The Impossible Dream: T. Boone Pickens’ Mesa Vista Ranch in The Texas Panhandle is Sold
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So many in the farm and ranch world of real estate said this would never happen: T. Boone Pickens’ estate was asking a whopping $250 million for his sprawling, 64,672-acre Mesa Vista Ranch in the Texas Panhandle. The ranch had been on the market since 2017.
Mesa Vista Ranch: A Rare Buy
They were right about the price: No buyer wanted to pay $250 million for a 101-square-mile Panhandle ranch despite the 25,000-square-foot lodge, the lighted airstrip fully equipped for jet service, the broad mesas, lakes, and rivers, the ranch lodge with dining room, massive fireplace, library with spiral staircase, conference room, 30-seat theater, wine cellar, office, and commercial kitchen. Outside there’s a tennis court, a shooting range, a small golf course even a two-story pub. There is also a lakeside chapel and an 11,500 private “lake house” with 11,500 square feet of living area and stretches of porches and patios.
But oh there are very, very few ranches like Mesa Vista Ranch in the world:
The Canadian River itself generally forms the north boundary of the ranch for approximately 25 miles. Knowing the Mesa Vista Ranch had a valuable water resource, Boone made the decision to enhance surface water on the property by constructing a series of man-made streams and lakes that create an unmatched oasis in the Texas Panhandle. In an effort to enhance wildlife on the property, Boone was a leader in cutting-edge conservation practices that are now followed by many other sportsmen in the country. Boone often stated that the Mesa Vista Ranch offers the “world’s best quail hunting.” As his love for the ranch grew, so did its many amenities. The Lodge Compound is a multi-structure improvement site that is set in a manicured, tree covered park-like setting and designed to house large groups for entertaining or business functions. Approximately six miles to the southwest, Boone’s Lake House contains over 11,500 square feet of living space with balconies and porch areas overlooking astonishing water features and manicured landscaping.
Dividing And Conquering Mesa Vista Ranch
But buyers did come along, even if to divide and conquer. West Texas oil-and-gas investor Bill Kent snagged the 36,000-plus-acre western side of the ranch this week, including the 25,000-square-foot entertainment lodge.
In September, Cattle rancher Travis Chester bought the 27,700-acre eastern section of the gigantic ranch.
According to long-time Pickens associate and spokesperson Jay Rosser, vice president of public affairs at BP Capital, the ranch sold for within 10 percent of the last asking price of $170 million.
Mesa Vista Ranch: Home to a Legend
Pickens passed in 2019 at the age of 91. Mesa Vista Ranch was his pride and joy, having assembled the landing and building the home over decades. He first acquired the property northeast of Amarillo along the Canadian River in 1971.
Two veteran ranch brokers handled the sale: Sam Middleton of Chas. S. Middleton and Son and Monte Lyons of Hall and Hall.
Though Pickens was in natural gas, part of his ranch is passed onto one buyer who has made his fortune in petroleum: Bill Kent is CEO of Midland-based Kent Cos., a growing chain of service stations and convenience stores in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina and a wholesale fuel supplier diversifying into signage, check cashing outlets, tire stores, car washes, and urgent medical care facilities.
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Grew up at Pioneer Natural Gas just north of Canadien Riiver on Dumas hiway. We called it Fain camp. We all knew who the Bivins, Mastersons, Hageys. etc and rode horses all over the area. Beautiful out there n hope no one comes in and breaks it all up. I’d love to be able got see his old place before they start changing it. Oh, had cousin n Pampa wh was of the old pipeline occupation n he sorted for Boone for lotta years after retiring from his welding profession. Youve.missed a special place if never seen this area of Texas panhandle.
Born Aug 10, 1940 in small town of Allen, Ponotoc County, Ok. Graduated there 1959 and married to a Holdenville, Hughes Co., Ok. boy whose family owned and operated a Moving Co. Holdenville was the birth home of Thomas Boone Pickens born as Holdenville’s first caesarian birth by Dr. Wallace who had not done such a delivery before. At risk of losing Grace, Boone’s mother because she could not deliver, father Tom convinced Dr. Wallace he must take Boone, using a Dr’s. Journal and pictures of the procedure. Boone yelled at the world May 22, 1928, healthy blond headed boy. My path was not destined to become life long friends with Boone until after 1998 and had been married to the local boy Bob L. Cook. He was owner operator of the Moving company and I traveled extensively with him until that day they dignosed me with Melanoma of the left leg, and probably not going to make another year because of stage four. I had to stop going with my husband on the truck because of condition after surgery in Temple, Texas. I went to work on my Library degree and soon won it becoming the new Library Director 1998. It was there that Boone and I became friends. He was back because I had asked him to match a grant to expand our public library, with Oklahoma Dept. Of Libraries and 1/3 from citizens. Soon, Boone was buzzing the library about every three months and would come in saying, “What do you got or need?” I never took advantage of any of his generous help and I know he respected me for it. Soon he made out a trust for 20 years with me and his best friend living Tommy Treadwell as trustees over said document. I retired from that position with never ending funding from my friend Boone and never ask him again for anything, he volunteered. When I retired, 22 1/2 great years and my husband had died, leaving me alone, I came back down with another melanoma and same story. “You got possibly two weeks at most.” I took the trial drugs Keytruda and have shrunk the cantaloupe size cancer in my side to an English pea. Not to say I didn’t earn it, but it’s 2023 and I haven’t found that expiration ticket yet. In the meantime, about 3 months before I lost my dear friend Boone age 91 to death, he had come back home to Holdenville for his last donation to our library. He remodeled two rooms and landscaped the grounds. At that opening he noticed me sitting in the crowd and walked over to me and slipped his arm around my shoulders and said, “Your not doing too well are you sugar?” I smiled and told him it was no picnic, but hanging in there. He said to me then, “You call Sally Monday and tell her when you can be at Mesa Vista for a week’s rest. He gave me and a friend rooms at the lodge and carta blank come and go as we pleased, with Keith Boone his ranch manager and the staff taking care of our meals and needs. The quite elegance, the rest and the peace was a healing effect on me and I will forever remember the ranch in all it’s beauty. We swam at the Lake house, went all over three counties with the staff taking care of everything they thought I needed. It was beautiful to be included in their immediate group and I’ve loved Boone as a friend forever. He would give me “You don’t give up gal.” and always came rushing in to save the day for me when times got tough. A friend like that doesn’t often come along and I know he helped me along the rough patches. I am now 84 and still doing volunteer work with our little cities Museum. I know there is only a few find friends so compassionate and caring. Just thought I needed to say it. Fran Cook, retired Library Director Grace Monolson Pickens Public Library. Holdenville, Oklahoma. 306 Butts St. Holdenville, Ok. 74848