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Changes are coming to the Goodnight Ranch! The Friends of the Texas Historical Commission recently assisted the Texas Historical Commission and the Goodnight Ranch in purchasing land to the north, east, and west of our current acreage. These land acquisitions will be invaluable to telling the real stories of Charles and Mary Ann.
The original ranch was over 100,000 acres, spanning down into Palo Duro Canyon. The Goodnights gifted the land across the railroad to establish the town of Goodnight, Texas, and frequently sold parcels to incoming families or outright gifted 2.5 acres to get them started. We are beyond thrilled to bring nearly 30 acres of that historic ranch back into the fold!
Our first acquisition was nearly 17 acres and attendant buildings from the estate of the late Jimmy Garland, a Goodnight resident since the mid 1970s. The acreage purchased included the front pasture that sat between the historic site and the highway as well as a beautiful home, now our on-site residence. Garland’s barn will be the home of our newly acquired tractor and other ranching equipment. With this purchase, the Texas Historical Commission has secured the viewshed of the site, provided on-site security, and added much-needed infrastructure to support site operations.
The second acquisition was roughly 12 acres belonging to Cecil Miskin, owner and operator of the popular Herd Wear Store just off Highway 287. While his physical store will be missed by many, he is moving to an online storefront, where all your bison product needs can still be met! This purchase will allow us to move the visitor center to a more visible location, expand our gift shop, convert the current visitor center into the new learning center, and provide more storage, office space, and avenues for interpretation.
It is an honor and privilege to work with Garland and Miskin. These acquisitions will benefit the site, the agency and, most importantly, the legacy of Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight. I hope you’ll swing by to see the site in its many stages of development!
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Upcoming Events
- August 1—New visitor center now open to public
- August 17—Red River War Series: Reconciliation
- Save the Date! Oct. 5th—Goodnight Gathering Fall Event and Friends of the Goodnight Ranch Annual Meeting and Dinner—more details coming soon!
We are coming up on the first year since the formation of the Friends of Goodnight Ranch organization. In reflecting on that year, it occurs to me that friends can come in many different forms.
We have some friends who we think of as "Boot Friends" because they are literally boots on the ground. They are a physical presence at events and programs and are always ready and willing to lend a helping hand. Other friends are willing to give the shirt off their back through “in kind” donations to fulfill special needs of the Friends group of the site, so we’ll call them "Shirt Friends."
Other people live too far away to be at the ranch, but they are willing to support the site financially. Let’s refer to them as "Pocket Friends." And "Hat Friends" are a combination of the three, evolving to respond to each situation.
This brings us to the question—what type of friend can you be? Joining the Friends of the Goodnight Ranch is super easy. You can join online at GNR Friends or by filling out a form at the Goodnight Ranch. Our first annual meeting and dinner will be on October 5 at the Goodnight Ranch. We hope we see you there!
If you have questions or want to know more about being a Friend of the Goodnight Ranch, please email Elizabeth Magar at goodnightfriendspres@gmail.com.
Red River War Programs
We are honored to tell the story of the Red River War, which occurred in the Texas Panhandle from 1874–75.
This year marks the 150th anniversary since this series of battles forever changed the culture of the Texas Panhandle with Native Americans forced on to reservations in Oklahoma while their ancestral lands were opened up to white settlement by those forging new paths to the west.
The Goodnight Ranch is hosting a series of lectures and programs through November highlighting the major battles, events, and changes that took place during this tumultuous time period. Dr. Alex Hunt will be joining us on August 17 at 11 a.m. am to discuss the reconciliation that took place following the Red River War.
Dr. Hunt is a professor at West Texas A&M University. Originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, and Seattle, Washington, he received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Colorado State University and his doctorate from the University of Oregon. Dr. Hunt has published articles on the Texas Panhandle and ranching history, various works of Western and Southwestern literature, Native American and Chicano/a studies, ecocriticism, and climate fiction. He served as editor of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Review from 2012 to 2017 and has been the Vincent/Haley Professor of Western Studies since 2012. He was a Fulbright Specialist to Graz, Austria, in 2017 and has also lectured in England and France. He was awarded the status of Regents Professor by the Texas A&M University System in 2020. He founded the Center for the Study of the American West (CSAW) at West Texas A&M University in 2016 and has since served as its director.
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THE ORIGINAL RANCH
The Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight Ranch State Historic Site is located in the heart of the original Goodnight-Thayer Ranch that Charles established in 1887. This ranch was approximately 102,400 acres of prime land located near the brand-new railroad.
With the recent acquisitions of land, we are excited to bring back the areas where the milk cow pasture was as well as additional original farmland. The map above shows the exact location of other areas of the ranch, including both the Buffalo and Cattalo Parks, which were located along the rim of Palo Duro Canyon, approximately one mile from the location of the historic home.
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Our new gift shop will have a variety of new items that we are so excited to share with you!
One example are these bison wool socks. Made from a blend of bison and merino wools, The Buffalo Wool Co. socks are great for any weather, any activity, and are made to last! You’ll want some for yourself and everyone else.
You can get yours when you come see us at the ranch and check out the new visitor center and gift shop.
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