Pilkington Slough Ranch

The Pilkington Slough Ranch, of the Collegeport community, has been an area landmark for more than 100 years. The original owners of the bulk of this land were Daniel, Elias and Erastus Yeamans, three brothers who fought in the Texas War for Independence; Elias and Erastus died at the Battle of Goliad.

The Yeamans family held the property until 1880, when noted cattleman Abel H. “Shanghai” Pierce and his brother, Jonathan E. Pierce, purchased it. By 1889, Jonathan was sole owner of this land. He soon established his headquarters on a site overlooking the Pilkington Slough, which was named for Dr. Samuel Pilkington, an early area physician.

From the Pilkington House, one could view the mouth of the slough, which forms a backwater on the eastern shore of the Tres-palacios Bay. The ranch was so named for its proximity to the Pilkington Slough. Through the years, tenants lived and worked on these lands, which are well suited for cattle ranching and rice cultivation.

These tenants included members of the Ackerman, Huitt, Jackson and Slone families. The property also served as a community gathering place, occasionally hosting worship services, dances and other activities. The Matagorda Land and Cattle Company acquired the ranch in 1970; it was sold to other owners in 2001.

Today, the ranch remains a crucial link to early development of southwestern Matagorda County, reflecting the agricultural economy of the area and the spirit of the pioneering men and women who settled here. (2008)