Matador Ranch

The Matador Cattle Company began as an open range ranch in 1879 when Henry H. Campbell, A. M. Britton, and three others bought range rights in this area. In 1882, the ranch was purchased by Scottish investors, who formed the Matador Land & Cattle Company, Ltd. The ranch utilized one and one half million acres of owned and leased range in Motley, Floyd, Dickens and Cottle counties. In 1902, the ranch acquired the 210,000 acre Alamocitas Ranch in Oldham County. Additional pastures were leased in the Dakotas, Montana and Canada. At its height the ranch owned 90,000 cattle and title to 879,000 acres of Texas land. In 1913, the Quanah, Acme and Pacific Railroad was built through the ranch in Motley County and the town of Roaring Springs was established. General managers of the ranch were Britton (1879-90), Murdo MacKenzie (1890-1911, 1923-1937), John MacBain (1912-1922), and John MacKenzie (1937-1951). The general manager's office was located first in Fort Worth and later in Trinidad and Denver, Colorado. Corporate offices were maintained in Scotland from 1882 until the ranch's liquidation in 1951. The ranch headquarters was purchased by Koch Industries, Inc. and became The Matador Cattle Company. Texas Sesquicentennial, 1836-1986

Matador Ranch is a historical marker in Matador, Motley County, dedicated in 1986. It is one of 13 historical markers documented in Motley County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 16 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.9980, -100.8311 near Matador. The nearest cataloged historic site is Motley County (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Bob's Oil Well, Traweek House, and Motley County Courthouse.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5345003249. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.