"25 Cents & a Cardboard Suitcase" February 01 2023

American Buffalo (Bison) leather goods of the highest quality produced by Loma Vista of Texas. Business and Travel bags are complemented by some of the finest Hunting Accessories available anywhere. 

https://www.loma-vista.com/collections/all 

The Loma Vista ranch joined the family in 1941. Once again, cattle and leather are part of that story along with the Texas oil industry and now in 2018 a love for American Buffalo leather products.

123 years ago, in 1900, a 14 year old boy who had learned to walk the circus tight wire at age 10 joined the older brother who had taught him to "walk the wire".

Donley,  described to his youngest son many years later, how this epic adventure began:

"Son, I was 14 years old with a 7th grade education when I left home with a 25 cent cardboard suitcase riding in a wagon!"

By March of 1910, at age 24, Donley, was the headline tight wire walker for the Barnum & Bailey Circus arriving by horseback in New York City. 

100 years ago in 1918, a 32 year old native Texan with a ranch near Blanco, Texas, and a background traveling the dirt roads of Texas, the Southwest and most of America in the entertainment business, decided to try his hand in the Texas oil business. "W.D." as he was known by all aspired to hit it big. By the next year, his  three younger brothers, Mike, Lonnie and Gus had joined him and they owned their own drilling rig and started digging their first wildcat well in Atascosa County not far from where he was born in a wagon back in 1886. 

They didn’t make a lot of money the first few years but learned a lot about the Texas oil game. After traveling from one Texas oil boom town to another from 1918-1922, they got their first big break in 1922 when they struck it rich drilling wells for Edgar B. Davis at the fabulous Luling, Texas oil discovery. They had a drilling rig for each brother by now.

 Later in the 1920's the brothers drilled in West Texas. Then in 1930 they went to Longview, Texas to participate in the great East Texas Oil Field that made so many Texans wealthy beyond their childhood dreams.

Then in 1941, the same year Leddy's opened their Fort Worth store, W.D. bought a 9,000 acre ranch and began piecing together what would ultimately become the 15,000 acre Loma Vista ranch in Zavala County Texas deep in the Wild Horse Desert (once home to vast herds of American Buffalo and Wild Mustangs), near the remains of the 19th century town of Loma Vista, Texas and the old Presidio Trail leading from Mexico to San Antonio. W.D. began breeding Santa Gertrudis cattle, a breed originated by the King Ranch. In 1951, he became a charter member of Santa Gertrudis Breeders International. In subsequent years more Santa Gertrudis cattle, horses and whitetail deer, all from the King Ranch made their way to Loma Vista. 

 https://www.loma-vista.com/blogs/news/american-icons 

By the early 1960's, W.D. had amassed a herd of 2,000 head of Santa Gertrudis on the Loma Vista ranch.  He owned other ranch properties in Frio, Live Oak and McMullen counties, but Loma Vista was his pride and joy. After his sudden death in July of 1964 at age 78, the ranch remained in family hands.

Despite being a working cattle ranch, wildlife conservation and pioneering game management practices that are standard today led to the development of an outstanding whitetail deer herd. These standards were part of everyday life as far back as the early 1960's.

By the Spring of 1974 cattle buyers from 31 states and Canada made their way to South Texas for Loma Vista's sales record setting first annual production sale. Texas Monthly featured Loma Vista's advertising agency in an August 1974 article highlighting the historic American record setting April, 1974 sale. ("The highest ever paid one ranch - for any breed - in American History. Third highest in World History.") In ensuing years cattle buyers from across the USA, Canada & Mexico continued to buy cattle marketed under the Loma Vista brand name.

Cattle ranching and leather goods go hand in hand. Leather cowboy boots, saddles, chaps and other necessary items are all part of the daily life of a working cattle ranch. So, by the 21st century, a lifetime love for high quality leather items of practical value has evolved into the creation of a line of full-grain, leather products featuring American Buffalo (Bison)  and American bridle leather.  Add custom made antique brass fittings to produce the unique look of our handmade, premium quality full-grain, leather bags, luggage and hunting accessories. 

So, by the end of 2017, Loma Vista of Texas was finally ready to begin the introduction of our American Buffalo (Bison) leather goods line. Now in 2018, the roll-out is underway. We began 2018 at the Dallas Safari Club Convention in January and in February, we are heading to the Houston Rodeo to participate in the showroom offerings presented by Leddy's Boots .

So, please visit the M.L. Leddy Boots showroom at the Houston Rodeo beginning  February 26 through March 18th 2018.

All of the usual great products offered by M. L. Leddy's for almost 100 years will be there and this year for the first time Loma Vista of Texas will be represented by it's unique American Buffalo product line.