Houston Ranch
Bluff Dale, Erath County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Frank R. Putnam was born on November 15, 1848 in Massachusetts. In 1879, Frank and his brother, Addison, purchased 25,000 acres on Upper Berry Creek. In 1883, the Putnams built a three-story frame building and a commissary where travelers could purchase supplies.The Putnam (or "Put") Ranch included Wolf Creek, Berry Creek and Roberson Creek, and was the first in the area to have dipping vats for cattle. The Putnams sold their shares to the Erath Cattle Company in 1883 which was then sold to the Jarvis family in 1898. The I.T. Houston family purchased around 12,000 acres out of the center of the ranch in 1942, and four generations of Houstons have since operated this historic ranch. (2012)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Putnam brothers assembled 25,000 acres on Upper Berry Creek in 1879, building a three-story commissary for travelers and pioneering some of the area's first cattle dipping vats. The land passed through several owners before the I.T. Houston family bought its heart in 1942, and four generations have worked the ranch since.
Why it matters
The ranch's long chain of owners traces the enduring cattle culture of North Central Texas from the open-range frontier into the modern era.
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Related people
- · Frank R. Putnam
- · I.T. Houston
Themes & tags
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