Smith Ranch
National Register of Historic Places

Smith Ranch

Rio Vista, Johnson County, Texas
Listed
April 2, 2007
Type
District
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
07000271

About this property

The Smith Ranch, in Johnson County, Texas near Rio Vista, Texas, and also known as Grand Valley Lands, was established in 1887. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The listed property is 2,336.2 acres (945.4 ha) in area and includes six contributing buildings, two contributing structures, and three contributing sites. The main house is a two-story house built in 1887, using square nails. German prisoners-of-war, from the Afrika Corps, worked on the farm. It is located on FM 916, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of TX 174.

Location

Rio Vista, Johnson County, Texas
32.22829, -97.40906

Categories

ARCHITECTUREEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTECONOMICSPREHISTORICHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINAL
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Hart, Meredith, House
Industrial
3.1 mi
Baker, J. T., Farmstead
Industrial
4.9 mi
Nolan River Bridge 303-A of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
Industrial
5.7 mi
Joiner-Long House
Industrial
7.8 mi
Johnson County Courthouse
Industrial
8.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Smith Ranch listed on the National Register?

Smith Ranch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 2, 2007.

What type of historic resource is Smith Ranch?

Smith Ranch is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Smith Ranch?

The period of significance for Smith Ranch is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1887.

Can I research the history near Smith Ranch?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Smith Ranch will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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