Thexton Ranch

Thexton Ranch is a historic ranching property in Madison County featuring a main house, worker bunkhouses, and storage buildings spread across land near the Madison River. The structures date from the late 1800s and early 1900s and demonstrate the layout of a working agricultural operation.

George Thexton founded this property in 1872 after arriving from Wisconsin, building it into a significant ranching operation over several decades. The main house was constructed in the early 1900s during an era when cattle ranching was becoming central to the regional economy.

The buildings reflect how ranching families organized their daily lives, with separate spaces for different work and living activities spread across the property. Walking through the grounds shows how people adapted their homes and workspaces to the demands of agricultural life in this region.

The property sits in a rural setting south of Ennis near open fields and pastureland, making it easy to see the scale of the ranching operation. Wear appropriate clothing for changing weather and prepare for walking on unpaved roads to reach and explore the site.

The ranch expanded dramatically from its founding to become a significant operation, with land acquisitions transforming it into a sprawling property over multiple generations. The surviving buildings reveal how ranchers strategically grew their holdings to adapt to the changing economic landscape of the region.

Location: Madison County

Address: 335 Vaney Road

GPS coordinates: 45.28132,-111.76214

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:02