![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jacob-gordon.jpg\")
<\/p>\n The NRHC keeps its eyes toward ranching\u2019s future while celebrating and honoring its
\n past.<\/p>\n
\t\tCREATORS<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If the birth of an idea has an anniversary, then the historic ranch museum at Texas Tech University<\/a> is 60 years old. If an idea needs boots on the ground, an impressive grand opening, Lady Bird Johnson spoke in the main gallery of what was originally called the Ranching During the four-day celebration, movie and television star Dale Robertson rode horseback The symbolic cattle drive started a week earlier, moving Longhorns through the streets Nearly 25,000 visitors toured the center during the four days of opening activities, A Vision Takes Shape<\/p>\n “How early ranchers adapted to a harsh frontier environment is a story told by the Where did the idea of a living history ranch museum come from? During a 1966 visit Murray sat down with historian W. Curry Holden to discuss the vision for a multicultural Murray’s concept included a display idea for a living history ranch headquarters, Not only was Holden a noted historian who had written three books about Texas ranching, Holden and his wife Frances, a Texas Tech graduate with a master\u2019s degree in history, In 1966, a veritable Who\u2019s Who list of area ranchers as well as business and professional In the Beginning<\/p>\n In an address to the annual convention of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers \u201cIt will include a dugout as used in the 1870s by cattlemen as a headquarters and \u201cPlans call for a nearby windmill with an elevated tank and the mill house. The major The Texas Tech president said every item of the buildings and their furnishings \u201cwill “Everything must be authentically furnished to give the impression the owner just Searching for Historic Structures<\/p>\n The association acquired several historic ranch structures and expanded the exhibit The blacksmith shop from the Renderbrook Spade Ranch became the first structure to The Milk and Meat House from the JA Ranch was the first building to arrive, but it The 1905 box-and-strip upper story to the two-story dugout arrived in 1971 from the The donation and arrival of these buildings marked such a success for ranch museum By 1974 the Ranch Headquarters had three windmills and 19 buildings installed on site In 1999, the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents<\/a> designated 16 acres of the center as Proctor Park in honor of Foy Proctor (1896-1988), Today the 19-acre historic park contains 55 ranching structures representing the 1780s Creating Tradition<\/p>\n As the historic park took shape, so did the traditions and public programs that would From 1970 through 1971, the 12-acre site was opened to visitors for only one day in Among the Center\u2019s earliest public traditions was Ranch Day<\/a>. The event received its official name in 1972 when Gov. Preston Smith proclaimed Beyond Ranch Day, the center developed a broader calendar of events and public programs \u201cThose are critical ways that we tell our story, and there was a time when those were Growth and Expansion<\/p>\n The name of the historic park and the museum building changed as acreage grew and As diverse as the activities were at the Ranching Heritage Center, it was sometimes In 1998 that separation was made, and the Ranching Heritage Center was reorganized The center continued to grow as it acquired realistic outdoor art and built permanent In 2001, the center purchased the first six life-size bronze steers and continued In 2006, the primary museum and office building became the DeVitt-Mallet Ranch Museum The main building was named to honor the late David M. DeVitt, founder, owner and His daughters, Christine DeVitt and Helen DeVitt Jones, became well-known philanthropists Today the historic park alone covers 19 acres, while the entire complex includes more Modern Day Expansion<\/p>\n For more than 50 years the National Ranching Heritage Center has worked to keep the \u201cWe want to continue telling our story of heritage and history,” Campbell said, “but In 2017, rancher and author John R. Erickson was already well-known across the country. Erickson began partnering with the center to write five nonfiction Hank books called Julie Hodges, National Ranching Heritage Center Helen DeVitt Jones Endowed director According to Hodges, thousands of books have been sent to more than 550 school districts Building on that success, the center created a permanent home for experiential learning
\n hills and trees and thousands of visitors, then July 2026 will mark the 50th anniversary
\n of the National Ranching Heritage Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Celebrating](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Dedication-705.jpg\")
Celebrating National Ranching Heritage Center dedication in 1976.<\/p>\n
\n Heritage Center on July 2,1976, and the former first lady praised the pioneers who
\n “worked, endured and built \u2026 in a forbidding land.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n with Ranching Heritage Association members as they climaxed a Longhorn steer trail
\n drive led by Charles Schreiner III of the YO Ranch near Kerrville, Texas.<\/p>\n
\n of San Antonio, Kerrville, San Angelo, Stamford, Midland and downtown Lubbock until
\n they reached the opening of the Ranching Heritage Center.<\/p>\n
\n and an estimated 8,000 more witnessed the arena activities, dedication ceremonies
\n and related events. It was truly a grand opening.<\/p>\n
\n structures they built,” explained Jim Bret Campbell, executive director of the National
\n Ranching Heritage Center and Ranching Heritage Association. “It is difficult in this
\n century to find clear recollections of ranch life on the frontier, but much of the
\n early era of ranching is reflected and preserved in the historic structures at our
\n center.”<\/p>\n
\n to an outdoor history museum in Norway, then-Texas Tech President Grover E. Murray
\n conceived the idea of developing an outdoor museum to preserve and interpret the history
\n of ranching in North America.<\/p>\n
\n museum complex that would represent the birth, growth and maturity of ranching west
\n of the Mississippi River much like Colonial Williamsburg represents the nation’s history
\n east of the Mississippi.<\/p>\n
\n but transforming his plan to reality took 10 years, a multitude of helpers and guidance
\n from Holden.<\/p>\n
\n but he also was a Texas Tech Horn Professor in the Department of History<\/a>\u00a0 and had been the founding director of the West Texas Museum at Texas Tech<\/a>. He knew museums and he knew ranching. Murray and Holden were the perfect match.<\/p>\n
\n became invaluable to developing a headquarters representing ranching from the 1780s
\n to the 1950s. This would be a monument to the Old West.<\/p>\n![\"Visitors](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0090-.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n men and women met with Murray to plan a ranching association initially named the Ranch
\n Headquarters Association, that would serve as a nonprofit educational corporation
\n organized to assist the university in development of the ranch headquarters.<\/p>\n
\n Association in 1967, Murray said details of \u201cthe historically vital\u201d project would
\n be developed by the Holdens as co-chairs and would include well-known ranchers D Burns,
\n John F. Lott Sr., Frank H. Chappell Jr. and Howard Hampton.<\/p>\n
\n later as a line camp,\u201d Murray said, laying out his plan. \u201cIt will feature a box and
\n strip house, authentic down to the last iron nail and starkly furnished, representative
\n of homes built in 1885 when the first lumber was hauled in from remote rail points.<\/p>\n
\n and imposing ranch house of the 1910 period (after a cattleman had built up a sizable
\n operation) would be built either of wood or stone. It will be in character from the
\n coal oil lamps to a rosewood piano.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n be the real thing.\u201d He cited a chuck house, bunkhouse, blacksmith shop and ranch barn
\n as examples.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n stepped out the door,” he said.<\/p>\n
\n concept to include a historical park called Ranch Headquarters to represent the growth
\n period of ranching. They formed committees to locate and design the building, so it
\n would be part of the new Museum of Texas Tech University already being formed on campus.<\/p>\n
\n stand at the newly created Ranch Headquarters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n was still disassembled from the move when the blacksmith shop was brought to Lubbock.<\/p>\n
\n Lazy S Whiteface Camp near Whiteface, Texas. The upper story needed to be placed over
\n a dugout. Park workers dug and then lined up concrete blocks for stability before
\n adding dirt walls.<\/p>\n
\n planners that the Texas Legislature appropriated funding for further preparation of
\n the site.<\/p>\n
\n with restoration in progress. In 1975, the name of the museum was changed to the Ranching
\n Heritage Center, and an official opening date was set for 1976 to coincide with the
\n U.S. Bicentennial Celebration.<\/p>\n
\n who owned cattle ranches in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona and had a cattle-buying
\n partnership in Nebraska. He received the 1984 National Golden Spur Award honoring
\n his leadership in the livestock industry.<\/p>\n
\n to the 1950s.<\/p>\n
\n define it.<\/p>\n![\"Women](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Dedication-976.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n October for the Ranching Headquarters Association annual meeting. Volunteers in period
\n dress presented activities and demonstrations in three of the historic structures.<\/p>\n
\n Oct. 7 as Ranch Day, recognizing the Ranch Headquarters\u2019 efforts \u201cto preserve the
\n ranching heritage and its visual symbols.\u201d Five years later, the center celebrated
\n its first birthday with the first official Ranch Day, launching what would become
\n one of its signature annual traditions. Today, thousands of visitors gather every
\n spring to celebrate Ranch Day.<\/p>\n
\n that became central to its mission. Annual events such as Ranch Day, Summer Stampede Western Art & Gear Show<\/a>, National Golden Spur Award Honors<\/a> and Candlelight at the Ranch<\/a> evolved into cornerstone experiences that connect visitors directly to the story
\n of ranching.<\/p>\n
\n our main focus,\u201d Campbell said. \u201cThey are still a huge focus, but now we are doing
\n all of these other things in addition to events.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n new donors became interested in preserving and interpreting ranch history.<\/p>\n
\n forgotten that it was still part of the Museum at Texas Tech. The board of the Ranching
\n Heritage Association petitioned the Board of Regents for a separation so the Ranching
\n Heritage Center could further develop.<\/p>\n![\"Aerial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/NRHC-Aerial-View-2022.jpg\")
Aerial view of NRHC grounds from 2022.<\/p>\n
\n as an individual museum and historical park. The name of the center changed in 1999
\n to the National Ranching Heritage Center to reflect the bigger influences of the museum,
\n and it expanded to 16 acres.<\/p>\n
\n art and artifacts collections. Significant additions to the main building more than
\n doubled its size and included the Christine DeVitt Wing and the north addition with
\n its Red McCombs Main Gallery and 6666 Ranch Main Entrance Plaza.<\/p>\n
\n to add to the herd until 19 bronze Longhorns were sculpted and placed at the front
\n of the center in a natural setting as the focal point of J.J. Gibson Memorial Park.
\n Each animal carries the brand of its donor, including some of the most historic ranches
\n in Texas. The park-like area was named to honor the memory of longtime Four Sixes
\n Ranch Manager J.J. Gibson of Guthrie, Texas.[JG9]\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n after the $3 million Christine DeVitt Wing was added to provide staff offices, museum
\n storage, curatorial workspace, an education room and a board room.<\/p>\n
\n manager of the Mallet Ranch in the Texas counties of Cochran, Hockley, Yoakum and
\n Terry. As a young man he was a newspaper reporter for the Brooklyn (New York) Eagle.
\n In 1882, he and was sent to write a story on the development of the ranching industry
\n on the West Texas free range. The result of his visit was DeVitt establishing the
\n Mallett Land and Cattle Co. 21 years later, managing 52,000 acres of ranch land and
\n discovering oil on those acres.<\/p>\n
\n and established foundations from the Mallet Ranch revenue. They used the money to
\n support educational institutions and social and cultural programs, including the National
\n Ranching Heritage Center.<\/p>\n
\n than 30 acres and a 44,000-square-foot museum with seven galleries.[GJ10]\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n history and heritage of ranching in front of a mainstream audience, but the audience
\n has changed through the decades.<\/p>\n![\"Front](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Building-Front-2016.jpg\")
Front entrance of NRHC<\/p>\n
\n we started to realize that many people coming through our door don’t have a clear
\n idea of what a ranch is. We have more than 75,000 visitors a year, but history may
\n not be the only story we need to tell when so many people have a real disconnect with
\n agriculture.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n He had sold millions of his \u201cHank the Cowdog\u201d children’s books and had a fan base
\n of several generations growing up on Hank books, but they were all fiction adventures.<\/p>\n
\n the \u201cRanch Life Learning\u201d series. These books humorously teach readers about ranch
\n life and livestock basics, ranch wildlife, ranch hands, horses, weather and ranching
\n as a business through the voice of Hank.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n of education, worked with school curriculum specialists to create lesson plans and
\n an activity guide for each book. Today, \u201cRanch Life Learning<\/a>,\u201d is part of the National Ag in the Classroom curriculum.<\/p>\n
\n in four states since the partnership began.<\/p>\n
\n in 2023. When the Cash Family Foundation gave a lead gift of $3.5 million \u2014 the largest
\n single gift in the center’s history \u2013 nearly 90 additional donors contributed gifts
\n to build a new learning center geared toward children and forge a new emphasis in
\n the center\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n