Allen Ranch - Boom Times

Boom Times

Allen's fortunes grew rapidly after the American Civil War. Through partnerships and acquisitions Allen's main ranch expanded and he gained ranch lands in other areas of the state. He established processing plants for cattle hides and tallow along the Buffalo Bayou near his range as well as Galveston. The Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad was built through the Allen Ranch in the 1850s and later the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway and the La Porte, Houston and Northern Railroad. The ranch's docks along the Buffalo Bayou became major shipping points and helped contribute to the growth of what would become the Houston Ship Channel. The ranch even had its own private railway station known as "El Buey."

Sam W. Allen's son, Samuel E. Allen, took over management of the ranch and, though some of Sam W. Allen's other business ventures failed, the Allen Ranch continued to prosper and grow. It was the largest ranch in the region and one of the largest in the state. By 1900 the Allen Ranch comprised over 17,000 acres (69 km2) largely in Harris County with pastures in Galveston County and other surrounding counties. The main portions of the ranch covered much of modern Pasadena, southeast Houston, Clear Lake City, La Porte, and other areas.

The Allens invested heavily in area business development, in Galveston and Harrisburg, and then later Houston (notably they founded the Oriental Textile Mills, once the world's largest press cloth manufacturer in the cotton industry). They were also wealthy socialites known throughout the region.