s, courtesy of Victoria Regional History Center; A farm yard in McFaddin, TX in 1914, courtesy of Victoria Regional History Center.
Family Life
Family life was heavily intertwined in the ranching tradition. While wealthy ranchers sent their children to attend school in town or off at a boarding school, the ranch worker's children received their education at the school house provided onsite. Many cowboys on the ranch only attended through elementary school before they followed their dreams of working on the ranch.
When children were not in school, they spent time with their friends and family around the ranch. Youth can often be seen in photographs playing with toys they fashioned themselves, running, fishing, and swimming. They let their hearts and tiny feet run wild!
These children were creative and ingenious. They made use of their environment around them, crafting toys out of mud, branches, corn cobs, tin cans, thread spools, and bailing wire. All of these items were used in imaginative play inspired by the life they were living on the ranch. Playing cowboy, roping and riding various farm animals was the epitome of entertainment for youth on the ranch.
Images: Children playing marbles, courtesy of Victoria Regional History Center, Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library; Children assisting with ranch work.
Ranching Roots
In addition to raising cattle, many Texas landowners cared for other animals like horses, mules, sheep, goats, and turkeys. Horses and mules served as the main source of power on ranches until the 1930s, so they were particularly important stock to keep. Various agricultural products were used to aid and assist with daily operations on the ranch.
Ranchers and farmers grew an assortment of crops on their lands, some as sustenance for their animals and others for market sale. The main market crops included cotton, corn, sugar cane, rice and grains. Crops like milo, maize, and alfalfa were used as feed.
The arrival of the railroad made the production and sale of agricultural products more appealing to ranchers. Many hired tenant farmers and sharecroppers to raise their produce in return for a percentage of the profit they would receive for their crops. Churches, schools, and stores were built around these communities of tenant farmers to service their needs. With the end of tenant farming, these small towns disappeared.
Images: Sorghum harvest at A.P. Borden's Mackey Farm, courtesy of Victoria Regional History Center, Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library; Men on Studebaker wagon in 1926, courtesy of Victoria Regional History Center, Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library.