Kingsville.(South Texas & The Rio Grande Valley)

A drive southwest from Corpus Christi down US 77 takes you into the heart of the fabled King Ranch, an integral part of Texas history and one of the world's largest and oldest working ranches. It is considered the birthplace of the American ranching industry.

The gateway to this ranching country is Kingsville, built in 1904 on land donated by King Ranch owners. A thriving regional economic center with a university today, the community of about 27,000 gives visitors a look at the colorful history of the cattle and ranching industry of the state. Its restored historic downtown now sports antique shops and boutiques with a good selection of craftwork.

FUN FACT ABOUT KINGSVILLE

* The King Ranch is slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island.

Activities & Attractions

In Kingsville, make your first stop the King Ranch Museum, 405 North Sixth Street, [telephone] 361-595-1881, which provides background on the ranch and glimpses into the life of the family who started it and still control the expanded enterprise. Life on the ranch in the early 1940s is chronicled in an award-winning collection of photographs. An exhibit of antique coaches and vintage cars includes a custom-designed hunting car for use in the area, and saddles made by ranch craftsmen, guns and historic memorabilia help tell area history.

Both the museum and the King Ranch Saddle Shop are located in restored buildings, the latter in a 1909 mercantile building at 201 East Kleberg Avenue, [telephone] 800-282-KING. For more than 120 years, the King Ranch has been making saddles for everyone from regular cowhands to kings and presidents. Today, all kinds of handcrafted leather goods with the distinctive "running w" brand of the ranch, including luggage and handbags, are available here.