05/20/2026
XIT RANCH: A TEXAS LEGEND RETURNS
See the full exhibit in the Jane and John Justin Gallery at the Cattle Raisers Museum.
Drew Knowles, owner of XIT Ranch, writes in “Frontier” by Anouk M. Kranz:
Ranching is in my family's blood. However, like many big ranches, my family decided before my generation was born to sell the XIT's original rangelands. While I do not know the reasons why, I'm sure it was a logical decision at the time that was best for the family. The legacy the XIT left behind was always in the back of my mind. When my wife and I decided to begin ranching in Colorado I wanted to honor my family and name the ranch the XIT. This adventure only grew larger as other ranchers encouraged us to keep going and to share the history with our world. This led us to repurchase original XIT rangelands in the Rita Blanca division a few years ago. Suddenly, the XIT was back after a 59-year slumber, and we found ourselves the stewards of the legacy that so many in the Texas Panhandle have proudly supported for near 140 years.
We never set out with a master plan to orchestrate the rebirth of the XIT. We just wanted to be good stewards of the land and to honor the hard work and grit of those who came before us. Sometimes we ask ourselves, "why us?" We did not grow up ranching and were not groomed for this in childhood. The answer is simple, God called my wife and I to do this.
Today, while the XIT may be much smaller than it once was, we hold the same values and carry the same traditions of the cowboy and American West. Every day we wake up excited to care for our animals and our rangelands. To us, it is not work, but rather it is a way of life.
One that we love and one that we share with our children so that they will be able to handle the responsibility when it is their turn to be stewards of the XIT and all it embodies. We thank God for the opportunities He has given us and will work tirelessly to merit the trust He has placed in us.