Remembering 62 years of history at the Flying L Guest Ranch
62 years ago, shortly after the Flying L Guest Ranch opened, Life Magazine did an article on the Ranch.
Article from 1947 Life Magazine on the Flying L Guest Ranch:
(Beginning of Article) America's first dude ranch airpark opens with a rollicking round up of new fashions designed for rides and fliers.
On retiring from the Army Air Forces two years ago, wealthy Texas Oilman Colonel Jack Lapham conceived the idea for a unique kind of dude ranch. A 7,000 hour flier, he had always deplored the inconvenient and unsightly airports private fliers had to use. Lapham decided to build one that was both practical and pleasant and make it into a resort. The result was the Flying L Ranch, opened last month, the first dude ranch airpark in the U.S.
Thoroughly equipped with runways, repair shops and expert mechanics, the Flying L offers its guests turkey hunts, black-bass fishing and excellent riding, all for $15 a day. The 12 cottages are built to resemble airplanes and the pilots' lounge, right on the landing field, serves as a dance pavilion. Colonel Lapham and his wife run the ranch, less concerned with realizing a profit on their $750,000 investment than with making the Flying L the first of a series of air ranches all over the country. A show of specially designed flying and ranching clothes marked the airpark's formal opening. (End of Article)
As the years have passed, the Flying L Guest Ranch has had some other memorable history making moments. The Flying L became a 542-acre ?dude ranch? in 1946, when Jack Lapham (the ?L? in Flying L) purchased it from the original polish settlers. At that time, Lapham was a retired Air Corps colonel. His dream was to create a place ?where modern people can go and find themselves in the midst of yesterday.? Flying was his love, so the colonel built an airstrip and ran a flight school here. New aircraft was also tested here and new aircraft designs were introduced at the Flying L.
The Villas were designed by associates of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and are rich in history.
The Flying L became a favorite ?watering hole? for war heroes, movie stars, and literary giants. The Ranch?s guests have included John Wayne, Slim Pickens, Willie Nelson, Tex Ritter, Jim Reeves, Ray Price, Buck Owens, Chill Wills, Robert Fuller and many more. The television show, The Cisco Kid, was filmed at the Ranch.
The ranch was transferred to new owners in 1984 as it grew to become a much larger enterprise. Current owners, who were employees of the Ranch, were handed the reins in January 1998. Many Changes and improvements are being made, both to bring guests more conveniences and to protect and enhance the original and historic designs of the facilities.
Today, the Ranch is a unique Western Resort and Conference Center. It is more diverse than any other guest ranch or resort facility in the area. The Flying L hosts family vacations, family reunions, corporate groups, golf groups and tournaments, youth groups, church groups, day groups and more.
The Flying L Guest Ranch is getting back to the basics, where families come together and love spending time with each other.
http://www.flyingl.com
Tina Houser
800-292-5134
tinah@flyingl.com
