Westervelt's heirs own over half a million acres across Alabama, Mississippi, and Virginia. Today, the Stimson family owns 552,000 acres, primarily in Montana and Oregon. 1,000 turbines are currently under construction on a combination of his private land and public land in Wyoming. Forget accusations of slave labor practices at the Fanjuls sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic. Turner's land is utilized by greater than 50,000 head of buffalo for grazing - the biggest non-public herd of bison on the earth. Roughly equal to: Three times the size of New York City. The discovery of oil on that ranch propelled Fasken to wealth, and now Fasken Oil & Ranch is a major oil drilling company that has heavily employed fracking technology. The family raises cattle and grows citrus. The "9" continues under third- and fourth-generation ownership, exemplifying the ranching heritage and tradition. Land: Kelleys properties span Texas, New Mexico, and Florida and are used to breed rare species of animals. 433,000 acres Family members are ranch operators. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is not only one of the richest men in the world, with a net worth of $109 billion at the time of this writing, but he is also one of the biggest private landowners in the United States. 422,164 acres As the founder of Cable News Network and now vice chairman of Time Warner, Ted Turner is famous, even legendary. The property is the largest ranch in the state,by Captain Richard King in 1853 and subsequently passed down through generations. 163,800 acres Roughly equal to: Twice the size of Badlands National Park. He operates a ranch and children's summer camp. Oil and drilling profits helped him buy a sportsmans paradise in the Big Bend area of Far West Texas. Land: Approximately two million acres of forestland in California and Washington. Land: Holdings in many states. His Anschutz Entertainment Group is also the worlds largest owner and operator of sports and entertainment venues. The cable billionaire from Denver added two properties in Wellington, the epicenter of South Floridas equestrian community, and an Irish castle with a solid set of stables. 200,000 acres Oil was discovered on their cattle ranches and today, the O'Connors now own an estimated half-million acres across Southern and Western Texas. Luke Brite made a name breeding some of the toughest cattle in Texas around the turn of the century. 1. 730,000 acres His purchase of the Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa brings tourists closer to two of his landmark properties and, ya know, space. Boyd's Frying Pan Ranch was originally made up of 95 sections in the Texas Panhandle, which was one of the first areas to test out barbed-wire fencing over 130 years ago. Malone Mitchell runs Longfellow Ranches, a 500 square mile hunting preserve. His marriage to Ann Walkton Kroenke, an heir to the Wal-Mart fortune, likely adds to his good fortune. The terrain is diverse and spectacular to see. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The family is in the lumber business. The McDonald family's 474,000 acres are spread across Alabama, Florida, and Oklahoma but the majority of the family's land holdings is in Maine. Many of them inherited land bought cheap at the turn of. 30. 13. He is a cable TV mogul who currently owns the $24 billion company, Liberty Media. David Fasken, a Canadian, bought a ranch in West Texas in 1913. They were sustainable before sustainable was cool, man. 200,000 acres The rest is history. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Their land includes the 190,000 acre Sunlight Ranch in Montana, just outside of Yellowstone National Park. 180,000 acres 4. 110,448 acres The family still owns most of that property. 18. Family members are mostly cattle ranchers. 615,000 acres Holland Ware owns over half a million acres of land primarily in Florida and Georgia. 130,000 acres Stefan Soloviev:325,077 acres in New Mexico, Kansas and Texas. Background: W.T. Roughly equal to: Three times the size of Houston. . Babacomari Ranch Elgin, Ariz. Billionaire, lumber entrepreneur, real estate developer, and song writer. 145,000 acres The drought that has gripped the Southwest since 2011 has been tough on many ranchers, but that hasnt excused Evans from animal cruelty charges. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of Singapore. 1. Family members come from theSinclair Oil empire. J.G. Collectively, the Robinson and Freed families own 300,000 acres in partnership. two main ranches, the 6666 Ranch near Guthrie and the Dixon Creek Ranch near Panhandle, total 275,000 acres. 278,000 acres Turns out they still own a huge part of the country. It'll be exciting to watch this author grow and learn with her along the way. Sign up for your Modern Farmer Weekly Newsletter. Roughly equal to: Three times the size of Guam. 40. Barta family:286,000 acres in Nebraska. Member of both families operate six cattle ranches. Peterffy made a fortune as a successful investor and innovator on Wall Street. 25. She does this while also helping to fund public education and other important state institutions. The family businesses include lumber, newspapers, and petrochemicals. Sounds like the perfect setting for a combination of Gunsmoke and Beverly Hills: 90210. The ranch recently received a conservation easement from the U.S. Department of Defense and New Mexico Land Conservancy. Roughly equal to: The size of San Antonio. Through Sierra Pacific, the family owns some 2 million acres in California and Washington. 275,000 acres The Fisher family owns 440,000 acres of land, primarily timberland in northwestern California. David Pingree, known as the Merchant Prince of Salem, built an empire that exceeded 1 million acres in the 1800s. His Crossroads Ag grows corn, canola, sunflowers, sorghum, wheat and cotton, but he recently expanded into New Mexican grasslands for large-scale cow-calf operations. 140,000 acres Meet the 10 Largest Land Owners in Montana, Meet the 4 Largest Landowners in New Mexico, Ted Turner Enterprises, Available here: https://www.tedturner.com/turner-ranches/, The Land Report, Available here: https://landreport.com/2016/01/land-report-january-2016-newsletter/, Federal Landowner Report, Available here: https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R42346.pdf. Though he resides in New York City, Stefan Soloviev owns over 325,000 acres of land across New Mexico, Kansas, and Texas. With such a large amount of land under its control, the federal government plays an important role in New Mexicos landscape. These private individuals and entities significantly impact the lands environment and culture. The family's 1.7 million acres of land are primarily spread across Washington, Oregon, and California. It was in 2004 that Bezos bought Broes Hubble & Green Ranches in New Mexico; it covers 290,000 acres. By the way, what is it about land that makes people want to number their children? John Irwin II bought the historic O RO Ranch in the late 70s for its fidelity to the past. 130,000 acres Ted Turner:2.0 million acres in New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Georgia. After over 100 years in operation, its still run by tough men on horses. 247,000 acres New Mexico, Texas, Florida, and Oregon. Brad Maurice Kelley (born 1956) is an American businessman who is the 7th largest landowner in the U.S., with an estimated net worth of US$2.2 billion in 2018. David Fasken, a Canadian lawyer, bought the massive C Ranch from the Texas General Land Office in 1913. In 1916, Joe Lane established the 9 Ranch, headquarters for his far-flung operations in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. Roughly equal to: Three and a half times the size of Philadelphia. Fisher family:440,000 acres in California. Other than buying and selling financial institutions at huge markups, Ford has a deep love of the land. Her two main ranches, the 6666 Ranch near Guthrie and the Dixon Creek Ranch near Panhandle, total 275,000 acres. 110,000 acres Sandwiched between Flagstaff Arizona and the Grand Canyon, the Babbitt Ranches have a reputation for breeding trophy quarter horses. Under the livestock feeding company Llano Partners Ltd., Hughes Abell owns and operates ranching operations in New Mexico, Texas, and Florida. Florida land developers who were key in the creation of Big Cyprus National Preserve, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, and numerous country clubs built around nature preserves. Their land is used for a range of resource extraction industries, including timber, sand and gravel, and oil. The largest landowners in both Montana and Idaho, the Wilks brothers also own ranches in Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. Roughly equal to: The size of Oklahoma City. The decrease is a result of homesteading and land grants. Lucien Bonaparte Maxwell (September 14, 1818 - July 25, 1875) was a mountain man, rancher, scout, and farmer who at one point owned more than 1,700,000 acres (6,900 km 2).Along with Thomas Catron and Ted Turner, Maxwell was one of the largest private landowners in United States history. The 90-year-old CEO of Dole Food Company plans to live to 125 on what the The New York Times calls a diet of messianic correctness that can, and will, ward off major disease in a 2011 magazine piece. The land has short grasses, alpine tundra mountains, and more. The islands ranch closed in 1999, leaving animals to roam freely and almost all residents to leave for other parts of the state. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider 255,000 acres 290,000 acres Bass family:285,000 acres in Texas. Roughly equal to: Three times the size of Los Angeles. The cowboy favorite is buttermilk piesugar, eggs and rich dairy products loaded into a couple of pie pans. Lykes heirs:615,000 acres in Texas. The family patriarch owned half a million acres in Texas, and the family fortune grew considerably when his son discovered oil on family land. Land: Purchased 290,000-acre Bell Ranch in Nex Mexico this August to add to his landholdings in Colorado and Wyoming. This ranching family owns some of the oldest operating ranch land in the country. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and are used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The family descends from the 1970s Texas governor and rancher Dolph Briscoe Jr. Briscoe was the largest Texas landowner when he . And apparently yes: there is a hall of fame just for horses that cut cows from the herd. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of the Hawaiin Island of Molokai. Ware has transferred much of his holdings to the Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation, which supports a number of causes, including animal welfare. In addition, they bring jobs and economic growth with their investments in the aerospace and other industries. John Cassidy began amassing his 200,000 acre logging empire in Maine before the Civil War. No longer #10 with the acquisition of Montanas Broken O Ranch, an inspiring combination of irrigated farming and cattle land envisioned by paint mogul, Benjamin Moore. His properties include the 11,830 Broseco Ranch, which contains two lakes that are 100 acres in size. Ford family: 580,000 acresin Oregon. 384,000 acres The Lee Family owns an estimated 275,000 acres in New Mexico. The enormous cattle operation near Yellowstone National Park seems not to mind when elk or antelope walk by. Shannon's farming and ranching operations produce peanuts, corn, wheat, dairy, and cattle. The move earned a serious wag of the finger from MSNBCs Rachel Maddow. Brad Kelley's investment group purchased the 762-acre Calumet Farm, a thoroughbred horse breeding and training facility in Kentucky, in 2012. Whatever your politics, you cant deny their love for cattle. Robert East, great-grandson of Richard King (see #7), funded the foundation to build ranches compatible for livestock and wildlife in South Texas. The type of resources that help them manage their land responsibly and sustainably. Roughly equal to: The size of Prince Edward Island. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Before he passed away last year, an employee gave Robert Earl Holding a plaque that echoed his credo: All I want is the land next to mine. That land includes ski resorts in Utah and a whole lot of real estate in Salt Lake City, all of which he built from a small stake in a Wyoming truck stop. His Colorados Great Western Industrial Park became a major source of the states green job growth in 2008. The family has harvested hardwood timber from the land for five generations. 149,702 acres Greenpeace calls them the king pins of climate denial and Mitt Romney can thank them for holding a $50,000-dollar-a-plate fundraiser during the election. The ten largest landowners in America are 1. cable and media honcho John Malone (2.2 million acres), 2. lumber titans Emmerson Family, 3. Brothers Farris and Dan Wilks started off with Frac Tech, a natural gas extraction company in 2002, and sold it for $3.5 billion in 2011. Roughly equal to: Two-and-a-half times larger than Indianapolis. . The Galts are a family of cattle ranchers with a number of large properties in Montana, including the Martinsdale Ranch. Loves oil investment, ranching and Mitt Romney; not a fan of gay reporters knocking the Boy Scouts of America. CNN founder Ted Turner owns 2 million acres of land largely in New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Georgia. In 1864, great-great-grandmother Elizabeth Sinclair bought Niihau, the Forbidden Island of Hawaii, for $10,000 in gold from King Kamehameha V. Since, the family has honored the islands traditional culture, but not always to commercial success. 150,000 acres We think of William Randolph Hearst as the newspaper mogul whispering Rosebud to an empty room, but the family fortune started with land. They own several large ranches in the northern part of the state. The largest landowner in the U.S. is probably not someone you've heard of. He founded the Commonwealth Brands tobacco company in 1991 and sold the company in 2001 to Houchens Industries for US$1 billion. The combined landholdings of former Texas governor, the late Dolph Briscoe Jr., heirs total 640,000 acres. Cowboys on horseback still work these New Mexico ranches. 122,200 acres Eugene Gabrych has no idea. Roughly equal to: One-tenth the size of Connecticut. Why has the federal governments ownership of land been decreasing? In 1959, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Learn how your comment data is processed. The fifty private land owners who own the most land in the US, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and CNN founder Ted Turner, have been revealed in a new investigation. In Rural America, Right-to-Repair Laws are the Leading Edge of a Pushback Meet the Modern Graziers Who Broke Into Regenerative Agriculture, No Farmland Required, 7 Smokable Plants You Can Grow That Arent Marijuana, Sustainable Farmers See Promise in New Financing Options, New Solar Panels Allow Farmers to See the Light, The Buzzy Edible Insect Trend is Gaining Traction in the West. The 25 biggest landowners in America own 20 million acres -- nearly 1% of the country -- according to new data from The Land Report. Crowbar Beggs for getting them to the list. 9, owns more than twice as much as Bezos. Their properties include the massive La Escalera ranch in far West Texas. The oil and gas business man developed a love for land on his grandparents farm. Both the Family's 06 Ranch and Leoncita Cattle Company Ranch are in West Texas. 165,000 acres Now, Theyre Spurring Tourism. According the company, it turns out that Frac Techs specialty-hydraulic fracturing is one of the two drivers powering the U.S. energy renaissance. 39. Errol Galt is the former Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Game commissioner. Family members used the land to enrich themselves from oil and cattle ranching. Heres how it breaks down between each division: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) handles 54.7% of the land, followed by the U.S. Forest Service at 37.4%. 153,000 acres 6. 158,500 acres His cows are big, thick, good traveling, sound, fertile, hardy Herefords. 28. here is a look at how much land the government owns in every state, The Land Report magazines 2018 Land Report, Growing 600lbs of gourmet mushrooms a week, Wisconsin's dairy industry would collapse without them, Here is a look at the richest person in every state, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. New Mexicos top landowners are shaping the future of this unique state, making it an exciting place to live, work, and play. Wilks Brothers:702,367 acres in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. Land: 830,000 acres of timberland in Maine. Following are the 10 largest landowners in the U.S. in 2020: King Ranch Inc. (911,215 acres) King Ranch is the largest ranch in Texas, and is located between Corpus Christi and Brownsville. All these logging guys love to tote the sustainability of their operations. 400,000 acres 24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. The family owns numerous properties throughout the northern and eastern part of the state. Much of the land is used to grow crops like wheat, corn, and sorghum. Errol Galt is the former Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Game commissioner. Nuf said. The family behind logging company Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) with land holdings twice the size of Rhode Island. largest landowners in louisiana. Another logging family with the heart of a tree hugger. 22 to 27 | Nos. Since then, they have been acquiring land. 317,677 acres Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Family members runlumber, newspapers, and petrochemicals businesses. The Austin-based family partnership climbed the rankings with a couple of add-ons to their New Mexico and Texas ranches. Starting with royal-looking Ramboulient sheep, the Broadbents have diversified their ranches to include cattle, horses, timber, hunting and wind turbines. The Hamer family owns some 600,000 acres of land, largely forest in West Virginia. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of Dallas. Jeff Bezos:420,000 acres in Texas. A large extended family looking to drop in the rankings. A recent deal to take Dole private makes Murdock the sole owner of 25,000 acres in Hawaii. 7. By . 14 to 21 | Nos. The Faskens have several major properties in West Texas. The vast majority of the land held by the individuals and families on this list is located in states west of the Mississippi River. Roughly equal to: One-third the size of Delaware. 560,000 acres Roughly equal to: Ten and a half times the size of Hilton Head Island, SC. Roughly equal to: Twice as large as Rhode Island. The Langdale Company, which started with a crop of turpentine timber, claims to have planted more trees than theyve cut since the 1930s. Land: Ranches and oilfields throughout Texas. Her goal is to ensure they receive fair market value. The Butler Heirs have partnered with government and nonprofits to help ensure their land is healthy, productive, and beautiful far into the future. For now, heres the compromise: 70,000 acres of parkland, 30,000 for hunting, snowmobiling, and logging. For a basic sense of how the world of ultra-massive real estate has changed, heres one fact: Between 2012 and 2013, the top 100 added 700,000 acres to their collective portfolios, bringing their total to two percent of the U.S. land mass. Bird populations:Here's how we can save them. While this list only includes privately held land, nearly all of it serves some commercial purpose from farming and ranching to logging and renewable energy production. Boswell Co. is the nations leading cotton grower. They love tradition. This ranking is current as of the end of 2018. Top 100 Largest Landowners Of Private Property In The United States Own Roughly 40 Million Acres Equalling 2% Of The Country's Total Land. The parcel is roughly the size of Hong Kong. She runs the popular Pioneer Woman blog under the slogan, Plowing through life in the country one calf nut at a time. Which probably does not make her blog, like, particularly popular with calves. Baron Collier was an advertising executive who developed land and infrastructure in southern Florida. 112,042 acres Thomas Peterffy arrived in the United States as a refugee from Hungary in 1965. Here's how it breaks down between each division: The family harvests hardwood timber from the land. 20. To date, the clan has produced one governor: Dolph Briscoe Jr, who served two terms for the Lone Star State. He is now buried somewhere on the premises. In 2014, the family-owned Port Blakely Mill Company will celebrate its sesquicentennial. Where is the best hunting ranch in California? Ted Turner owns one million acres in New Mexico. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 2,200,000 acres 26. After his family made a killing in the oil and gas business, Dan Allen Hughes Jr. has attempted to make his name with the purchase Texas hunting land. He uses the land to test reusable space vehicles. 16. And while more than a quarter of all land in the states is owned by the federal government, it turns out that only a fraction of the nation's population of more than 327 million control the most private land, the investigation found. Background: Phillip Anschutz's company has investments in energy exploration, telecommunications and agribusiness. Waggoner's began expanding his father's ranching interests and established what is known today as the W.T. Babbitt heirs:275,000 acres in Arizona. D.R. Family members are heirs to theAnheuser-Busch beer empire. CNN founder Ted Turner, 4. logging industry Reed. 111,977 acres The foundation now protects land all across the Ozarks. But did you know that relatively few people hold the reins on vast expanses of the country's pastures? Claims their ranch holdings are just as impressive as their highly-productive oil fields. 35. Second-generation president, Allyn Ford (degrees from Stanford, Yale), keeps reforestation and recycling science at the core of his management of Rosenberg Forestry Products. Bezos?). 32. Thank you for reading! Do fence them in. John Malone:2.2 million acres inMaine, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. His ranch is a refuge for a herd of big horn sheep, trophy elk, antelope, mountain lions and stone writings from early Spanish explorers, asking Donde esta la carne? or Wheres the beef? Ya, thats a joke. Anne Marion owns several major properties in Texas, including the famous 6666, or "Four Sixes" cattle ranch in the Southern Panhandle, which is close to 150 years old. Among them is Ted Turner, founder of CNN and owner of private land and ranches spanning across New Mexico. Family members run a long-time lumber business. The descendants of the late Kenneth Ford own 580,000 acres primarily in Oregon. 47. Background: Malone has served in executive positions in telecommunications firms and is currently the chairman of Liberty Media Corp. Land: 1.2 million acres of forests in Maine. 13/20 Henry Singleton cofounded the industrial conglomerate Teledyne in 1960, and begin acquiring ranch land in New. His aerospace firm Blue Origin uses the land to test space vehicles. The Lees are sheep and cattle ranchers who owe some of their wealth to the discovery of uranium and coal on their property in the western half of the state. Dan and Farris Wilks Who Owns Montana's Largest Ranch? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The property is manly timberland. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Both Zane and Tanya were born into ranching families. The BLM manages public lands and resources, including promoting recreational access. 44, with 277,000 acres of ranches that fuel the family's cattle and oil interests. 27 febrero, 2023 . Background: The main cash cow for King Ranch remains ranching and farming but it has also expanded into publishing, retail and eco-tourism. 100,000 acres 21. Roughly equal to: Five times the size of Chicago. Donald and Doris Fisher co-founded the clothing brand Gap Inc. Roughly equal to: The size of the island of Maui. (Just kidding. Dont mess with Texas, and never, ever mess with a Texas ranching family. and J.E. 8. 911,215 acres 1,100,000 acres Bezos owns 420,000 acres, much of which is in west Texas. Its his 18,000-acre Rock Springs Ranch at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains). The company, now known as Westervelt Company, has operations in renewable energy, lumber, and wildlife services. Malone bought the 290,000- acre Bell Ranch in New Mexico in 2010 for a reported $65 million. 135,000 acres You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. What luck. The 25 biggest landowners in America own 20 million acres -- nearly 1% of the country -- according to new data from The Land Report. That means the federal government controls 31.7% of the state's land. It also oversees granting grazing leases and mineral rights on federally-owned lands. Just as theres a language around buying a car, theres a dialect for selling bull semen. John Malone: 2.2 million acres in Maine, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. The Kokernot family's 06 Ranch brand has been registered in the state since 1837. John Malone is the largest private landowner in the United States. Fasken family:279,128 acres in Texas. Family members have had a long-time timber business. Spanning over 3.5 million square miles, the United States is the third largest country in the world by landmass, trailing only China and Russia. Plans for his land in Wyoming include a massive wind farm that will rank among the largest in the world. 119,500 acres His land ownership in New Mexico will likely expand as the space industry develops. The brothers started buying up Texas ranch land in 1923 and the modern day Beggs still manage much of it. 150,000 acres Background: Joseph M. Huber's success as a sales agent for his family's pigments and manufacturing business back in the late 1800s grew into a diversified corporation that spans many industries from paper and energy to plastics and construction. The Briscoe family is next, owning 640,000 acres of land in Texas. Land: Holdings in many states. Thomas Lane Jr. makes the ranching business sound simple: Were just continuing a tradition and well expand if we can.. Land: Cow-calf operations on Cedar Creek and PV Ranch in Montana; Q Creek Land & Livestock Company runs up to 12,000 yearlings on 550,000+ acres in Wyoming.