Whitehall Ranch

List of Improvements Residence 4,300 square feet 2-bedroom 2.5 bathroom Pool House- 1,122 square feet (kitchen, gym, sauna, massage suite, and laundry room) Guest House 1- 2-bedroom 2-bathroom 1,640 square feet Guest House 2 (The Bunk House)- 4-bedroom 4-bathroom 1,640 square feet 5 Bay Garage- 800 square feet Gatehouse- 3-bedroom 2bathroom 2,400 square feet Cottage 1- 961 square feet Cottage 2- 961 square feet Cottage 3- 961 square feet Twenty (20) stall stables with two (2) apartments, an office, a feed room, and two (2) tack rooms Barn 1 roof-covered equipment barn Barn 2 three-sided equipment barn Barn 3 fully enclosed shops 28,000 square foot stabilized yard 18+ acres seasonal wildlife food plot 7 water wells 7 generators Perimeter fenced and minimally cross-fenced with four point, five (5) strand American barbed wire. 3.5-acre wetland pond 8.5 acre managed fishing lake Competition polo field Competition skeet/trap range with cabin 350+ acres of improved hay pastures Horse pastures fenced with 2" X 4" non-climb wire and slick top wire Located in a Federal Opportunity Zone Introduction All but hidden on a quiet dead-end county road in southern Grimes County awaits one of the most remarkable properties of its kind, Whitehall Ranch. Remarkable, not only for its many thoughtfully designed improvements and amenities but also for the depth of its natural beauty. Rarely does one encounter such unique parallel between what has been designed and that which is made perfect in its natural state. At 656 acres, Whitehall Ranch is just over a square mile in area. Perhaps more appropriately stated as just over a "section" of land. The magnificence of the ranch begins before one enters the property. The surrounding landscape is vast and comprised of gently rolling pastures of large ranches. The horizon is framed by a broad, elevated rise in topography shrouded in trees. The ranch's controlled access pipe fence entrance and gate are well built and, if anything, understated, projecting quality and function over pretense. The visible fence lines are immaculately maintained, straight, and true. From the road, the gentle rise in elevation into the property initially conveys only a partial image of what lies beyond, essentially denying passersby an in-depth look into the ranch. Lush coastal Bermuda grass carpets the gently rolling front pastures, which eventually combine with nearby stands of trees to form the visible horizon. What lies beyond that horizon is something far more unique. Whitehall Ranch is wrapped in live spring-fed creeks with banks adorned with ferns, palmettos, and wildflowers. Whereas the rolling front pastures are characterized by large stands of lush mast-producing native pecan trees and oaks, the middle pasture is a continuation of oaks and native pecans, which converge with willow, sycamore, and elm trees spotted with small stands of pines. Traversing deeper into the ranch across yet another spring-fed creek, one is all but transported to the heart of east Texas. What was black land soil is now sand, and that which was a cluster of oaks is now a breathtaking stand of towering pine trees. From rolling post-oak savannah to black land prairie and finally to piney woods, one encounters three distinct ecoregions within one property's boundaries. This undeniable natural beauty, combined with the masterfully designed improvements and amenities, firmly establishes this property as a class of its own. Whitehall Ranch can only be described as a one-of-one property; as such, it must be experienced to begin to understand or appreciate its significance. We invite you to do just that: experience Whitehall Ranch. A tour of the ranch Upon entering the ranch, the main drive is unobstructed by utility poles and powerlines as the utilities have been thoughtfully placed underground, visible only by the few well-labeled utility junctions that connect the entire property to not only the regional power provider but to the seven (7) backup generators and seven (7) water wells that leave no reliance upon public infrastructure. Both sides of the entrance drive are lined with impeccably maintained fences constructed of 2" x4" non-climb wire and slick top wire. True to form and tradition, upon entering the ranch, one first arrives at the Gatehouse. A quaint 2,400 square foot three-bedroom, two-bath residence surrounded by large shade trees thoughtfully positioned with views of the entrance, front pastures, and stables. The Gatehouse adjoins a lush coastal hay pasture, grounded with fine sandy soil and equipped with a plumbed water trough where thoroughbreds are exercised daily on an oval track. Beyond the track in the northeast corner of the property are three identical 961 square foot cottages within a fenced area currently used to house ranch staff and well suited for guest lodging. Continuing into the ranch, one next approaches the Greenhouse. Tastefully oriented, it is within a one-acre fenced reserve that contains an orchard of fruit-bearing trees and a tilled garden exploding with flowers and vegetables. Strewn about within the confines, a brood of chickens alternate between patrolling their domain and laying eggs in their adjacent coop. There is a consistent theme to every aspect of the ranch, which is a tasteful, understated quality committed to not only the design of the ranch but also the functionality it provides. This is apparent when one comes next to the FAA regulation helipad with a lighted landing. Let your imagination be the only limitation to what this property can accommodate. Adjacent to the helipad, the heart of ranch operations is centered by a 175' by 200' compact base, caliche yard. On the north end of the yard, a three-sided equipment barn framed with galvanized posts and beams with steel siding. To the west is an expansive roof-covered equipment barn with an elevated eave; to the east is a fully enclosed two-bay shop.Lastly, we find the stables to the south end of the yard. Striking in design and function, it is comprised of twenty (20) stalls, with two (2) apartments, an office, a feed room, and two (2) well-appointed tack rooms, all overlooking the center pasture and 8.5-acre managed fishing lake. Upon exiting the barn and stable compound, we find an adjacent set of equestrian pens and a round working pen backdropped with large trees and lush vegetation bordered by well-manicured drives. Continuing into the ranch, situated west of the barns and stable, is a 3.5-acre wetland pond. The wetland is designed to manage water levels to maximize seasonal wetland vegetation growth. This vegetation serves the countless waterfowl that find refuge within the pond during their spring migration north to the prairies of Canada and again in the fall as they return to the south. In perfect complement to this shallow wetland, which caters to species of puddle ducks such as mallards, gadwall, widgeon, wood ducks, and pintails, we find to the south the vast 8.5-acre lake. The deep clear waters cater to the diver duck species such as canvasback, redheads, and scaup. Approaching the 8.5-acre managed fishing pond, one is immediately stuck by the clarity of the water. From the shore, countless bream and bass can be seen tending nests or patrolling the contours. The lake's perimeter is a balanced mix of manicured pasture and picturesque cattails, providing multiple cleared accesses to the lake. A custom aluminum-covered dock protrudes into the lake, which completes a beautifully inviting setting tailor-made for fishing, swimming, and kayaking. Adjacent to the lake, we find a stunning, finely manicured, and zone-irrigated pasture that has historically served as the ranch's competition polo field. Some 14 acres in size, the ends of the field are adorned with live oaks. The grading and irrigation of this pasture provide a unique opportunity for continued use as a polo field or for a broad range of sophisticated agricultural purposes, such as a vineyard. From the polo fields, one heads south, and to the left, a large stand of oaks and pecans occupies the still-level pasture. To the right is a gently falling landscape of manicured pasture that ends in a pronounced stand of dense trees that run the entire length of the ranch's western boundary, over a mile. Within the shaded canopy of foliage, Beason Creek flows clear and is fed by numerous seeps and springs from surrounding properties. Well-maintained trails follow the length of the creek along this boundary with numerous cross trails and access points, maximizing the opportunity to enjoy the ranch's diverse ecosystems while maintaining an essential buffer of privacy from adjacent properties. An oasis for wildlife the ranch is complete with abundant water, browse, and critical habitats for all native species of birds and mammals. The net effect of the contrasting elevation and diverse flora along Beason Creek is a thriving ecosystem for wildlife. The creeks give rise to leopard frogs, box turtles, and fish, while the lush underbrush and trees give sanctuary to woodpeckers, fulvous tree ducks, and magnificent herds of un-hunted whitetail deer. About two-thirds of the way south along the ranch's western boundary, a ridge protrudes towards the creek, and the sides of the ridge gently break to each side. There, one finds an immaculate competition skeet and trap shooting range in the center of a tilled 18-acre seasonal wildlife food plot. The shooting range is centered by a fully functional air-conditioned cabin complete with a full kitchen and bathroom, providing comfortable accommodations for shooters and guests between rounds. The range offers traditional high-house/low-house structures with high-end Italian remote-controlled throwers and a variable-direction trap thrower in the center. With a continued understated style and emphasis on quality, the range is constructed with concrete shooting stations and irrigated landscaping. From the skeet rang