‘World’s largest branding iron’ placed at Vega museum

A history museum in Vega, Texas, that sits a half-block off Route 66 recently placed what it calls the “world’s largest branding iron” on its grounds.

The Milburn-Price Culture Museum at 1005 Coke St. (map here) announced Monday in a Facebook post it placed a 22-foot-long, 3,000-pound branding iron with the XIT ranch logo. The massive iron was made by Greg Conn.

“This is part of our XIT display that will help us tell the XIT story and our connection to the Texas State Capitol building,” the museum stated. “If all goes as planned you should be able to drive up to the branding iron at night and the shadow of the XIT will be displayed on the mural by your vehicle head lights.”

The museum’s branding iron is not yet certified by Guinness World Records, but a category for it is available. An official at the museum said it was “looking into doing that.”

Some may scoff at the museum’s stunt. But several places on Route 66 and other U.S. highways have parlayed such oddities into long-term tourist attractions. Just ask the folks in Darwin, Minnesota, about their largest ball of twine.

The XIT Ranch operated in the Texas Panhandle, including Vega, from 1885 to 1912. It comprised a staggering 3 million acres of land about 200 miles along the New Mexico border. At its peak, it raised 150,000 head of cattle.

As for the state capitol link, the Texas Legislature in 1879 appropriated the land that became the ranch to help finance the building of the Capitol.

The XIT struggled to make a profit, and by the early 20th century, the ranch’s owners began selling off parcels to pay off debts to bondholders. The last of the XIT cattle were sold in 1912.

(Image of the “world’s largest branding iron” at the Milburn-Price Culture Museum in Vega, Texas, via Facebook)