486 State Highway 71 E, Smithville, TX 78957 - Bastrop County

Shipp Lake Ranch is steeped in history, having been owned by the same family since the early 1900s. With improved pastures, Shipp Lake Ranch has been a working cattle ranch for many years, the beautiful 100-acre oxbow lake creates a haven for diverse waterfowl that changes with the seasons as they migrate north and south. This lake spans the length of the 420-acre property, there are incredible water views from every corner. Just 48 miles from downtown Austin, it's an ideal weekend retreat with the potential for future commercial recreational development as Bastrop continues to grow.

LOCATION

Just South of Smithville on HWY 71 N.

TOPOGRAPHY, RANGELAND & HABITAT

Shipp Lake Ranch features rolling improved pastures with mature hardwoods gracing the east side of the 100-acre lake and is complemented by a productive 18-acre hay field beyond the tree line. The west side features a mix of open pasture, scattered live oaks, pecan trees along the shoreline, and mesquite brush.

WILDLIFE

Shipp Lake, formerly the Oxbow Lake, stands as a time-honored migratory waterfowl flyway that has enchanted observers for millennia. Twice a year, the skies come alive with exotic waterfowl, showcasing the majestic American White Pelican, Ibis, Roseate Spoonbills, Tri-color herons, Great Blue Herons, and Egrets. The area is a haven for resident raptors, including Red-Tailed, Red-Shouldered, and Coopers hawks, as well as Osprey and Bald Eagles. The lake has been a cherished fishing ground for the family through the ages, yielding a bountiful catch of largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, and catfish. there are also plenty of deer and hogs.

AGRICULTURE

This property is perfect for grazing and/or equestrian use.

IMPROVEMENTS

There are two small houses on the property and one was renovated in 2018.

WATER

Shipp Lake, the 100-acre oxbow lake created by the Colorado River, spans a significant portion of the property. The family dammed up the northeastern end, enhancing water capture. An artesian well historically maintained water levels, but is currently not operational but has potential for redevelopment. The lake, once used for water skiing, offers opportunities for boating, fishing, bird watching, and hunting. There are three water wells on the ranch.

MINERALS

Minerals are negotiable.

AREA HISTORY

The first Hill family in Bastrop County was in 1834, having moved from Alabama. Sometime after that Abram Wylie Hill bought half of Jenkins Prairie, a land grant award given to the Edward Jenkins family for their participation in the Texas Revolution. The property was renamed Hills Prairie and remains so to this date. Some of the Hills and the Yerger family moved to the Alum Creek area and opened a dry goods store about 1850. When the Taylor Bastrop and Houston Railroad came into what is now Smithville, the dry goods store was moved to Main Street in Smithville and the Yerger (father-in-law) and the Hill family (son-in-law) built a wonderful colonial-style home on a full city block in 1887. The home stayed in the Hill family through the youngest daughter, Ruth Hill Skelley until sold three years ago. The home at 401 Main Street has been completely rebuilt and is now one the the benchmark properties of the area.

About 1700 Spanish missionaries exploring the area discovered an oxbow lake that had been formed by the Colorado River in pre-historic times that the Indians of the area called Nenocadda. When the county was surveyed the grant belonged to the Grassmeyer family who built a river ferry very near the small lake. When the Hill family moved to town they bought parcels of property in the Colorado Valley that were contiguous. The land went from the north rim of the valley (known as Rocky Hill) to the southern rim (known as Flower Hill), all on the eastern side of Smithville. The family generally called the area north of the river Grandfathers Farm.

Sometime around the arrival of the railroad the Hill family built a dam at the northern end of the oxbow lake adding about four feet to the depth, now called Shipps Lake. An artesian well helped keep the water level more or less constant except in periods of extreme drought. That well could probably be developed again. Another artesian well was used to create a public swimming pool very close to the Highway 71 bridge over the railroad track. The Hill family had concerns about local children swimming in the river because of the turbidity and ever-shifting currents. The pool was leased to the Smithville Lions Club for $1 per year. The Highway 71 expansion required removal of the pool.