History
McAllen Ranch: A History of Quality Cattle and Horses
In 1748, in order to establish Spanish outposts in Nuevo Santander, conquistador José de Escandón recognized that habitation by families, clergy, and military would be imperative to hold their claim against other encroaching European powers.
Agriculture, particularly ranching, remained a Spanish legacy integrated into nearly every aspect of life. Seeing the grasslands along the lower Rio Grande as perfectly evolved to support cattle and other grazing livestock, between 1767 and 1800 the crown awarded hundreds of thousands of acres to colonial subjects having proven themselves worthy of managing property. Spanish ranches tracing their heritage back to the 18th colonization of South Texas set the standard for ranching practices adopted across the American west into the 20th century.
Ranch History
1790
The royal land grant of Santa Anita was applied for by Manuel Gómez and conditionally approved
1801
Manuel Gómez officially takes possession of the 15½ league Santa Anita land grant
1803
Manuel Gómez dies, ranch passes to Dominguez family through his wife Doña Gregoria Domínguez Gómez
1850
Portion of ranch land purchased by Salomé Ballí
Picture is of ranch family at El Rucio
1861-1870
Remainder of Santa Anita inherited and purchased by Salomé Ballí de Young McAllen and her husband, Irish immigrant John McAllen (pictured). Subsequently, the ranch is known as the McAllen Ranch. Santa Anita has cattle contracts to supply both Union and Confederate armies at Fort Brown in Brownsville, Texas
1865
John McAllen bought horses from the quartermaster at Fort Brown, which were liquidated after the war
1898
Death of Salomé Ballí de McAllen
1910
Cattle depredations intensify with the beginning of the Mexican Revolution
1913
John McAllen dies in Brownsville, Texas at the age of 83
1917
Ranch managed by McAllen’s widow, Margaret Rhode McAllen.
1930
Sons of Margaret Rhode and James B. McAllen, Argyle and Eldred McAllen manage San Juanito. Begin to improve cattle herd, purchasing improved breeding stock from Lasater and Santa Fe ranches
1933-1960
Argyle A McAllen takes over and continues to improve general conditions of ranch. Ranch continues to improve livestock
Argyle A Mcallen (right) pictured with James A Mcallen (left), with Goldsnip (Horse)
1960-1980
Argyle A McAllen with son James A McAllen begin intensive livestock breeding program with Beefmaster
Picture is both of them overlooking feeder steers in Tres Corales.
1998
McAllen Ranch takes top honor in trial tests of Beefmaster excellence.