Errol Galt is the former Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Game commissioner. The largest landowners in both Montana and Idaho, the Wilks brothers also own ranches in Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. Much of the land is used for grazing by 50,000 head of buffalo, the largest herd of bison in the world. Reed family:1.7 million acresWashington, Oregon, and California. Background: The main cash cow for King Ranch remains ranching and farming but it has also expanded into publishing, retail and eco-tourism. Take Jeff Bezos, for example. Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke has even more land, coming in at No. 105,119 acres Discover the 6 Largest Landowners in Colorado - msn.com Among the soccer teams, railroads, movie theaters and newspaper, the Denver billionaire has enough land for what will be one of the largest wind farms in the country. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. 239,000 acres A few people and families own more than 100 million acres of land in the United States. But while neither landowner's name may be a household name, the names of others are. The ranch spawned from land that was originally purchased by Captain Richard King in 1853 and subsequently passed down through generations. 140,000 acres Roughly equal to: Twice the size of Badlands National Park. Fasken family:279,128 acres in Texas. 41. Meet the 4 Largest Landowners in New Mexico - AZ Animals Meet John C. Malone The Largest Landowner In The U.S. Land: Kelleys properties span Texas, New Mexico, and Florida and are used to breed rare species of animals. Largest Landowners by State 2023 - worldpopulationreview.com 9, owns more than twice as much as Bezos. Today, the familys private holdings in Texas and Florida make up one of the largest cattle operations in the country. Today, his family owns some 280,000 acres, primarily in Collier County, which is named after him. New Mexico officials found 1000 emaciated cows on his ranch last May. Roughly equal to: Eighty times the size of Los Angeles International Airport. Roughly equal to: A third of the size of New Hampshire. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of the Hawaiin Island of Molokai. Background: Gerald Lyda's success in construction and land development in the 70s allowed him to return to ranching and amass over 900,000 acres within his lifetime. The discovery of oil on that ranch propelled Fasken to wealth, and now Fasken Oil & Ranch is a major oil drilling company that has heavily employed fracking technology. Family members are ranch operators. His properties include the 11,830 Broseco Ranch, which contains two lakes that are 100 acres in size. Then theres the Department of Defense handling 4.6% of the land. Roger Milliken takes his relationship with his familys land pretty seriously. 125,000 acres But who owns the most land? But did you know that relatively few people hold the reins on vast expanses of the country's pastures? Much of Turner's land is used as grazing land for over 50,000 head of buffalo - the largest private herd of bison in the world. Peterffy,a refugee from Hungary, made his fortunes as an investor. Ah the Koch Brothers. Doesn't just own CNN he is the largest landowner in New Mexico. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Hershey's Canada releases HER for SHE bars featuring a trans activist, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up. The activities help residents experience the natural world. 1. The couple are ranch operators. Zane and Tanya Kiehne own ranches that span seven counties in New Mexico and seven counties in Texas and consists mostly of mountainous terrain that is home to a variety of wildlife. The park also boasts abundant wildlife populations, including large herds of elk, deer, bison, and antelope. 34. What'S The Biggest Ranch In New Mexico? - PartyShopMaine Billionaire Cowboys Are Buying And Selling The Largest Ranches - Forbes Bell Ranch Owner Tops Ted Turner as Biggest Landowner in U.S. The familys Green Diamond Resource Company and Simpson Investment Company owns forests in California and Washington, all of which have an independent stamp of approval from the Forest Stewardship Council. His properties include the 11,830 Broseco Ranch, which contains two lakes that are 100 acres in size. Since then, they have been acquiring land. Background: D.M. He owns ranches in Texas, New Mexico and Kentucky. The Hadley family, Anheuser-Busch heirs, own 260,000 acres, including the massive Diamond A Ranch, which makes up a substantial part of New Mexico's southwestern tip. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of Dallas. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Jeff Bezos:420,000 acres in Texas. Roughly equal to: The size of Oklahoma City. Bezos?). Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is not only one of the richest men in the world, with a net worth of $109 billion at the time of this writing, but he is also one of the biggest private landowners in the United States. 200,000 acres 190,000 acres 434,500 acres Owned the 06 Ranch nearly a century after its founding. John Malone:2.2 million acres inMaine, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. 175,000 acres I think the Longyear family and Longyear Heirs out of Marquette MI own at least 100,000 acres. Horton owns over half a million acres of land. Land: Ranchlands and farms in Texas and Florida. (The other? Bezos is cofounder of Amazon. The brothers started buying up Texas ranch land in 1923 and the modern day Beggs still manage much of it. 1,250,000 acres An advertisement VanderSloott took out in Idaho Falls Post Register accused a reporter of bringing personal politics to a report on child molestation in a local Boy Scout troop when the reporter had not made his sexuality public. Roughly equal to: Six-and-a-half times larger than Detroit. Some want that land for cattle, others for farming, others to test their reusable space craft (those hobby store model rockets just werent enough, were they Mr. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Roughly equal to: Half the size of Yosemite National Park. The Butler Heirs have partnered with government and nonprofits to help ensure their land is healthy, productive, and beautiful far into the future. The Emmersons have transferred 6% of that chunk to the public since Curly Emerson founded the company in 1949. Other than buying and selling financial institutions at huge markups, Ford has a deep love of the land. 23. Mike Smith owns nearly 300,000 acres, which are primarily spread throughout eastern Texas. Lucien Maxwell - Wikipedia Collier family: 280,000 acres, primarily in Collier County, Florida. In 1959, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Trees arent just good for wood anymore. After over 100 years in operation, its still run by tough men on horses. New Mexicos State Trust Land Office oversees 9 million surface acres of land and 13 million mineral acres. 1. Family members used the land to enrich themselves from oil and cattle ranching. Background: Former Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr., expanded his holdings when oil and gas were discovered on his ranchland. Background: Anne Marion is the fourth generation heir to Samuel Burnett, a cattle rancher who amassed more than a third of a million acres in Texas by the early 1900s. The Nation's Top Ten Largest Landowners (And Their - Forbes Largest Landowner in the US - 5 Private owners, and a breakdown by The top 100 landowners of America, who collectively own about the same amount of acreage as the state of Connecticut. The company, now known as Westervelt Company, has operations in renewable energy, lumber, and wildlife services. When the Suggs relocated their cattle from Texas to Oklahoma, they found buckets of oil under their new land. You could plan the ultimate fishing trip or hike in the states stunning National Parks. Barta family:286,000 acres in Nebraska. 280,000 acres Spanning over 3.5 million square miles, the United States is the third largest country in the world by landmass, trailing only China and Russia. Of all the grandpa-bought-some-land stories in this list, this is the best. Sandwiched between Flagstaff Arizona and the Grand Canyon, the Babbitt Ranches have a reputation for breeding trophy quarter horses. Originating from the land grant days of Coastal Texas, the Jones have multiple ranches surrounding Corpus Cristi, Texas. 49. From Ted Turner to Jeff Bezos to the federal government, New Mexico has some of the biggest landowners in the nation. Why Dont American Farmers Embrace Peasant Farming? He also knows his way around the rest of the world. The 40 Largest Private Landowners in New Mexico - William P. Barrett (Translation for La Escalera: The Ladder.) 1,100,000 acres Land: 830,000 acres of timberland in Maine. Luther and Frank King independently run their cattle operations in the heart of Texas. 255,000 acres Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The family's 1.1 million acres of land also includes land in California. 46 withabout 275,000 acres in New Mexico. The vast majority of the land held by the individuals and families on this list is located in states west of the Mississippi River. Its his 18,000-acre Rock Springs Ranch at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains). Ed Bass helped build the brand-new $540 million Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, which opened in late October 2019. The Lee Family owns an estimated 275,000 acres in New Mexico. Background: W.T. Soloviev uses the landto grow crops like wheat, corn, and sorghum. Background: Toronto attorney David Fasken started buying land in Texas in 1913. Remember the great railroad and cattle barons of the 19th century? 400,000 acres 180,000 acres The federal government is the top landowner in New Mexico, controlling over 24 million acres. Pingree heirs:830,000 acres in Maine. With such a large amount of land under its control, the federal government plays an important role in New Mexicos landscape. Brad Kelley:1.2 million acres in Kentucky. 39. Do fence them in. 1 to 6 | Nos. LBJ Library from Austin / public domain License. Roughly equal to: Ten times the size of Washington, D.C. His NC2 Media Company recently bought Lonely Planet guidebooks. The Singleton family owns a number of ranches, mostly in New Mexico. Herbert Westervelt started a paper company in the late 1800s. 11. Among them is Ted Turner, founder of CNN and owner of private land and ranches spanning across New Mexico. Each year The Land Report publishes a list nations top property owners ranked by the number of acres they own in the United States. Largest Landowners by State 2023 Utah 33,000,000 Alaska 12,500,000 California 1,900,000 Maine 1,250,000 Kentucky 1,130,000 New Mexico 1,000,000 Washington 900,000 Texas 825,000 Montana 765,000 Arizona 750,000 Largest Landowners by State 2023 Largest Landowners by State 2023 Evans turned himself in this June. Ted Turner: 2 million acres in New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Georgia. Jeff Bezos, John Malone are among the major landowners in America The "9" continues under third- and fourth-generation ownership, exemplifying the ranching heritage and tradition. J.G. The online retailing billionaire who founded Amazon and is among the wealthiest people in the world owns 420,000 acres, which is about three times the size of Guam. And the land, while private, is still use for commercial purposes, the 24/7 Wall Street investigation found. Richard Bransons spaceport is just a quick drive away. Today, the Simplot family oversees a $2.5 billion farming operation and owns over 443,000 acres, largely in southern Idaho. Background: The J.R. Simplot Company started its fortune in potatoes but diversified over the years to become one of the largest, privately held food companies in the world. Most of Ware's holdings are controlled by the Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation, which helps several causes, including animal welfare. Then there's Subway sandwich shop franchise founder Peter Buck, who at No. 13/20 Henry Singleton cofounded the industrial conglomerate Teledyne in 1960, and begin acquiring ranch land in New. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. His Colorados Great Western Industrial Park became a major source of the states green job growth in 2008. John Malone is the largest private landowner in the United States. Land: Ranchlands and oilfields throughout Texas. His land holdings have helped knit together 800,000 acres of publicly and privately protected land from Colorados Great Sand Dunes National Park to Northern New Mexico. This businessman has ranch holdings in Texas, Florida, and New Mexico. All these logging guys love to tote the sustainability of their operations. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 43. John Malone is the largest private landowner in the United States. When your ranch surrounds a For Union National Monument in Northern New Mexico, you have to think slightly beyond raising cattle. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 625,000 acres 615,000 acres Real estate mogul and owner of the Los Angeles Rams, Stan Kroenke, owns 1.4 million acres of land in the United States, including a 124,000 acre ranch in Montana and additional land in Wyoming. 44. The Galts are a family of cattle ranchers with a number of large properties in Montana, including the Martinsdale Ranch. 31. Here is a look at the richest person in every state. largest landowners in louisiana. The enormous cattle operation near Yellowstone National Park seems not to mind when elk or antelope walk by. Other than Montana Ranches, the Wilks have a firm called Frac Tech. Kizer has farming and ranching operations that produce peanuts, corn, wheat, dairy, and cattle. This put them at the top of the list for the largest landowners in New Mexico. David Fasken, a Canadian, bought a ranch in West Texas in 1913 and the discovery of oil on the property led to the ceation of the Fasken Oil & Ranch, a major oil drilling. . A 1910 advertisement for his bulls ran, Big-Bones, Broad-Backed, Bald-Faced Beauties-Buy Bar-Cross Bulls- Brites Best. Not bad. The family, thanks to the property which amounts to roughly twice the size of Chicago, was able to enrich themselves off uranium and coal discovered on the land, located in the western half of the state. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns 290,000 acres of land in New Mexico. Roughly equal to: Three times the size of Houston. Roughly equal to: The size of San Antonio. Malone made his fortune as a media tycoon, building the company Tele-Communications, Inc, or TCI, and acting as its CEO before selling it to AT&T for $50 billion in 1999. Who owns the largest ranch in Montana? The family runs 10,000 cattle on 475,000 acres along the Montana-Wyoming state line. Clayton was set to bring his cowboy image to the Texas governorship until a set of gaffs derailed the campaign in 1990. Malone made his fortune as a media tycoon, building the company Tele-Communications, Inc, or TCI, and acting as its CEO before selling it to AT&T for $50 billion in 1999. Ol A.S. bequeathed the private land to his daughters. 317,677 acres Its also home to some of the biggest landowners in the country. By the way, what is it about land that makes people want to number their children? 166,655 acres Babacomari Ranch Elgin, Ariz. For a basic sense of how the world of ultra-massive real estate has changed, heres one fact: Between 2012 and 2013, the top 100 added 700,000 acres to their collective portfolios, bringing their total to two percent of the U.S. land mass.