Buffalo Springs

The spring became the XIT's No. 1 division headquarters. Ab Blocker drove the first herd here in 1885, and ranch lore has it that he and B. H. "Barbecue" Campbell worked out the XIT brand in the corral dust. The division ran steers, and Bob Duke, once its foreman, rose to assistant general manager and was the last XIT cowboy working for the estate. The water dwindled: the flow fell from 142 liters a second in 1907 to 6.5 in 1977 as irrigation wells drew on it. The ranch is private, and the pin is only approximate.

What the plaque says

Buffalo Springs Its permanent water made it known at opening of 17th century as a great hunting ground alive with buffalo and mustangs. A cow camp before 1878. Since 1882, headquarters of XIT Ranch, once largest fenced ranch in the world consisting of three million acres. Exchanged for the construction of the State Capitol. Erected by the State of Texas 1936 (1936)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Rita Blanca National Grassland — 5.5 mi
  Scattered tracts of shortgrass on old XIT range, failed Dust Bowl farms the government bought back and regrassed, with two picnic sites in the open country near Texline.

More markers nearby

• Fort Nichols — 21 mi
• Santa Fe Trail Cimarron Cutoff / Clayton — 23 mi
• Santa Fe Trail — 23 mi
• Clayton Dinosaur Trackway — 23 mi