down by the river
The stars at night are big and bright at this stunning $18.5 million Texas ranch
A gorgeous riverfront property northwest of Uvalde just flowed onto the market. Listed for $18.5 million by Foster Farm & Ranch, a Texas-based team of land specialists and real estate agents led by veteran broker Chad Foster, the Nineteen Mile Ranch spans nearly 8,500 acres.
Located 19 miles outside Uvalde, the ranch features crystal clear waters, a spring-fed swimming hole, and free range exotic animals, including aoudad and axis deer. Add to these a plethora of mature trees, extreme changes in topography, and an entire mile of highway frontage for easy access, and the property is a recreational paradise.
Nineteen Mile is named after a long, seasonal creek running through the northern portion of the property. Lined with limestone ridges and bluffs, the creek contains large trees, brush cover, and unobstructed panoramic views. Along the rich and fertile Nueces River Basin and Nineteen Mile Creek, mature pecan trees, live oaks, and desert willows are common.
The river is the centerpiece of the property, with an entire mile of picturesque frontage on the Nueces forming the western-most boundary of the ranch. The Nueces River is known for its warm waters, limestone cliffs, and plentiful fishing, and there are several other river access points throughout the property.
A crystalline cool water spring also heads along Nineteen Mile Creek, where it meets the Nueces River. In certain areas, it's upwards of eight feet deep and 15 feet wide. This spring flows for approximately one-quarter mile through the western portion of the ranch: Mostly rock bottomed and shaded by large trees, it's an ideal location for relaxing, swimming and fishing.
Throughout the property, the land is also topographically diverse, with elevations ranging from 1,100 feet along the river bottom to 1,700 feet at the highest peaks. Peppered with remnants of cooking fires from ancient Native American campsites, another unique aspect of the Nineteen Mile Ranch lies in its history. The area’s flowing supply of fresh water, native vegetation, and wildlife made it an ideal camping location for traveling Indigenous populations, and stone arrowheads, spear points, blade fragments, and other handmade tools can be found throughout the ranch to this day.
“There’s also this fantastic grove of piñon pine trees at Nineteen Mile,” said Scott King, the current owner of the ranch. “And that’s not something you see very often in this part of Texas, so I was very intrigued. That was one of the many unique features that swayed my decision to purchase the ranch almost a decade ago. But now, our family is continuing to grow and we’re all moving in different directions. It’s time we let someone else enjoy all the Texas beauty Nineteen Mile has to offer.”
In order to conserve the scenic open space of this vast property, a carefully planned conservation easement was placed on the property in 2007, with the easement holder being the city of San Antonio.
The ranch was also recently improved with the addition of a limestone rock lodge, situated on a picturesque ridge just above the Nueces River overlooking a manicured meadow full of large trees and native grasses. Built on a high bank overlooking a large pecan grove in spring, the lodge has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and an open kitchen and living space with a rock fireplace.
“With the Nueces River frontage, flowing clear water live spring, limestone lodge, excellent location, subsurface water and the generous mineral conveyance, this ranch is a bargain, “said Chad Foster, founder of Foster Farm & Ranch Real Estate. “For those in the market for a top tier property in this part of Texas area, this ranch deserves your immediate attention.”