King Ranch Museum
Who would have thought such a tiny insect could wreak such havoc? In 1894, to solve the economic crisis caused by “tick fever”, a dipping vat of lime and sulfur was created at King Ranch – believed to be the first of its kind – and 25,000 infected cattle were dipped to kill the ticks. Dipping vats were installed elsewhere, including the Stock Yards in Fort Worth. Strict regulations at the state and national level were enacted to control the tick and stem the outbreak. Four years later, the quarantines on Texas cattle were lifted and, to the relief of ranchers throughout Texas, prices stabilized.
The King Ranch Museum features a temporary exhibit focused on the cattle trailing history at the ranch, as well as permanent collections of saddles, photographs, guns, flags, and carriages from throughout the ranch’s history.