YFZ Ranch, Religious compound in Eldorado, Texas, United States
The YFZ Ranch was a religious settlement in the dry west of Texas, roughly 45 miles south of San Angelo. The grounds held multi-story wooden houses, workshops, and farming plots connected by a paved access road.
The community began acquiring land near Eldorado in 2003 and built residential and support structures over the following years. In April 2008, Texas authorities conducted a large-scale search that resulted in hundreds of children being temporarily placed in state custody.
The residents maintained separate living quarters within multi-story wooden structures while sharing communal spaces for agricultural and construction activities throughout the property.
The grounds are now under state control and closed to the public. Visitors can view the outer areas of the site from public roads that run through the surrounding region.
The site included a quarry meant to supply stone for planned buildings. Residents also operated their own wastewater treatment system to remain entirely independent from surrounding infrastructure.
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