A slice of Texas … part 2 - Southfork Ranch

On Day 2 of our Texas trip … (see A slice of Texas … part 1)

Off to Parker, Texas, the location of the Southfork Ranch and home to the television series Dallas that ran from 1978 - 1991.

For more than a decade, Friday nights at our house - 9:00 p.m. - were spent watching the television series Dallas, often in suspense over what J.R. Ewing’s latest cut-throat business deal would be. Dallas was considered the “World’s Favorite PrimeTime Soap” (from the subtitle of the Book Dallas by Barbara A Curran) and told the story of the oil business dealings and scandals of the wealthy Ewing family from Dallas, Texas. For years it entertained people in many countries. In particular, it was a weekly highlight for our family.

So, sit back, relax and take a tour of Southfork Ranch with me - the home of the Ewings - Jock, J.R., Bobby, Miss Ellie, Pamela, Sue Ellen, Lucy, Ray and more.

Remember the opening driveway scene?

Southfork Ranch is now a museum and convention center that provides various special events venues and can accommodate up to 2000 people.

Come with me on a quick tour of the museum …

The picture below shows the Ewing family from earlier in the series …

A memorial tribute to the show’s main character Larry Hagman, aka J.R. Ewing, who passed away in 2012 …

And, of course, the infamous gun from the episode *Who Shot J.R. ?“

Southfork Ranch also offers tours of the ranch (which is no longer a working ranch), including the famous Ewing mansion.

The outside of the Ewing mansion was used in filming the television series. The then-property owners did not allow filming in the interior of the home. All of the interior shots were done from a studio in Dallas.

The inside of the home has been remodeled to replicate the look of the home in the series. In the living room, the family patriarch’s portrait (Jock Ewing) hangs over the stone fireplace. This is not the original portrait from the show. At some point in the past, Larry Hagman came to Southfork, went into the house, and took the portrait of Jock. Given Hagman’s status, no one questioned or stopped him. The original was likely sold as part of Hagman’s estate.

This is one of the home’s waterford crystal chandeliers; it hangs in the entrance to the home.

This is the infamous ‘scene of the crime’ - the shooting of J.R. Ewing. There were numerous suspects … all with plenty of motive.

Remember the olympic-sized pool in the show? It’s actually a regular size pool. Creative filming was used to make it look larger. The same technique was used to make the driveway leading to the house and garage look much longer than it actually is.

Southfork Ranch is now about 340 acres.The current owners bought the ranch with 40 acres - after a liquidation - and added the additional acreage.

Southfork also has a second gift shop, in the end of the convention center building, where J.R.‘s car is exhibited. The Texas longhorns originally mounted on the hood have been removed.

And … the cowgirls checking out the gift shop …

And so ends the Ewing story. Or does it? The show made a short comeback (2012 -14) was was cancelled by TNT in the third season. Perhaps another broadcasting company will pick it up again. However, Dallas (the TV series, and perhaps the City of Dallas) will never be the same without Larry Hagman.

In the not so distance future, most will not remember this trend-setting television series. For that matter, given recent technology, many may not remember the days of sitting in front of the television … In the meantime, however, Southfork Ranch is an interesting slice of Texas history.

Coming next - A slice of Texas … part 3 - The Fort Worth Arboretum