Historical Marker
Renderbrook Ranch
Historical marker location:
SH 16, on Spade Ranch, Colorado City, Texas
( From Colorado City take SH 16 about 22 miles south to Spade Ranch gate. Drive about 3.3 miles onto ranch to marker and stone house.)
Marker installed: 1965
Founded in buffalo and Indian days of 1870's by Taylor Barr. Owned 1882-1889 by D.H. and J.W. Snyder. They built "White House" headquarters; sold ranch, 1889 to Isaac L. Ellwood, an inventor of barbed wire, in DeKalb, Illinois. Ellwood paid in wire for Spade cattle from Donley County, to stock ranch. Added Sterling and Coke lands to original 130,000 acres; to distinguish this from range bought 1902 near Lubbock, called this Renderbrook (from name of spring where Indians shot a U.S. Cavalry officer in the 1870's). Ellwood heirs still run Spade brand on 2 ranches.
(1965).