Sunset over Matagorda Bay.

Future generations will cherish Texas’s 17,351-acre Powderhorn Ranch, a rare swath of coastal wetland now preserved in perpetuity. But for droves of German settlers, this prairie by the sea was a life-or-death scenario. Led by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, they came ashore in 1844 and were greeted by Karankawa Indians and Mother Nature’s wrath.

Although this land was (and is) a verdant haven, deadly hurricanes and unending privation proved to be the rule of the day. The hardy settlers buried their dead, moved elsewhere, and were replaced by cattlemen. Through their stewardship, this great ranch remained much as it was during the days of the Karankawa. Click here and learn more about this epic holding, The Land Report 2014 Deal of the Year.