Tom B Slick and the Essar Ranch (Dallas, Howe: to rent, coops)

[SnappyBob]

The Cable House, sadly, has been gone for many years. It was indeed on the SwRI property. From looking at the map, if my memory serves me right the Cable House would have been somewhere in the block that is bounded by 3rd street to the south, 2nd street to the north, Ave E to west and Ave D to the east. If that is not correct then it would have been just east of Ave D. Hope that helps.

[SnappyBob]

By Chaka>>>>That's correct for both. You can spot SFBR by the two large round things (baboon corrals).<<<

That's correct. For a real good time stop by when they are having the Baboon Rodeo.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

By Chaka>>>>That's correct for both. You can spot SFBR by the two large round things (baboon corrals).<<<

That's correct. For a real good time stop by when they are having the Baboon Rodeo.

Well, they do call it the "Round Up".

I used to go jogging around the corrals. It was funny to see the baboons following me....

[wCat]

Originally Posted by Chaka

That's correct for both. You can spot SFBR by the two large round things (baboon corrals). SWRI I believe used to go all the way to SW Military and 410 and Culebra, but they've sold off a bunch of land.

I can't help more on the Cable House - I thought that was one of the houses that had been on the SwRI campus, but you probably know more than I

Actually you helped me clear my head! This one document kept referring to all of it as the Southwest Foundation for Research and Education....so that really messed me up! Then there is all this back and fourth with petty bits of easements between the two campuses....and then corrections to fragments of acreage. I thought I was losing my mind. There are over 20 something "replats" to the original "Cable Ranch"....and then there are revisions and replats to all of those. It's endless!

Cable Ranch Rd was probably a road that started out running between two tracks of land and then followed some trail to navigate the terrain to eventually get to the Cable Ranch House. From reading back on this thread, it sounds as if you're correct that it was originally on the SwRI campus.

I really know very little about the more recent history other than it being split and divided among family. From what I can tell, the majority of the Cable Ranch was still intact when Tom Slick died....only then it was cattle, goats and agricultural interests as the Essar Ranch. He had only done a small bit of his esoteric research there before he died. He purchased the majority of the property before 1941.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

The Cable House, sadly, has been gone for many years. It was indeed on the SwRI property. From looking at the map, if my memory serves me right the Cable House would have been somewhere in the block that is bounded by 3rd street to the south, 2nd street to the north, Ave E to west and Ave D to the east. If that is not correct then it would have been just east of Ave D. Hope that helps.

Thanks Bob! Glad to see you jump in!

Baboon Rodeo??? are you serious??? LOL!! Only in Texas.....

[wCat]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

The Cable House, sadly, has been gone for many years. It was indeed on the SwRI property. From looking at the map, if my memory serves me right the Cable House would have been somewhere in the block that is bounded by 3rd street to the south, 2nd street to the north, Ave E to west and Ave D to the east. If that is not correct then it would have been just east of Ave D. Hope that helps.

This is purely speculation, but I'm thinking it might be just East of Ave D where that newer building is sitting. Several mature trees surrounding it....would have been a nice place for a home site. But gee.....with ALL that land....you'd think they would have at least moved it over to a field or something. Look at all the sheds and things that could have gone instead. Oh well......science trumps architecture and preservations sometimes! [sigh]

[wCat]

For inquiring minds who want to know just how large the Cable Ranch was.....the following is the approximate boundaries that were platted out in 1908.

(These are not driving instructions! LOL) Starting at the upper West/left corner....where Hunt Lane and Potranco Rd meet....follow Potranco east to where it intersects with Culebra Rd at Leon Creek. Turn right on Culebra and follow it to a small street named "Rena Drive". (This was approximately where the city limits extended in 1908). As the crow flies....follow Rena due South until you find S Acme Rd. Follow S Acme Rd south to Castroville Rd (not Old 90 or New Hwy 90). Turn right and follow Castroville Rd until it merges and becomes Hwy 90 and follow that to Hunt Lane. Turn right again on Hunt Lane and follow it up all the way to the beginning point. Wow....lotta land, huh?

This is the aerial that covers the above described area. Approximately 15 square miles. 1 square mile = 640 acres....so were talking roughly 9600acres....give or take several hundred by my math!

Web browser and Live Maps are incompatible

(clickable link)


I should add, that I don't know exactly how much of the original Cable Ranch was purchased by Tom Slick, but most of the developed area within the Cable Ranch boundaries didn't happen until the 60's after his death. Essar Ranch may have only been a smaller portion of the entire property.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by Chaka

That's correct for both. You can spot SFBR by the two large round things (baboon corrals). SWRI I believe used to go all the way to SW Military and 410 and Culebra, but they've sold off a bunch of land.

I can't help more on the Cable House - I thought that was one of the houses that had been on the SwRI campus, but you probably know more than I

Chaka....after looking at the big picture of the Cable Ranch....I'm imagining that "Commerce Street" was the main road to the Ranch from downtown. That makes the location of the Cable House more logical as it would sit at a very easily accessible route due West of downtown.

Cable Ranch Rd was probably named that as a route from either Castroville, or other area farmers and doesn't appear to be the main entrance to the ranch at all.

Gosh...I've learned a lot from my first post on this thread!

[tom elliott]

Originally Posted by wCat

Most local SAer's know about the legendary Tom Slick and the Southwest Research Foundation. I'm wanting to find anyone who knows exactly where the ESSAR Ranch was. I know it was in NW SA somewhere and I'm sure now swallowed up by a developement. I don't think it was all that far from Southwest Research.....and probably still in Bexar county.(At that time I'm sure it was in the sticks!) Anyway....It was in full operation up during the 50's and at least up until Tom Slicks death in 1962. I'm not sure how long it stayed intact after that time. For all I know it might still exist! (or part of it)

Any takers on this interesting bit of history?

if you still want info - let me know - I lived on the ranch from feb 62 to sept 64.

[luckydogenid]

I grew up on Essar Ranch in the 1940s-1950s. My father was the veternarian and ranch manager. It was west of San Antonio off of Potranco Road - between Culabra Road and Hunt Lane. You entered the headquarters of the ranch about where Hwy 151 (Raymond Stotzer Freeway) crosses Potranco Rd. We knew Tom Slick and his family well. My parents still talked to his first wife, Polly, until their recent deaths. We still are in contact with the other families that lived on the ranch with us.