Southfork Ranch
The city of Dallas has many famous landmarks, including the downtown skyline, Reunion Tower, and the Cotton Bowl. Yet one of the most famous buildings associated with Dallas isn’t even in the city of Dallas. Thanks almost totally to the success of the long-running nighttime soap opera “Dallas,” Southfork Ranch is one of the most enduring and memorable images of the city of Dallas.
In 1970, Joe R. Duncan built a ranch house on his recently purchased 200 acre lot north of Dallas in Parker County. The land become known as Duncan Acres, after the family of Joe, sometimes called J.R. Duncan. The house originally occupied over 4,700 square feet of those 200 acres, and eventually a 957 square foot garage was enclosed and turned into a den used for playing cards, among other pastimes.
If life had continued on as normal, Duncan acres would have made a great home for the Duncan family, and the average person in Texas, much less around the world, wouldn’t even know it existed. In 1978, however, with the beginning of the TV show “Dallas” everything changed for Duncan Acres.
“Dallas” originally began as a five-part mini-series airing on the CBS television network. The mini-series was very successful, and, as a result, CBS commissioned scripts for a complete season based on the wealth, sex, intrigue, and power struggles of the oil baron Ewing family showcased in the series.
When the mini-series was made into a regular showing full-length television series a decision was made to find a local ranch to serve as the backdrop and home to the fictional Ewing family. Eventually it was decided that Duncan Acres, with its mansion-like ranch house would be the home to the fighting, plotting, and deceiving Ewing clan.
The exterior shots of the TV series were shot at the Duncan Ranch from 1978 until the series completely moved to studios in California. The show became wildly popular in the United States as well as around the world. The famous “Who Shot J.R.” plot twist that ended the 1979-1980 television season and began the 1980-1981 season was so popular that it is still one of the highest rated TV shows ever, even though it took place nearly 30 years ago. A session of the Turkish parliament was even suspended to allow legislators a chance to get home in time to view the episode that revealed exactly who did shoot J.R.
As the popularity of the TV show gained fervor, the desire to see Southfork Ranch, the name of the Ewing’s palatial home in the fictional series also grew. The Duncan family was still actually in residence at the ranch during the filming of the first few seasons. Requests for private parties and weddings began to pour into the actual owners of the ranch. Tents and a party pavilion were built to accommodate those wishing to rent the famous, and now officially named, Southfork Ranch.
Eventually, making their home in what had become Dallas’ number one tourist destination became too much for the family, and in 1985 Southfork became a strictly tourist and event locale. A 63,000 square foot conference and event center and rodeo arena were added. By the time that all was said and done “Dallas” was one of the most successful drama series ever made. In 1991 it ended its run as one of the longest-running shows in American prime-time television history.
The Southfork Ranch is currently an event and conference center. Since the end of the television show, over $14,000,000 in capital improvements have been added to the facility. Daily tours of the ranch and mansion are offered for an admission fee of $9 for adults. It is home to the Contemporary Christian Music extravaganza, “Celebrate Freedom”, held annually during the Independence Day celebration.
Dallas, Texas
In 1970, Joe R. Duncan built a ranch house on his recently purchased 200 acre lot north of Dallas in Parker County. The land become known as Duncan Acres, after the family of Joe, sometimes called J.R. Duncan. The house originally occupied over 4,700 square feet of those 200 acres, and eventually a 957 square foot garage was enclosed and turned into a den used for playing cards, among other pastimes.
If life had continued on as normal, Duncan acres would have made a great home for the Duncan family, and the average person in Texas, much less around the world, wouldn’t even know it existed. In 1978, however, with the beginning of the TV show “Dallas” everything changed for Duncan Acres.
“Dallas” originally began as a five-part mini-series airing on the CBS television network. The mini-series was very successful, and, as a result, CBS commissioned scripts for a complete season based on the wealth, sex, intrigue, and power struggles of the oil baron Ewing family showcased in the series.
When the mini-series was made into a regular showing full-length television series a decision was made to find a local ranch to serve as the backdrop and home to the fictional Ewing family. Eventually it was decided that Duncan Acres, with its mansion-like ranch house would be the home to the fighting, plotting, and deceiving Ewing clan.
The exterior shots of the TV series were shot at the Duncan Ranch from 1978 until the series completely moved to studios in California. The show became wildly popular in the United States as well as around the world. The famous “Who Shot J.R.” plot twist that ended the 1979-1980 television season and began the 1980-1981 season was so popular that it is still one of the highest rated TV shows ever, even though it took place nearly 30 years ago. A session of the Turkish parliament was even suspended to allow legislators a chance to get home in time to view the episode that revealed exactly who did shoot J.R.
As the popularity of the TV show gained fervor, the desire to see Southfork Ranch, the name of the Ewing’s palatial home in the fictional series also grew. The Duncan family was still actually in residence at the ranch during the filming of the first few seasons. Requests for private parties and weddings began to pour into the actual owners of the ranch. Tents and a party pavilion were built to accommodate those wishing to rent the famous, and now officially named, Southfork Ranch.
Eventually, making their home in what had become Dallas’ number one tourist destination became too much for the family, and in 1985 Southfork became a strictly tourist and event locale. A 63,000 square foot conference and event center and rodeo arena were added. By the time that all was said and done “Dallas” was one of the most successful drama series ever made. In 1991 it ended its run as one of the longest-running shows in American prime-time television history.
The Southfork Ranch is currently an event and conference center. Since the end of the television show, over $14,000,000 in capital improvements have been added to the facility. Daily tours of the ranch and mansion are offered for an admission fee of $9 for adults. It is home to the Contemporary Christian Music extravaganza, “Celebrate Freedom”, held annually during the Independence Day celebration.
Dallas, Texas
