Rodeo Fashion At Flying L Ranch
A Fashion shoot photographed by Cornell Capa in 1947 (via LIFE) At the Flying L Ranch which can still be visited, in Texas.History; The Flying L became a 542-acre “dude ranch” in 1946, when Jack Lapham (the “L” in Flying L) purchased it from the original Polish settlers. At that time, Lapham was a retired Air Corps colonel. His dream was to create a place “where modern people can go and find themselves in the midst of yesterday.” Flying was his love, so the colonel built an airstrip and ran a flight school here. New aircraft was also tested here and new aircraft designs were introduced at the Flying L. The original Villas, and the Pilot’s Lounge, were designed by associates of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and are rich in Flying L history. The Flying L became a favorite “watering hole” for war heroes, movie stars, and literary giants. The Ranch’s guests have included John Wayne, Slim Pickens, Willie Nelson, Tex Ritter, Jim Reeves, Ray Price, Buck Owens, Chill Wills, Robert Fuller and many more. The television show The Cisco Kid filmed at least one episode on the Ranch. The ranch was transferred from the Lapham family to new owners in the 1960’s after Colonel Lapham’s tragic air crash. It continued to grow over the years under different owners to become a much larger enterprise. Current owners, who were employees of the Ranch, took ownership in 2013. Many changes and improvements are currently being made to bring guests more conveniences and comfort, but also to protect and enhance the original and historic designs of older facilities. An emphasis on “bringing history back to life” on the Ranch is now embraced, and over time some of the original facilities, such as the Pilot’s Lounge, will be renovated and brought back to life. Today, the Ranch is a unique western style Hill Country Resort and Conference Center. It is more diverse than any other guest ranch or resort facility in the area. The Flying L hosts family vacations, family reunions, corporate groups, golf groups and tournaments, youth groups, church groups, day groups. (text via the flying L)