Where's the Beef? A Comparison of Two Texas Ranches By John Parks At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Amarillo once known as the "Helium Capital of the World”, is now known as one of the largest beef marketing cities in the US. Americans eat millions of burgers each year and the majority of the beef comes from Texas. Think we just found out why Men's Fitness selected Dallas as one of America's "Fattest States". The folks of Amarillo love their beef and they hold two of the largest ranches in the U.S., both past and present. Whether it be one of the best know ranches in it's heyday, The XIT Ranch or the John Adair Ranch, better known as the JA Ranch, cattle market is and has been a staple of Amarillo Texas for years.

Although its doors may be closed, the XIT Ranch played a great part in the development of Amarillo as a player in the cattle industry. Closing it's gates in 1912, it was known as the largest ranch to be fenced in at it's time of operation with approximately 3,000,000 acres in length. The ranch, originated in 1885, was home to over 150,000 roaming livestock, 325 windmills turning strong across its streams. Poor sales and the destruction of cattle by livestock thieves and outside wild caused the ranch's demise.

The ranch is immortalized today by a museum in Dalhart, known simply as XIT museum. Although not in Amarillo it captures the essence of the ranch telling it's history through artifacts, photographs and other souvenirs. Here one can learn the misconception of the XIT brand. A brand that for year’s people thought it stood for "Ten in Texas", marking the ten countries the ranch identified with. In fact it was just a name given by disgruntled cattle robbers, perhaps stalking the Amarillo ranch.

The JA Ranch established by John George Adair and Charles Goodnight in the 1800’s is still up and running today. Numerous managers have run it over the years, but all are descendants of the Adair’s. Adair’s wife Cornelia took over the reins for a bit after her husband’s death. She then turned the management over to her son and others have followed as well. One of the best-known managers may have been Montie Ritchie; he worked the ranch until he retired in 1993.

The ranch has definitely left its mark on Amarillo, Texas and has become known in the city for its landmarks. Some that stand out are the old milk house and the oat bin, not to forget the “Big House”, which is nationally recognized. In the 90’s it held larger and stronger animals and became fenced in.

Both ranches are rich in Amarillo lore and may have contributed to the title of “Beef City”, a common name given by Amarillo folk. A name maybe only recognized by the locals, but there is no doubt that Amarillo is the one of the largest meat packing areas in the United States. So, next time you bite into a steak or burger remember the history or tradition that may have gone into it.

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