Willacy County Historical Museum
From the Quaker meeting house in Pennsylvania to steamship dominance to the wide-open plains of South Texas, Mifflin Kenedy’s path to becoming one of the most recognizable names in the cattle industry was – to say the least – unconventional. He met Richard King while working as a clerk on steamboats in the South; together, the two would build powerful empires in shipping and ranching. But it was ranching that made the Kenedy name go national. At its peak, Kenedy’s land holdings surpassed 400,000 acres.
The Willacy County Historical Museum features a collection of items that belonged to Mifflin Kenedy and family, including bedroom furniture, works of art, windows and doors from his home, and a “bulletproof vest” worn by Mifflin Kenedy as protection from bandits and jealous business rivals.