The Kenedy Ranch Museum is a perfect place to learn about the cultural and industrial heritage of South Texas. Mifflin Kenedy and Richard King were business partners who were significantly involved in ranching, railroads, land development and oil. Richard King’s Ranch is perhaps the more well-known and still includes ranching among its many enterprises. The Kenedy Ranch that once covered 400,000 acres, now contains 230,000 acres, is operated by the John C. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, and is dedicated to conservation and enhancement of wildlife habitat.

Operating as part of the Foundation, the museum is located inside the beautifully restored building of the Kenedy Pasture Company in Sarita, 20 miles south of Kingsville. Its stories include the generational history of the Kenedy family, including Sarita Kenedy East, the town’s namesake, and the pivotal roles of vaqueros and the Catholic Church in the development of the area, along with the broader history of the region. The story murals that cover the museum’s interior walls provide a marvelous enhancement to this already compelling narrative. The artist, Daniel Lechón, was born in Mexico and was strongly influenced by some of the great muralists of the time including Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and Alfredo Zalce.

Tour the South Texas Museum and hear the story of three generations of Kenedys that played such an important role in South Texas history and whose lasting legacy of philanthropy continues to benefit Texans today.