A Resurrection of Springs: Krause Ranch and the Frio River Hill Country

The Krause Ranch is not the usual Hill Country landscape one might expect—it has bottomless holes, dinosaur tracks, high limestone river cliffs where golden eagles nest, and occasional visits by pumas and black bears. Historian Thad Sitton paints a detailed portrait of the 1,670-acre property, its human history, its natural history, and Gary Krause—the man who spent several decades clearing cedar to bring grass and good water back to the land. Krause “resurrected” the land’s natural springs using native grasses with deep roots that act as conduits, pulling water down into the ground. A Resurrection of Springs describes the land before settlement, the Auld family, who first homesteaded the land, and Krause’s commitment to returning the land to its original state. It’s no wonder that the Texas Nature Conservancy is working with Krause so assiduously to preserve it. Coauthor Cynthia H. Nesser, a professional conservationist, provides a valuable set of resources for readers who may be inspired to practice conservation in their own backyards.

Over 200 photographs by Adrian F. Van Dellen capture the Krause ranchland in sweeping vistas across all seasons, examining everything from the rivers and water features—such as Englishmen’s Well, rumored to be over 200 feet deep—to the minutiae of individual plants and animals. Special sections on Texas grasses, Texas cedar, water management in the riparian habitat, and wildlife provide factual grounding illustrated by specific examples from Krause’s ranchlands.

THAD SITTON is a Texas historian and is author or coauthor of numerous books, including Caddo: Visions of a Southern Cypress Lake. He lives in Austin, Texas. CYNTHIA H. NESSER is an entrepreneur and a conservation, sustainability, and environmental enthusiast. She splits her time between Houston, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana. ADRIAN F. VAN DELLEN is a wildlife and landscape photographer, black bear recovery activist, and nature enthusiast. He lives in Woodville, Texas.