Baird Ranch in Johnson City was recently relisted for sale. Here’s everything you need to know about the historic property.
If you’re from Texas, you’re more than familiar with Mrs. Baird’s bread. The Fort-Worth founded company has been baking up staple items for pantries across the Lone Star State since the early 1900s. Part of the bakery’s lengthy history involves Baird Ranch, the 760-acre property located in Johnson City that formerly housed Mrs. Baird’s family. Originally, the ranch was put up for sale in 2024 for $12 million. It was recently relisted at $10.955 million, and West and Swope Ranches, the listing agent, is hopeful that another family will see as much value in the land as the Bairds did.
One of the primary draws for the ranch is that it can be used for both operational and residential purposes. It spans 3,900 feet along Miller Creek and includes barns, outbuildings, guest quarters, storage buildings, a foreman’s cabin, and a ranch house from the 1950s. Additionally, Baird Ranch is fully cross-fenced and perimeter fenced with cattle guards and stock tanks in place for those hoping to run wildlife and livestock operations on the property. It’s also equipped with three water wells and utilities.
The official listing notes that the acreage is equally appealing to those who want to garden, hike, fish, swim, hunt, or go trail riding. Quail, white-tailed deer, doves, and turkey are known to roam there. A conservation easement protects Baird Ranch, meaning it’ll be an investment that stays within your family for decades to come. West and Swope notes that, “the ranch has long served as a private retreat, a working operation, and a place where generations have gathered to experience the Texas Hill Country as it was meant to be — quiet, natural, and alluring.”
Louie Swope, who owns West and Swopes, reiterated the importance of this experience in a press release. “Baird Ranch is one of those rare properties that still feels untouched by time. The live water, incredible elevation, and a location this close to Austin is almost impossible to find at this price point. It’s a true legacy ranch in every sense of the word,” Swope wrote.
The property has been in the Baird family since 1951
Baird Ranch most certainly is part of a true local legacy. The Baird family originally bought the property in 1951 and used it primarily for raising cattle and enjoying recreational activity. It’s close to Dripping Springs in Hill Country, as well as Austin and San Antonio, making it the perfect place to enjoy some peace and quiet without forfeiting modern conveniences to do so. For anyone who’s a diehard fan of Mrs. Baird’s bread and the family who founded it, being able to own such a large part of their dynasty is appealing.
Ninia “Ninnie” Baird didn’t realize how significant her legacy would become when she began baking bread and assorted sweet goods in 1908. At the time, she needed to find a way to earn money while her husband, William Baird, grappled with serious health ailments. When he passed away, the couple’s children helped Ninnie expand her operation into more pockets of the Fort Worth area until Mrs. Baird’s bread became one of the largest baking companies in the state in 1928. By 1953—two years after the ranch in Johnson City had been purchased—the company opened its first factory in Dallas. It has been serving up soft bread, hand pies, donuts, and honey buns to people throughout Texas, and across the country, ever since.
