Mallet Ranch
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Ranching, Agriculture, Oil |
| Founded | 1885 |
| Founder | David M. DeVitt, John Scharbauer |
| Headquarters | Near Levelland or Sundown, Texas , United States |
Area served | Texas (Hockley County, Terry County, Cochran County, Yoakum County) |
| Products | Hereford cattle, cotton, oil |
The Mallet Ranch is a notable Texas ranch founded in the 1880s within Hockley County, Texas. During the early 20th century through the 1930s, its primary focus was on breeding Hereford cattle, while cotton farming was introduced around the mid-1920s. By the late 1930s, oil reserves were discovered on the property. By the year 1990, the ranch spanned an area of 45,000 acres.
History
Established in 1885 by David M. DeVitt and John Scharbauer in Hockley County, Texas, the Mallet Ranch took its name from a prior ranch situated on the Texas-Mexican border that had been set up by D. P. Atwood in the early 1880s. DeVitt and Scharbauer expanded their landholdings to include territories in Terry County, Cochran County, and Yoakum County.
The central ranchhouse, along with a windmill and other essential buildings, was positioned near either Levelland, Texas or Sundown, Texas, approximately six miles north of what is now Whiteface, Texas. In the early 1900s, ownership conflicts led to legal action involving rancher C.C. Slaughter, due to complicated lease agreements. To affirm their title, the Mallet Land and Cattle Company was formally established by the early 20th century.
Between 1904 and 1934, DeVitt concentrated on raising Hereford cattle on the property. Around 1925 to 1926, he transformed roughly 6,000 acres into cotton farmland. After his passing in 1934, control of the ranch was transferred to his daughters Helen and Christine DeVitt. Helen became known for her philanthropic efforts in Lubbock, Texas, while Christine took charge of ranch operations and founded the CH Foundation. The late 1930s discovery of oil added a new source of income. The Mallet Land and Cattle Company was dissolved in 1944 for tax-related reasons.
Following Christine DeVitt’s death in 1983, the ranch headquarters fell into significant disrepair. In 2008, Preservation Texas identified these headquarters as one of Texas' Most Endangered Places due to their declining state.
By 1990, Mallet Ranch covered an expanse of 45,000 acres. Documentation related to its history is maintained at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University.