ABOUT
Stasney’s Cook Ranch is a 25,000 acre guest and nature retreat located just 2 hours from Dallas/Fort Worth and 5 miles north of Albany. Fresh air and beautiful sunsets can be seen from a modern lodge and historic forts far from the stress of the city. Our Forts are equipped with kitchens, or our staff can prepare meals in the Cook Shack. The Stasney Family opened the ranch up to guests in the early 90s through retreats, meetings, and hunts. Once you visit once, we’ll see you back at the ranch.
NATIVE AMERICANS
The history of the land now known as the Stasney's Cook Ranch appropriately begins with the Native Americans that roamed these parts of Texas for many years. During the pre-horse era, the Tonkawa tribe was the predominant tribe in North Central Texas. Then the Comanche, with the tactical advantage of the horse, reigned supreme over all lands and inhabitants of the southern plains for many years.
EUROPEAN SETTLERS
Spanish conquistadors were the first Europeans in Texas and by 1632 the Franciscan Monks had established the San Clemente mission about a 150 miles southwest of Albany, TX. In the mid to late 1800's, the United States government maintained a series of forts to protect European settlers, buffalo hunters and cattlemen. Fort Griffin and the associated town called "Griffin Flat" was built in Shackelford County on the Clear Fork of the Brazos river. Griffin Flat became well known for its brothels, bars and was even the place that Wyatt Earp first met Doc Holiday.
NAIL AND COOK
In 1897, Jim Nail and his sister, Matilda "Dude" Nail, bought the lands including the ranch to raise cattle. Later, Matilda and her husband W.I. Cook bought what became known as the Cook Ranch from the original partnership with Jim. Jim's description of the ranch as, "the sorriest piece of land in the county," was probably true until 1926 when Roeser & Pendleton discovered oil on the ranch at a depth of 1,200 feet. The first well flowed 1,000 barrels of oil per day with many more following. Mrs. Cook used her oil income to fund and build the W.I. Cook Memorial Hospital in Fort Worth. That hospital today is known as the Cook Children’s Medical Center, a renowned care facility that has touched the lives of countless children and their families worldwide.
STASNEY
In 1989, Mrs. Eska Gage Stasney with H.R. Stasney & Sons bought the ranch from the Cook trust. In addition to cattle and oil production, the ranch supports abundant wildlife including deer, hog, turkey, dove, and quail. Eska and sons, Jon and Dick, made considerable improvements to the ranch and facilities before deciding to open as a guest ranch in 1991.
PRESS AND NEWS
SMALL-TOWN BENEFACTORS - TEXAS MONTHLY