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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Boriskie Ranch: A Brief Historyf The Boriskie Ranch: A Brief History Written by Burt Hermann and edited by Bob Tice in July 2001 This article traces the Boriskie Ranch from a self - sufficient farm to an egg "factory" to a cattle ranch with horse - boarding (Hunter's Creek Stables), a golf driving range (now Lone Star Golf Academy), an oil well, and an Academy Sports and Outdoor Store. Located in College Station, Texas, the ranch's history reflects the tremendous growth of Texas A &M University and, as a result, the shrinkage of the ranch. Despite all the changes over the years, its owners have retained their financial independence and Christian character. The land where the Boriskie Ranch is now located was first developed as a self- sufficient family farm in the mid -to -late 1800s. In the early 1900s, it became a chicken farm, producing thousands of eggs and baby chicks each year. About 1957, Victor (V.J.) Boriskie decided to convert the 440 -acre tract from raising chickens to raising cattle. His helper was his second wife, Lydia Dana Thiltgen. They had more than 100 cows. In 1967, V.J. passed away at the age of 78 and left the ranch to Lydia. About three years later, the ranch was cut in two by the East Bypass (now Earl Rudder Freeway), indicating the growth of College Station and its neighbor, the City of Bryan. In 1973, Lydia sold the half between Texas Avenue and the Bypass to Richard Smith. A few years later, Southwest Parkway was built along the southern boundary of that half. Around 1989, Post Oak Mall was built close to the northern boundary. In December 1972, Lydia moved into her spacious new home on the remaining half, which is located between the Bypass and Carter's Creek. Six years later, the City of College Station bought 10 acres and built an electrical switch station there. During the same year, Lydia developed Hunter's Creek Stables and a golf driving range on the ranch site. In 1983, she sold 14 acres between Wolf Pen Creek and the Raintree Subdivision to Davis McGill and his partners. In 2000 and 2001, Darrell Grein, a developer from the Houston area tried unsuccessfully to get land zoned for 6,000 square foot residential lots. The Raintree neighbors wanted 8,000 square foot lots. Lydia Thiltgen Boriskie died in 1990 at the age of 75 and left the remaining 149 acres to her children, Virginia Hermann and Michael Thiltgen. They in turn formed the Boriskie Partnership to handle legal transactions for the ranch. At the same time, Virginia, her husband, Burt Hermann, and their two children, Melodie and Alan, moved into Lydia's home and took over operation of the ranch. As of July 2003, the Hermanns were still living in the home. In 1994, the Hermanns bought Michael's half interest in 108 acres, including the house, leaving 41 acres in the partnership. Two years later, they sold the 45 acres next to Carter's Creek to their neighbor, C.B. "Bud" Jones, and 22 acres, including Hunter's Creek Stables, to Carl and Jeanne Kolbe. In 1996, when the Hermanns sold the 22 acres to the Kolbes, that land — as well as 42 of the remaining 820 acres — was deed restricted to be a single - family residential subdivision called Horse Haven Estates. There are plans for about 100 lots on R -1 zoned land. The houses in the subdivision are to be attractive, well- designed, and site -built or modular (on concrete slab) and are to contain at least 1,500 square feet of heated area. From 1979 until 1990, Virginia managed her mother's 12 -acre golf range on the front of the property. For the next eight years it was leased to golf pro, David Cline, and was sold in 1998 along with an additional 13 acres. The new owners enlarged the range to the whole 25 acres. In early 2003, Andy Wiener, grandson of the Wiener Department Store founder, signed a sales contract on the front 15 acres. He plans to put a retail shopping center on the tract. Hopefully, it will be built, and single - family homes will be constructed on the back 10 acres of the range. In 2000, members of the City Planning and Zoning Commission said that they want a street between the commercially - designated part of the golf range and the residential part. The proposed street would connect Horse Haven Lane (by the Academy Store) and Switch Station Road. That way, both Horse Haven Estates and Windwood will have secondary access. In August 2001, Academy Sports bought 11.5 acres (the remaining highway frontage). The new store was opened on February 26, 2002. The only land now remaining in the Partnership is the 5,300 square foot Sprint cell tower site. Lydia Boriskie's cattle were sold in 1992, and the cow pastures were leased to Jimmie Weedon until 1999. Since then, Dale Carpenter, Larry White, and Craig Hickman have leased part or all of the pastures at various times. Between 1990 and 1996, Virginia also operated and improved Hunter's Creek Stables. During most of the time that she managed the golf range and horse stables, she had valuable help from her first cousin, Edward Dana, who died in June 1999. Although the stables were sold in 1996, the Hermanns are still in the horse - breeding business, but it is limited to tenants in the six residential units on the ranch. In May and July 2003, three of the rentals were sold and removed from the ranch. Since 1993, as people enter the remaining Boriskie Ranch, they see an oil well that gives another dimension to the property's history and modest monthly income to the owners. Michael Thiltgen, a banker, and his wife, Cheryl, live in Corpus Christi, Texas. They have two married daughters, Shannon Smallwood and Heather Thomas. Heather has a six - year -old daughter, Kelsey, and Shannon has a new baby boy, Caden. In August 2003, she is expecting a baby girl. Virginia Hermann worked in a bank for about 10 years before she started assisting her mother, Lydia, with her ranch operations. Virginia married Burt, a three - degree graduate (1963, 1965, and 1973) of Texas A &M University in 1958. Burt taught at the high school and junior college levels for about 14 years. He has operated Hermann Realty since 1974, but is semi - retired now. The Hermann's daughter, Melodie, has been working at the main A &M library as a clerk since 1983. Alan, a radiology technician since 1994, worked in Dallas for three years and has been working at Memorial Hermann Hospitals in Houston since 1999. As stated in the introduction, the Boriskie Ranch began as a 440 -acre self - sufficient family farm in the late 1800s. Now it is down to 42 acres, but the owners plan to keep it as a cattle and horse ranch until the growth of College Station makes it economically feasible to sell it to a developer of residential subdivisions. (Note: Lydia Boriskie grew into a mature Christian and inspired many people to serve God, including her children and her grandchildren who loved her dearly.)