One of Texas’ biggest landmark cattle ranches is headed to the market.
The Turkey Track Ranch in Texas’ Panhandle sprawls over almost 80,000 acres along the Canadian River near the town of Borger.
Founded in the 1870s, the huge cattle spread in Hansford and Hutchinson counties was one of the first large ranches in the Panhandle.
For the last century, the Turkey Track has been owned by the Coble and Whittenburg families.
Now the families have hired Dallas real estate broker Icon Global Group to put the historic property on the market later this year.
The legendary ranch could fetch as much as $200 million.
“It is with careful consideration and great emotion that we announce that, after 120 years of stewardship by our family, we have decided to sell our historic Turkey Track Ranch in the Texas Panhandle,” the families said in a statement. “For over a century this American landmark has been an integral element of our heritage.
“Generations of Cobles and Whittenburgs have created lifetimes of memories on the Turkey Track,” the families said. “Due to our family’s increasing numbers and geographical distances, we recognize that it is time to find a new steward for this historic holding.”
Icon Global Group has sold some of Texas’ legacy ranches, including the 510,500-acre W.T. Waggoner Ranch near Vernon.
“If you look at the dynasty of great West Texas ranches, Turkey Track is the last one to come to market,” Icon Global founder Bernard Uechtritz said. “They are not making any more of these legacy ranches.
“These ranches have been the backbone of Texas for so long.”
With 26 miles of frontage along the Canadian River, Turkey Track Ranch has been a working cattle spread and wildlife habitat.
The property also has oil and gas operations.
“Its natural resources and position in history are unparalleled by anything recently sold or on the market,” Uechtritz said. “I expect interest in this ranch to be significant as we formally go to market.”
The sale includes an original homestead house, plus numerous livestock pens and buildings, ranch operators’ residences and a bunkhouse.
In the 1860s and 1870s, Turkey Track Ranch was the site of the Adobe Walls battles.
The 6-acre battle site is preserved and contains two monuments.
The decision to sell the ranch comes after the 2016 death of Dallas businessman and family patriarch J.A. Whittenburg III. He owned and operated several ranches in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico.
The offering of the Turkey Track Ranch is happening just as another grand West Texas spread is headed toward a sale.
The 266,000-acre 6666 Ranch in King, Carson and Hutchinson counties is under contract for sale to a group headed by Hollywood filmmaker Taylor Sheridan. The massive cattle and horse ranch was originally priced at more than $340 million.
The 6666 Ranch was founded by Samuel Burk Burnett in 1900. Folk tales hold that Burnett won the ranch in a card game with a hand of four sixes. But the family has long held that the name came from the ranch’s original cattle brands.
The 6666 Ranch owner, Burnett Marion, died in February 2020, and the estate put the famed property up for sale.
Correction: Adobe Walls battles were fought on the land in the 1860s and 1870s. An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated who fought.
