Miller Brothers 101 Ranch, Historic ranch and National Historic Landmark in Ponca City, United States.
Miller Brothers 101 Ranch covered 110,000 acres near Ponca City, with cattle, bison, pigs, poultry and horses, plus wheat, cotton, corn and alfalfa. Its own electric plant, cannery, dairy, tannery, store and mills stood among the ranch buildings. Two weathered concrete towers with crenellated tops and rust-colored streaks remain on the site.
George Washington Miller, a Confederate veteran born in Kentucky in 1842, founded the ranch in 1893 after leasing Ponca land in Indian Territory. His sons Joe, Zack and George Jr. took over when he died in 1903. In 1908 they leased land to E. W. Marland, whose 101 Ranch Oil Company struck oil in 1911, leading to the Marland Oil Company.
The 101 Ranch Wild West Show began touring in 1907 from Brighton Beach, New York, and later performed in Mexico, Canada, Europe and South America. Its cast included Bill Pickett, Tom Mix, Lillian Smith and an elderly Buffalo Bill. In 1914 the troupe performed before King George V and Queen Mary in England.
The 101 Ranch Memorial Road designation applies to State Highway 156, with a historical marker about 13 miles (21 km) southwest of Ponca City. The 82-acre landmark area holds the concrete towers and the grave of Bill Pickett; the rest of the former ranch is private land.
In 1911 oil was struck on ranch land at the "Willie-Cries-for-War" well, drilled under a lease held by E. W. Marland. That discovery led to the founding of Marland Oil Company, later renamed Continental Oil Company and eventually ConocoPhillips. Marland went on to serve as a U.S. congressman and governor of Oklahoma.
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