Near Smyer in Hockley County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

The Spade Ranch

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, April 29, 2014

1. The Spade Ranch Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Founded by Isaac L. Ellwood (1833-1910), inventor who made a fortune in barbed wire, and bought (1889) from veteran cattlemen D.H. and J.W. Snyder an 8 x 25-mile range (128,000 acres) in Hale, Hockley, Lamb and Lubbock counties. This range was used for Spade-branded calves from Renderbrook Spring, his southmost ranch, in Mitchell County. He continued buying South Plains land until Spade Range was 54 miles long. Headquarters (originally in Lamb County) was moved to South Camp (3/10 mi. N of here) after farm-land sales in 1920s.

Ellwood's descendants still own and operate the Spade.

Erected 1972 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 5430.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Agriculture.

Location. 33° 35.253′ N, 102° 12.397′ W. Marker is near Smyer, Texas, in Hockley County. Marker is on State Highway 114, 0.6 miles east of Hummingbird Road, on the right when traveling west. Marker is 2.4 miles west of Smyer. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6263 East TX114, Smyer TX 79367, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

least 8 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. City of Levelland (approx. 9.8 miles away); Fifth Street Missionary Baptist Church (approx. 10 miles away); Reese AFB Texas (approx. 10.2 miles away); Reese Air Force Base (approx. 10.4 miles away); Hockley County (approx. 10.6 miles away); Ropesville Cemetery (approx. 12.3 miles away); Ropesville Resettlement Project (approx. 12.7 miles away); a different marker also named Ropesville Resettlement Project (approx. 12.7 miles away).

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, April 29, 2014

2. The Spade Ranch Marker

The Spade Ranch image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, April 29, 2014

3. The Spade Ranch

Photographed By Allen Lowrey, February 27, 2021

4. The Spade Ranch

Credits. This page was last revised on February 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 11, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 867 times since then and 214 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 11, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 4. submitted on February 28, 2021, by Allen Lowrey of Amarillo, Texas. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.