Prade Ranch

Prade Ranch, located on the West Frio River and Farm Road 336 north of Leakey in north central Real County, was the first resort ranch in the county; it foreshadowed the later importance of tourism to the local economy. Its 10,000 acres include some of the most scenic land in the Hill Country. In 1926, during the administration of Governor Pat Neff, the state of Texas had an option to buy the ranch for a state park but declined because the location was remote. The site was converted to a resort ranch in 1935 by E. T. Prade. A United States post office was established there on May 22, 1940, and operated until June 30, 1954, when it became a rural post office.

The limestone bed of the West Frio, which passes through the ranch, was at one time maintained as a road connecting Leakey with State Highway 41 and Rocksprings. Farm Road 336, which now serves this purpose, closely follows the west bank of the stream, ascending the Frio canyon on the Balcones Escarpment to the Edwards Plateau. The West Frio also begins on the ranch, and some of the better-documented Indian pictographs in Real County, probably produced by Lipan Apaches or Comanches during the historic period, were painted in a shallow rockshelter on the eastern wall of the canyon near the springs. These paintings, though less ambitious than those of some sites of West Texas, are significant since they represent the eastern periphery of Indian rock art in the state.

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John Minton | © TSHA

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Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.

Belongs to

Prade Ranch is part of or belongs to the following places:

Currently Exists

No

Place type

Prade Ranch is classified as a Town

Location

Latitude: 29.91604890
Longitude: -99.79061830

Has Post Office

No

Is Incorporated

No