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Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch Gives Back

When you buy Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch, you’re giving back to Texas cowboys. A portion of the proceeds from every book sold benefits The Waggoner Ranch Cowboys Fund. This fund was set up by the woking cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch. In the past, these funds have been used for purchasing livestock from local kids participating in stock shows, scholarships, and medical expenses due to on the job injuries.

Every book sold benefits The Waggoner Ranch Cowboys Fund

Jeremy Enlow was inspired to make the book after visiting the ranch. “I wanted to document this way of life for younger generations before it disappears,” he says. He photographed and published the book independently to tell the cowboys’ stories. Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch is not affiliated with the current or past owners of the ranch; the lack of affiliation let Jeremy tell the story just as he saw it.

A Changing Way of Life on the Ranch

We’re even more grateful Jeremy documented the ranch after Stan Kroenke’s controversial decision to force Lake Diversion residents out of their homes put the ranch in the news last week.  This book captures the final months of family ownership on the Waggoner Ranch — and a way of life that is rapidly changing. Earlier this year, the new owner closed the bunkhouse for single cowboys and the cook shack.

Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch tells the story of the living legends who work on the largest ranch under one fence in the United States. As life on the ranch begins to change, we are proud to be able to give back to the cowboys who work so hard and inspire us.

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Waggoner Ranch in the News

The Waggoner Ranch made news Friday for a story that saddens us deeply. Texoma’s Homepage News reports that hundreds of Lake Diversion residents are being forced to leave their homes by the ranch’s new owner, Stan Kroenke.  This move by Kroenke, who purchased the ranch in February, is the latest in a string of changes on the ranch, which include closing the cook shack and bunkhouse.

Hundreds of Lake Diversion Residents are being forced to leave their homes by Stan Kroenke, the new owner of the Waggoner Ranch

Family ties on the Waggoner Ranch run deep. Many Lake Diversion residents have called the ranch their home for generations. According to Texoma’s Homepage News, the residents have received notice to vacate the premises and remove all property by January 31. You can watch NBC TV 3’s video coverage of this story here.

Lake Diversion residents own their homes but lease the land underneath. According to a GoFundMe page set up by a resident’s family member, homeowners were assured by the Waggoner family that any future owners would honor the lease. Unfortunately, that has not been the case.

We are saddened by this news and will continue to follow the story closely. Our thoughts are with the many families facing the loss of their homes.

Updated August 11, 2016:

Outrage at Stan Kroenke’s decision to force out Lake Diversion residents has grown throughout the week. The Dallas Morning News picked up the story, saying, “Los Angeles Rams owner and billionaire Stan Kroenke is making people move again.” That’s right, again. Kroenke sparked the ire of St. Louis residents when he bought the St. Louis Rams then relocated them to Los Angeles. The team’s move inspired lawyer Terry Crouppen to take out a #SlamStan Super Bowl ad.  The ad aired exclusively in the St. Louis area.

Of course, losing your local football team is hard; but losing your family’s home creates hardships than seem nearly impossible to overcome. Annette McNeil, a Lake Diversion resident, contacted the St. Louis Post-Dispatch after seeing the notice requiring residents to leave by January 31. The article published by the paper reveals the real struggle these residents are facing:

“McNeil said a neighbor recently spent nearly $40,000 renovating his place. She said another finalized a cabin purchase just six months ago. She said another received sticker shock when he requested an estimate to move his small metal house: $10,000.”

The residents of Lake Diversion trusted the ranch owners to respect the history of the ranch and continue the land lease. As that situation changes, many elderly and fixed income residents are facing enormous financial hardship, as well as the emotional blow of losing their homes.

Follow us on Facebook for more updates as this story develops. 

Author’s note: Cowboys of the Waggoner Ranch is not affiliated with the past or current owners of the ranch in any way. This book was independently published to document the lives of the working cowboys on the ranch.