King Ranch is one of the largest privately owned ranches in the United States. The huge ranch, which raises cattle and quarter horses, covers about 825,000 acres (334,000 hectares) in southern Texas. Richard King, a steamboat captain, founded the ranch in 1853. His descendants still own and operate the property. The ranch headquarters are in Kingsville, Texas. In 1961, the National Park Service designated the King Ranch a national historic landmark.
