141,700 acres The family's 1.7 million acres of land are primarily spread across Washington, Oregon, and California. Meet the largest landowner in America | Fortune His investment in Spaceport America is expected to bring jobs and economic growth to the area. The wife and children of the late Robert Earl Holding, who bought Sinclair Oil Corp. for $78 million in 1976, own nearly 400,000 acres. 212,985 acres This hedge fund manager wears his Audubon Medal with pride. 14 to 21 | Nos. 1,000 turbines are currently under construction on a combination of his private land and public land in Wyoming. He is now buried somewhere on the premises. Ralph R. Ortega For Dailymail.com, 443,091 acres in Idaho. Land: Approximately half a million acres of timberland east of the Mississippi. J.G. Both the Family's 06 Ranch and Leoncita Cattle Company Ranch are in West Texas. steve@mfi-miami.com; Free Call: (888) 737-6344; . Buck is the owner of Tall Timber Trust, one of the largest owners of timberland in Maine. Jeff Bezos, John Malone are among the major landowners in America The 50th largest land owners are the Hadley family, heirs to the Anheuser-Busch beer empire, who own 260,000 acres in New Mexico. The top 100 landowners of America, who collectively own about the same amount of acreage as the state of Connecticut. Thomas OConnor started digging artesian wells for his cattle during the drought of the 1880s, but hit oil as often as water. New Mexicos State Trust Land Office oversees 9 million surface acres of land and 13 million mineral acres. His land ownership in New Mexico will likely expand as the space industry develops. 2. 301,500 acres These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider He is a cable TV mogul who currently owns the $24 billion company, Liberty Media. 11. This Person Is the Largest Landowner in America - 24/7 Wall St. 39. 10. Roughly equal to: The size of Los Angeles. 615,000 acres 13/20 Henry Singleton cofounded the industrial conglomerate Teledyne in 1960, and begin acquiring ranch land in New. When your ranch surrounds a For Union National Monument in Northern New Mexico, you have to think slightly beyond raising cattle. 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. Since then, they have been acquiring land. Not surprisingly, many of the people on this list rank among the wealthiest Americans. Forget accusations of slave labor practices at the Fanjuls sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic. The brothers started buying up Texas ranch land in 1923 and the modern day Beggs still manage much of it. Our stock have an uncommonly high rate of gain with heavy yearling weights. No word on the 0-60 time. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 278,000 acres Today, his family owns some 280,000 acres, primarily in Collier County, which is named after him. New Mexico, Texas, Florida, and Oregon. Land: Oilfields and ranchlands throughout Texas. Today, between his fifth, sixth, and seventh generation of descendants, Pingree's heirs own some 830,000 acres mostly in Maine through Seven Islands Land Co., a lumber company. The federal government is the top landowner in New Mexico, controlling over 24 million acres. The US in total has 2.4 billion acres, and is the third largest country in the world after Canada and Russia, the latter being the largest and covering 11.5 per cent of the planet. Roughly equal to: The size of Phoenix, Arizona. He owns ranches in Texas, New Mexico and Kentucky. Brad Maurice Kelley (born 1956) is an American businessman who is the 7th largest landowner in the U.S., with an estimated net worth of US$2.2 billion in 2018. 5. The 90-year-old CEO of Dole Food Company plans to live to 125 on what the The New York Times calls a diet of messianic correctness that can, and will, ward off major disease in a 2011 magazine piece. The Lee family comes in at No. It is a wonderful life. (If youve made it to #81, that joke is especially for you. Plans for his land in Wyoming include building billed as one of the largest in the world. In one letter to Ronald Reagan, he explained how, Privatization dates back at least to Adam Smith, Plato, Aristotle and Jesus.. Wilks Brothers:702,367 acres in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. 25 had died from starvation. 848,571 acres (Just kidding. Some love the land so much they end up inside it. 41. The 50th largest land ownersare the Hadley family, heirs to the Anheuser-Busch beer empire, who own 260,000 acres in New Mexico. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 26. 36. The Babbitts are long-time Arizona cattle ranchers who have been in the area since 1886. We think of William Randolph Hearst as the newspaper mogul whispering Rosebud to an empty room, but the family fortune started with land. Roughly equal to: Three and a half times the size of Philadelphia. He operates a ranch and children's summer camp. The Barta family, which owes its wealth to its prescription services company, Sav-Rx, now owns one of the largest cattle ranching operations in Nebraska. 244,332 acres The family harvests hardwood timber from the land. Turns out they still own a huge part of the country. 1 is John Malone, who can boast being the largest landowner in the US with 2.2 million acres. 190,000 acres McDonald family: 474,000 acres in Alabama, Florida, and Oklahoma but the majority of the family's land holdings are in Maine. The Bass family fortune, like those held by many of the entries on this list, comes from oil and cattle ranching. Who Is The Biggest Landowner In New Mexico? - PartyShopMaine Bezoss holdings make him one of the top landowners in the state. Moursund III must have been one hell of a judge. And the land, while private, is still use for commercial purposes, the 24/7 Wall Street investigation found. Background: According to Forbes, Kelley founded a tobacco company in 1990 and sold it for $1 billion in 2001. His Mare Pasture development will integrate high-end commercial and residential development with vineyards, orchards, gardens, greenhouses and plenty of land for grass-fed beef. Its also home to some of the biggest landowners in the country. Though he resides in New York City, Stefan Soloviev owns over 325,000 acres of land across New Mexico, Kansas, and Texas. The federal government is the top landowner in New Mexico, controlling over 24 million acres. 102,882 acres Because if youre going to go softwood sawmill, you want to make it state-of-the-art. Errol Galt is the former Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Game commissioner. 158,500 acres 230,000 acres That means the federal government controls 31.7% of the states land. Family members used the land to enrich themselves from oil and cattle ranching. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The company, now known as Westervelt Company, has operations in renewable energy, lumber, and wildlife services. Roughly equal to: One-tenth the size of Puerto Rico. . His aerospace firm Blue Origin uses the land to test space vehicles. Hamer family:600,000 acres in West Virginia. Luke Brite made a name breeding some of the toughest cattle in Texas around the turn of the century. 20. His Anschutz Entertainment Group is also the worlds largest owner and operator of sports and entertainment venues. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Roughly equal to: Eighty times the size of Los Angeles International Airport. All told, Buck owns 925,000 acres. The Largest Land Owners in America - t2 Ranches CNN founder Ted Turner may own more land in New Mexico than his friend and longtime business partner John Malone who bought the 290,100-acre Bell Ranch in northeastern New Mexico in 2010, but . Today, the familys private holdings in Texas and Florida make up one of the largest cattle operations in the country. 2,200,000 acres The Emmerson family owns and operates Sierra Pacific Industries, a company that logs usable lumber after forest fires and sells it to lumber retailers. Meet John C. Malone The Largest Landowner In The U.S. Forbes Magazine once called Clarence Scharbauer Jr., probably the most powerful man in Midland [Texas]. That was before the First Nation Bank of Midland failed and left Scharbauer with plenty of land, but little of his old wealth. Boyd's Frying Pan Ranch was originally made up of 95 sections in the Texas Panhandle, which was one of the first areas to test out barbed-wire fencing over 130 years ago. David Pingree, known as the Merchant Prince of Salem, built an empire that exceeded 1 million acres in the 1800s. He founded the Commonwealth Brands tobacco company in 1991 and sold the company in 2001 to Houchens Industries for US$1 billion. New Mexico officials . However, a media tycoon is America's largest landowner. 23. In 1916, Joe Lane established the 9 Ranch, headquarters for his far-flung operations in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. 110,448 acres The islands ranch closed in 1999, leaving animals to roam freely and almost all residents to leave for other parts of the state. David Fasken, a Canadian lawyer, bought the massive C Ranch from the Texas General Land Office in 1913. Their land is primarily made of up six cattle ranches in Utah. here is a look at how much land the government owns in every state, The Land Report magazines 2018 Land Report, Growing 600lbs of gourmet mushrooms a week, Wisconsin's dairy industry would collapse without them, Here is a look at the richest person in every state, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 434,500 acres Roughly equal to: 2,500 times the size of Vatican City. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of Chicago. The terrain is diverse and spectacular to see. 34. 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. 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. The McDonald family's 474,000 acres are spread across Alabama, Florida, and Oklahoma but the majority of the family's land holdings is in Maine. His purchase of the Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa brings tourists closer to two of his landmark properties and, ya know, space. Background: The Pingree family's fortune in timber began in the mid 1800s and has conserved more than three quarters of a million acres of Maine forestland -- a block larger than the size of Rhode Island. Brothers Farris and Dan Wilks launched Frac Tech, a natural gas extraction company in 2002, and sold it for $3.5 billion in 2011. Lyda family: 260,035 acres, including La Escalera ranch in far West Texas. Ted Turner:2.0 million acres in New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Georgia. In Rural America, Right-to-Repair Laws are the Leading Edge of a Pushback Meet the Modern Graziers Who Broke Into Regenerative Agriculture, No Farmland Required, 7 Smokable Plants You Can Grow That Arent Marijuana, Sustainable Farmers See Promise in New Financing Options, New Solar Panels Allow Farmers to See the Light, The Buzzy Edible Insect Trend is Gaining Traction in the West. Of all the grandpa-bought-some-land stories in this list, this is the best. Remember the great railroad and cattle barons of the 19th century? 100,000 acres Land: Kelleys properties span Texas, New Mexico, and Florida and are used to breed rare species of animals. Ralph R. Ortega For Dailymail.com The most common exceptions to this rule are parcels located in Maine and Florida. Cowboys on horseback still work these New Mexico ranches. Like the second-biggest landowner in the country, John Malone made his fortune in telecommunications and media, and was . CNN founder Ted Turner, 4. logging industry Reed. Thomas Peterffy arrived in the United States as a refugee from Hungary in 1965. Family members have had a long-time timber business. Ira Wines, who works the familys prized Spanish Ranch, doesnt have times for greenhorns. Roughly equal to: Three-quarters of Grand Canyon National Park. Koch Ranches Inc. specializes in high-quality grass-fed beef. The largest landowner in America owns 2,200,000 acres, located largely in Maine, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. She runs the popular Pioneer Woman blog under the slogan, Plowing through life in the country one calf nut at a time. Which probably does not make her blog, like, particularly popular with calves. The real estate mogul is also owner of the Los Angeles Rams and married toAnn Walkton Kroenke, an heiress to the Wal-Mart fortune. Now, Theyre Spurring Tourism. A recent deal to take Dole private makes Murdock the sole owner of 25,000 acres in Hawaii. Luther and Frank King independently run their cattle operations in the heart of Texas. Irving family:1.2 million acres in Maine. Get the latest tips you need to manage your money delivered to you biweekly. 30. Waggoner's began expanding his father's ranching interests and established what is known today as the W.T. A study found that 31 million acres, or 1.4 per cent of the country's total land mass, is under the control of the private owners, who are noticeably wealthy, white and older. 400,000 acres 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 property is manly timberland. 21. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Ted Turners holdings make him one of the top private landowners in New Mexico. Background: The main cash cow for King Ranch remains ranching and farming but it has also expanded into publishing, retail and eco-tourism. Estimates are based on information from published reports, online databases, tax records, and information provided by various landowners, and include only rural land holdings. America's Top 100 Land Owners - Modern Farmer Brothers Farris and Dan Wilks started off with Frac Tech, a natural gas extraction company in 2002, and sold it for $3.5 billion in 2011. 290,000 acres Before he passed away last year, an employee gave Robert Earl Holding a plaque that echoed his credo: All I want is the land next to mine. That land includes ski resorts in Utah and a whole lot of real estate in Salt Lake City, all of which he built from a small stake in a Wyoming truck stop. The Butler Heirs have partnered with government and nonprofits to help ensure their land is healthy, productive, and beautiful far into the future. Founded by Thomas Douglas Stimson, the Stimson Lumber Company, which today operates out of the Pacific Northwest, has remained in the family for six generations. Bell Ranch Owner Tops Ted Turner as Biggest Landowner in U.S. 7 to 13 | Nos. Few can claim the title of cowboy philanthropist. Other than running significant cattle farms, Mechenbier and his wife help finance orphanages in New Mexico. Oil was discovered on their cattle ranches and today, the O'Connors now own an estimated half-million acres across Southern and Western Texas. 103,000 acres In 1870, Dr. Howell Tyson Lykes gave up the practice of medicine to take over his familys 500 acres in Florida. The 25 biggest landowners in America own 20 million acres -- nearly 1% of the country -- according to new data from The Land Report. This land isn't your land. The family still owns most of that property. 830,000 acres They love tradition. Climbed the rankings this year by adding land between Dallas and Waco to his Texas panhandle holdings. 16. . 115,000 acres The family used the sale of New Mexicos Ladder Ranch to Ted Turner to purchase La Escalera ranch in Texas. They were sustainable before sustainable was cool, man. Errol Galt is the former Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Game commissioner. The Reese Family started with a 320 acre homestead and just kept adding to it including an extra 5,200 acres this year. The Fisher family owns 440,000 acres of land, primarily timberland in northwestern California. This put them at the top of the list for the largest landowners in New Mexico. Their historic 55,709-acre Rockpile Ranch in Far West Texas is listed for $54.8 million. The Nunleys are a ranching family particularly proud of their genetics program around Santa Gertrudis Cattle and the size of the deer on their Texas ranches. But while neither landowner's name may be a household name, the names of others are. 220,000 acres Loves oil investment, ranching and Mitt Romney; not a fan of gay reporters knocking the Boy Scouts of America. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Family patriarch Sid Richardson once owned oil fields from Texas to Louisiana, but St. Josephs Island of the Gulf Coast of Texas was his prize. Background: The Ford familys Roseburg Forest Products had its origins in 1936 when the Roseburg Lumber Company was founded by owner Kenneth Ford. The Kokernot family's 06 Ranch brand registered in Texas since 1837. The largest landowners in both Montana and Idaho, the Wilks brothers also own ranches in Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. Vermejo Park is the only Turner ranch operating as a full-service guest ranch. A few people and families own more than 100 million acres of land in the United States. 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. Roughly equal to: Ten times the size of Washington, D.C. Horizontal drilling.). In addition to the 1.2 million acres the family owns, primarily in Maine, the Irvings also own some 1.9 million acres in Canada. 112,600 acres Background: Henry Singleton amassed his wealth in digital technology before purchasing the San Cristobal Ranch in 1986. Barta family:286,000 acres in Nebraska. 310,472 acres The combined landholdings of former Texas governor, the late Dolph Briscoe Jr., heirs total 640,000 acres. 150,000 acres Of the many fowls he has sired, the family says, we havent found anything we dont like about them.. 155,000 acres Buck, who as owner of Tall Timber Trust, one of the largest owners of timberland in Maine, controls 925,00 acres. New Mexico is known for its rugged terrain, ancient history, and connections to popular culture. This Man Owns More Land Than Anyone Else in America