Chalk up 3,000 animal units to the Dana Ranch. The 25 biggest landowners in America own 20 million acres -- nearly 1% of the country -- according to new data from The Land Report. Texas Republicans' solution:Giant wind farms, Roughly equal to: The size of Luxembourg. New Mexico is a big state. 32 - New York Columbia University owns approximately 209 properties, which collectively account to make it the largest landowner in New York. 28 to 35 | Nos. 35. The family patriarch owned half a million acres in Texas, and the family fortune grew considerably when his son discovered oil on family land. Owns Amazon and The Washington Post, but few know Silicon Valleys leading mind spent summers on his grandfathers ranch. Together, his family owns 390,000 acres. 40. largest landowners in louisiana. Kroenke is married to Ann Walkton Kroenke, an heiress to the Wal-Mart fortune. 125,000 acres A third generation now steers the Monahan Cattle Co. in Nebraska. Land: Ranchlands and oilfields throughout Texas. Others are self-made millionaires, including John Malone, who just purchased the 290,000 acre Bell Ranch back in August. The land and livestock division has 37 farms and 15 ranches with capacity for 30,000 mother cows. He operates a ranch and children's summer camp. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. His Anschutz Entertainment Group is also the worlds largest owner and operator of sports and entertainment venues. Largest Landowners by State 2023 Utah 33,000,000 Alaska 12,500,000 California 1,900,000 Maine 1,250,000 Kentucky 1,130,000 New Mexico 1,000,000 Washington 900,000 Texas 825,000 Montana 765,000 Arizona 750,000 Largest Landowners by State 2023 Largest Landowners by State 2023 With plans underway for a major expansion of the aerospace industry, Bezos will no doubt be a major player in the states future. (Say that ten times fast). Roughly equal to: One-tenth the size of Connecticut. David Fasken, a Canadian, bought a ranch in West Texas in 1913. In 1963, Vice President Lyndon Johnson granted him irrevocable power of attorney. All told, Buck owns 925,000 acres. 145,000 acres This hedge fund manager wears his Audubon Medal with pride. Its recreational offerings include hunting, fishing, and eco-tourism activities. Background: The family business, Irving Woodlands, has roots dating back to 1882 when James D. Irving founded a company that included a sawmill, gristmill, lumber business and farms. I said, Sometimes Ill wear everything I own. . Roughly equal to: The size of the Hawaiian Island of Kaua'i. Evans turned himself in this June. The family is in the lumber business. Now, Theyre Spurring Tourism. 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. The Killam family deals largely in cattle and oil, with ranches in Texas and Oregon and oil operations in Louisiana, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas. Billionaire, lumber entrepreneur, real estate developer, and song writer. Estimates are based on information from published reports, online databases, tax records, and information provided by various landowners, and include only rural land holdings. Family members are mostly cattle ranchers. Still, thats not as it much as it once was. Bass family:285,000 acres in Texas. Turner also owns the Armendaris Ranch, located in Sierra and Socorro counties. Oil was discovered on their cattle ranches and today, the O'Connors now own an estimated half-million acres across Southern and Western Texas. Land: The Singleton ranches comprise of 29 ranches across California and New Mexico, including the picturesque San Cristobal Ranch outside of Santa Fe. Like the second-biggest landowner in the country, John Malone made his fortune in telecommunications and media, and was . At their production sale, the Powell Family promises cows with, a heavily muscled quarter with a thick loin designed for maximum performance. Today, his family owns some 280,000 acres, primarily in Collier County, which is named after him. Collier family: 280,000 acres, primarily in Collier County, Florida. After oil was discovered on their ranch in the 1940s, the Faskens spread across the Southwest. The online retailing billionaire who founded Amazon and is among the wealthiest people in the world owns 420,000 acres, which is about three times the size of Guam. The combined landholdings of former Texas governor, the late Dolph Briscoe Jr., heirs total 640,000 acres. Kelley's investment group owns and runs the 762-acre Calumet Farm, which produces Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown winners. That means the federal government controls 31.7% of the state's land. They were sustainable before sustainable was cool, man. But did you know that relatively few people hold the reins on vast expanses of the country's pastures? 2,200,000 acres It's been billed "The Sale of the Century," the largest sale of deeded land in the American West for 60 years: billionaire John Malone 's purchase of the 453 square-mile Bell Ranch in New Mexico . The descendants of the late Kenneth Ford own 580,000 acres primarily in Oregon. Today, his living family members own over 311,000 acres of land in northern California and western Pennsylvania. And apparently yes: there is a hall of fame just for horses that cut cows from the herd. 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. D.R. David Fasken, a Canadian lawyer, bought the massive C Ranch from the Texas General Land Office in 1913. 170,000 acres The BLM manages public lands and resources, including promoting recreational access. The property is the largest ranch in the state,by Captain Richard King in 1853 and subsequently passed down through generations. The real estate mogul is also owner of the Los Angeles Rams and married toAnn Walkton Kroenke, an heiress to the Wal-Mart fortune. The decrease is a result of homesteading and land grants. Boyd jumped 10 places to sit among America's 50 largest landowners after adding 18,253 acres to his portfolio. Thomas Peterffy arrived in the United States as a refugee from Hungary in 1965. Simplot family:443,091 acres in Idaho. 105,119 acres Land: Holdings in many states. Ira Wines, who works the familys prized Spanish Ranch, doesnt have times for greenhorns. 40. 13. 8. 9 Ranch Caprock, N.M. Were basically just marketing grass, he told Western Horseman, and the cows are a way to market the grass.. Bass family Land. The 25 Largest Landowners In The U.S.: #25.Jeff Bezos 290,000 Acres Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos bought a 290,000 acre ranch in Texas in 2004. 200,000 acres . Forget accusations of slave labor practices at the Fanjuls sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic. The company, now known as Westervelt Company, has operations in renewable energy, lumber, and wildlife services. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 46 withabout 275,000 acres in New Mexico. John Irwin II bought the historic O RO Ranch in the late 70s for its fidelity to the past. This land is their land. A.S. Gages headquarters is now a high end hotel in Marathon, Texas, but it once centered more than half a million acres of grazing lands. The 50th largest land owners are the Hadley family, heirs to the Anheuser-Busch beer empire, who own 260,000 acres in New Mexico. Barta family:286,000 acres in Nebraska. New Mexicos top landowners are shaping the future of this unique state, making it an exciting place to live, work, and play. How big is the Vermejo ranch in New Mexico? 200,000 acres His NC2 Media Company recently bought Lonely Planet guidebooks. They use their land for timber, sand and gravel, and oil extraction. Crosby Land and Trust which was once a chemicals company is hoping to turn the forests of the American South into biofuels as well as lumber. 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. 170,000 acres Their holdings include the 100,000 acre Catarina Ranch in south Texas. The most common exceptions to this rule are parcels located in Maine and Florida. Member of both families operate six cattle ranches. Ted Turner:2.0 million acres in New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Georgia. 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. And then there are the individuals, including Shannon Kizer, who owns 302,000 acres in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of the Hawaiin Island of Molokai. Roughly equal to: One quarter the size of Grand Canyon National Park. Another logging family with the heart of a tree hugger. The ranch spawned from land that was originally purchased by Captain Richard King in 1853 and subsequently passed down through generations. Roughly equal to: A third of the size of New Hampshire. 30. This businessman has ranch holdings in Texas, Florida, and New Mexico. 192,000 acres The park also boasts abundant wildlife populations, including large herds of elk, deer, bison, and antelope. Nuf said. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Sign up for your Modern Farmer Weekly Newsletter. 153,000 acres Background: Red Emmerson is president of Sierra Pacific Industries, a family-run lumber manufacturing business that ranks as California's largest private landowner. Horton owns over half a million acres of land. 39. Briscoe heirs:640,000 acres in Texas. Among the soccer teams, railroads, movie theaters and newspaper, the Denver billionaire has enough land for what will be one of the largest wind farms in the country. Dont worry, the Hunts dont just own land to raise cattle, breed horses and grow hay, corn, citrus, grains and sugar. Ford made a career in the timber business during the Great Depression. Where is the best hunting ranch in California? 122,200 acres They love tradition. The founder of Southern Pine Plantations diversified from timberland in the U.S. South with the purchase of 20,000 acres of mineral rights in East Texas. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns 290,000 acres of land in New Mexico. Doesnt just own CNN he is the largest landowner in New Mexico. Family members runlumber, newspapers, and petrochemicals businesses. Bird populations:Here's how we can save them. Their breeding efforts earned them a place in the Cutting Horse Hall of Fame. Roughly equal to: One-quarter the size of Delaware. Of all the grandpa-bought-some-land stories in this list, this is the best. While over a quarter of all land in the United States is owned by the federal government here is a look at how much land the government owns in every state vast swaths of the country are owned by just a handful of individuals and families. I think the Longyear family and Longyear Heirs out of Marquette MI own at least 100,000 acres. With such a large amount of land under its control, the federal government plays an important role in New Mexicos landscape. His investment in Spaceport America is expected to bring jobs and economic growth to the area. 220,000 acres His purchase of the enormous Corn Ranch in West Texas was part nostalgia and part business. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 17. Zane & Tanya Kiehne:345,000 acres in New Mexico and Texas. Vermejo Park Ranch, located in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, is a stunning 560,000-acre property. This put them at the top of the list for the largest landowners in New Mexico. Robert East, great-grandson of Richard King (see #7), funded the foundation to build ranches compatible for livestock and wildlife in South Texas. 230,000 acres Some want that land for cattle, others for farming, others to test their reusable space craft (those hobby store model rockets just werent enough, were they Mr. Take Jeff Bezos, for example. 5 with 1.4 million acres, including a 124,000 acre ranch in Montana, and additional land in Wyoming. The family descends from the 1970s Texas governor and rancher Dolph Briscoe Jr. Briscoe was the largest Texas landowner when he . A large extended family looking to drop in the rankings. 25. Why has the federal governments ownership of land been decreasing? Land: Oilfields and ranchlands throughout Texas. 42. Land: Approximately half a million acres of timberland east of the Mississippi. In 2019, D.K. The Bass family fortune, like those held by many of the entries on this list, comes from oil and cattle ranching. 7 to 13 | Nos. Theres so much private land, too, with nearly 50 acres for every person in the state. Family members have oil interests. 14 to 21 | Nos. Soloviev uses the landto grow crops like wheat, corn, and sorghum. Texas Monthly calls their Alpine Cowboys baseball team, the best little semi-pro baseball team in Texas., 276,000 acres The Emmerson family owns and operates Sierra Pacific Industries, a company that logs usable lumber after forest fires and sells it to lumber retailers. Williams made the mistake of likening rape to bad weather (If its inevitable, just relax and enjoy it) and faced accusations of going to a Mexican brothel called the Chicken Ranch while in college. 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. Roughly equal to: The size of Oklahoma City. The rest is history. 21. 18. 113,532 acres While true to their legendary ranching roots, the heirs of King Ranch Inc. have diversified their portfolio to include land for pecans, citrus, turf grass and vegetables. Roughly equal to: Two-and-a-half times larger than Indianapolis. Roughly equal to: One-tenth the size of Puerto Rico. 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. The vast swaths of property are used for farming, ranching, logging and renewable energy production. Learn more about the scenic state of New Mexico with the articles below. What luck. Horizontal drilling.). Both the Family's 06 Ranch and Leoncita Cattle Company Ranch are in West Texas. The Emmersons have transferred 6% of that chunk to the public since Curly Emerson founded the company in 1949. J.G. CNN founder Ted Turner owns 2 million acres of land largely in New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Georgia. Other than Montana Ranches, the Wilks have a firm called Frac Tech. It'll be exciting to watch this author grow and learn with her along the way. He now owns and manages spreads in Texas, Montana and Wyoming. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of San Antonio, Texas. 560,000 acres Urban farming:Growing 600lbs of gourmet mushrooms a week, Latino immigrants:Wisconsin's dairy industry would collapse without them. That means the federal government controls 31.7% of the states land. 101,315 acres Their properties include the massive La Escalera ranch in far West Texas. Family patriarch Sid Richardson once owned oil fields from Texas to Louisiana, but St. Josephs Island of the Gulf Coast of Texas was his prize. Family membersoperate ranches. Dan and Farris Wilks Who Owns Montana's Largest Ranch? His purchase of the Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa brings tourists closer to two of his landmark properties and, ya know, space. John C. Malone has been in the cable. The Texas businessman, not the president. The Briscoes operation spreads over nine Texas counties and three Briscoe generations. Lay folks like to hear land measured in acres or square miles, but the Killiam prefer animal units the measure of how many cows an area can graze. Roughly equal to: 2,500 times the size of Vatican City. He also knows his way around the rest of the world. Not that were keeping score, but the W.T. . Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Hershey's Canada releases HER for SHE bars featuring a trans activist, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up. 11. 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. 10. Ware has transferred much of his holdings to the Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation, which supports a number of causes, including animal welfare. The federal government is the top landowner in New Mexico, controlling over 24 million acres. The Briscoe family is next, owning 640,000 acres of land in Texas. 317,677 acres The largest landowner in America owns 2,200,000 acres, located largely in Maine, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. The Kokernot family's 06 Ranch brand registered in Texas since 1837. 27. 40 and owning 285,000 acres equaling one-tenth the size of Connecticut, has made its fortunes from oil and cattle ranching on the land. They make money by leasing the state trust land to a multitude of companies. 5. Thomas OConnor started digging artesian wells for his cattle during the drought of the 1880s, but hit oil as often as water. The comments below have not been moderated, By Family members are mostly cattle ranchers. 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. This ranching family owns some of the oldest operating ranch land in the country. Family members runSierra Pacific Industries, a log business that relies on lumber fromforest fires and sells it to lumber retailers. In one letter to Ronald Reagan, he explained how, Privatization dates back at least to Adam Smith, Plato, Aristotle and Jesus.. He became one of the largest landowners in the United States when he purchased 561,000 acres of land in northern Florida for $700 million in 2015. Land: Holdings in many states. Turns out they still own a huge part of the country. Since then, they have been acquiring land. The family runs 10,000 cattle on 475,000 acres along the Montana-Wyoming state line. This land isn't your land. From the wide open spaces of the desert to the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, New Mexico has something to offer everyone. 1. Few can claim the title of cowboy philanthropist. Other than running significant cattle farms, Mechenbier and his wife help finance orphanages in New Mexico. But who owns the most land? 130,000 acres In 1870, Dr. Howell Tyson Lykes gave up the practice of medicine to take over his familys 500 acres in Florida. The move earned a serious wag of the finger from MSNBCs Rachel Maddow. Reed family:1.7 million acresWashington, Oregon, and California. Abell currently serves as the vice president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, a trade group with membership exceeding 15,000 in Texas and Oklahoma alone. Background: The sports mogul who got his start in real estate just became the majority owner of the St. Louis Rams. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Babbitt heirs:275,000 acres in Arizona. She does this while also helping to fund public education and other important state institutions. The 50th largest land ownersare the Hadley family, heirs to the Anheuser-Busch beer empire, who own 260,000 acres in New Mexico. The family businesses include lumber, newspapers, and petrochemicals. 434,500 acres Manages ranches only fit for the best cowboys. Shannon Kizer: 302,000 acres inArizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The former Reebok CEO now owns James Stewarts old ranch in Nevada and has grazing rights to another three-quarter of a million acres. Below are the nuts and bolts of the list along with some extra insights. The couple are ranch operators. Climbed the rankings this year by adding land between Dallas and Waco to his Texas panhandle holdings. 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. 7. Their holdings outside New Mexico include the Peachtree and Top ranches in John Steinbecks Salinas Valley. The Bass family, at No. Rockin 7 Ranch is now one of the biggest in Wyoming. 625,000 acres 15. 2. Koch Ranches Inc. specializes in high-quality grass-fed beef. The amount of land owned by the federal government has stayed steady since 1990, with a slight decline of -0.3%. Sumary of Meet the 3 Largest Landowners in New Mexico:New Mexico top landowners are shaping the future of this unique state, making it a mind-blowing place to live, work, and play.You could plan the ultimate fishing trip or hike in the state stunning National Parks.There so much private land, too, with nearly 50 acres for every person in the state.Learn more about the scenic state of New . The Hamer family owns some 600,000 acres of land, largely forest in West Virginia. . Land: 250,000-acre Baughman Farms in Kansas; 149,493-acre Overland Trail Cattle Company & Ranch in Wyoming and 35,000 acres in Colorado. Bezos owns 420,000 acres, much of which is in west Texas. 830,000 acres Second-generation president, Allyn Ford (degrees from Stanford, Yale), keeps reforestation and recycling science at the core of his management of Rosenberg Forestry Products. 149,000 acres 149,702 acres Baron Collier, an advertising executive who developed land and infrastructure in southern Florida, had been largest landholder in the state at the time of his death. 1. The Singleton family owns 1,110,000 acres in New Mexico and California. The ranch recently received a conservation easement from the U.S. Department of Defense and New Mexico Land Conservancy. But shes upset local interests. 1,860,000 acres Today, the Simplot family oversees a $2.5 billion farming operation and owns over 443,000 acres, largely in southern Idaho. Background: Alice Gertrudis Kleberg East, gave up her interest in her grandfather Richard King of King Ranch estate in exchange for the San Antonio and Santa Fe ranches. 278,000 acres Whatever your politics, you cant deny their love for cattle. Background: The main cash cow for King Ranch remains ranching and farming but it has also expanded into publishing, retail and eco-tourism. 24. Background: W.T. Background: Former Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr., expanded his holdings when oil and gas were discovered on his ranchland. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 102,882 acres According to his company bio, investor Arthur Nicholas made his fortune by systematizing, the process of using dynamic quantitative models to find value-added performance. He may or may not be talking about his cow and horse breeding efforts in Wyoming. Father George Hearst hit silver after coming to California as a 49er and expanded into minerals and ranching. Andrew Tate, the violent, high-profile, virulently misogynistic pro-Trump social media influencer currently imprisoned and under investigation by Romanian authorities due to allegations of. Not surprisingly, many of the people on this list rank among the wealthiest Americans. New Mexico is known for its rugged terrain, ancient history, and connections to popular culture. 23. CNN founder Ted Turner may own more land in New Mexico than his friend and longtime business partner John Malone who bought the 290,100-acre Bell Ranch in northeastern New Mexico in 2010, but . Oil and drilling profits helped him buy a sportsmans paradise in the Big Bend area of Far West Texas. Background: According to Forbes, Kelley founded a tobacco company in 1990 and sold it for $1 billion in 2001. He was born in the state and has continued to invest in its well-being. Westervelt's heirs own over half a million acres across Alabama, Mississippi, and Virginia. The question is, who is the largest private landowner in New Mexico?Looking to buy or sale go here ---- https://beacons.ai/jamesbigley_realestateStart your r. Not only do the private land holdings on this list often generate income for their owners, but also real estate itself is a valuable commodity. Collins family:311,395 acres in Northern California and western Pennsylvania. Moursund III must have been one hell of a judge. Stan Kroenke: 1.4 million acres in Montana and Wyoming. Real estate mogul and owner of the Los Angeles Rams, Stan Kroenke, owns 1.4 million acres of land in the United States, including a 124,000 acre ranch in Montana and additional land in Wyoming. His properties include the 11,830 Broseco Ranch, which contains two lakes that are 100 acres in size. All these logging guys love to tote the sustainability of their operations. Here is a look at the richest person in every state. Here's how it breaks down between each division: There is alsoAnne Marion who owns 275,000 acres in Texas, including the famous 6666, or "Four Sixes" cattle ranch in the Southern Panhandle, which is close to 150 years old. 213,730 acres Whether its leasing land for renewable energy, agriculture, or commercial use, Commissioner Garcia Richard works with landowners. Zane and Tanya Kiehne own ranches that span seven counties in New Mexico and seven counties in Texas and consists mostly of mountainous terrain that is home to a variety of wildlife.