Location
2000 US-287
Clarendon, TX 79226
806-944-5591 for general information
806-205-3154 for group tours of 10 or more
Contact us
See map
Hours
Tuesday to Saturday
10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Guided House Tours
11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Tickets
Adult $5
Senior/Veteran/Teacher/First Responder $3
Child (6-17) $2
Child (5 and under) Free
Family (2 adults & 1 child) $8, each additional child $1
Programs
Public Tours
Living History Programs
Special Events
School Programs
Charles Goodnight co-founded the JA Ranch in 1876, the first cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle. In 1887, he built a Victorian home for his new venture, the Goodnight-Thayer Cattle Company. His wife Mary Ann helped run the ranch and preserve American bison. Today, the restored home features a spacious second-floor porch overlooking descendants of the Goodnights' original bison herd.
See the Site
Plan Your Visit
Peer into pioneer prairie life during a tour of the Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight historic home.
Goodnight Ranch History
Charles Foxwing Goodnight was born March 5, 1836, on the family farm in Macoupin County, Illinois.
Support the Friends of Goodnight Ranch
Friends of Goodnight Ranch is a "Fiscally Sponsored Project" of the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission (a 501(C)(3) nonprofit charitable organization). Your gift will directly support this organization.
Events at Goodnight Ranch
Legacy on the Land: Who is John Adair?
Saturday 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the JA Ranch!
Step back in time with our captivating lecture series as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the legendary JA Ranch—right as America marks its 250th birthday! Discover the stories, the spirit, and the influence that shaped the Texas Panhandle! Who was the man behind the JA Brand? Some might argue it was Charles Goodnight, but the brand itself, JA, stood for John Adair, a wealthy Irish broker turned Texas Panhandle cattle baron! Let's learn more about the man behind the brand and his impact on the very first cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle. This free program will be followed by a self-guided tour of the Goodnight Home! This event is presented as part of Texas-America250, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Legacy on the Land: Cornelia Adair's JA Ranch
Saturday 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.As our country turns 250 years old, the first cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle, the famed JA, turns 150! In honor of this momentous occasion, Dr. Alex Hunt from West Texas A&M University is visiting the Goodnight Ranch on Saturday, August 22, at 11 a.m. and will look back at the history of the woman behind the ranch, Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie Adair.
Pioneer Food Preservation: Getting Ready for the Winter
Saturday 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.Look in your pantry. What do you see? Pickles? Smoked Salmon? Tomato sauce? All of these food items can be traced back to the pioneer days of food preservation—when refrigerators simply did not exist! So how did people preserve food? Come find out at the Goodnight Ranch Learning Center on Saturday, September 12th, at 11 am! This FREE demonstration will be followed by a self-guided house tour of the Goodnight Home.
Support Our Historic Sites
Make a gift to the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to supporting the historic sites of the THC.
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