The Spur Ranch Once Covered Much of Dickens County

In 1883, the Espuela (Spanish for 'spur') Cattle Company bought 242,000 acres across Dickens, Kent, Garza, and Crosby counties. British investors took over in 1885. At its peak, the operation controlled about 569,000 acres including leased state land. It was one of the biggest ranches in the state.

After years of drought and falling cattle prices hurt the British owners, a new group — the Spur Syndicate — contracted to buy the ranch in 1906 and took over operations in 1907. Instead of running more cattle, they platted towns, sold small tracts to farmers, and promoted railroad construction. By 1928, they had sold 231,147 acres in 1,145 parcels. That land-sale process turned much of the county from open range into farms and small communities. The town of Spur, now the largest community in the county, grew directly from that effort.