[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 29, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S5045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING STEWART'S 96 RANCH

 Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 150th 
anniversary of the founding of Stewart's 96 Ranch in Paradise Valley, 
NV, which serves as an example of the rich and prosperous history that 
makes the Silver State so unique.
  This year commemorates a very special year--not only for Stewart's 96 
Ranch, but also in Nevada's history--during which we celebrate 150 
years of statehood. From those days of bitter conflict, Nevada forged a 
State dedicated to preserving liberty and bettering America. Our 
dramatic entrance is why our State calls itself Battle Born and why 
Nevadans, over the past 150 years, have been entrepreneurial, fiercely 
independent, and as diverse as our terrain. It is an honor to recognize 
Stewart's 96 Ranch in conjunction with our great State's 
sesquicentennial here today.
  Founded in 1864 by William Stock, a German immigrant, Stewart's 96 
Ranch is one of Nevada's most iconic ranching operations. Over the past 
15 decades, the ranch has faced many obstacles, from aiding our country 
in World War II efforts to constantly maintaining and modernizing the 
operation to keep up with the current demands. Due to the ranch's long 
and fascinating history, it was chosen as the subject of a 1980 Library 
of Congress project called ``Buckaroos in Paradise.'' It is considered 
to be one of the most iconic cattle ranches in the West and one of the 
last true ``old time outfits'' still in original family ownership. Over 
the years, the ranch has grown and changed, but the original love of 
Paradise Valley and commitment to agriculture has never wavered.
  What started as a simple homestead has grown into a thriving ranch 
with a new cattle herd that has grown to nearly 800 mother cows and is 
continuing to flourish. Today, the ranch is still owned and operated by 
the fourth and fifth generations of William Stock's direct descendants. 
Fred Stewart, with the help of his wife Kris and daughter Patrice, 
currently manages the ranch. Fifth generation Patrice Stewart is now a 
young woman who owns and manages her own small herd of top commercial 
beef cattle on the ranch, actively helps her parents on the ranch and 
is involved in all ranch decisions. She also competes in youth and high 
school rodeo and takes a leadership role in her local Future Farmers of 
America. Patrice is the future of the ranch and one day aims to manage 
the same Paradise Valley ranch that her great-great-grandfather William 
Stock founded in 1864.
  Stewart's 96 Ranch truly exemplifies what it means to be a Nevadan, 
and I am proud to recognize it and the generations of Stewarts that 
have worked to ensure the survival of one of Nevada's oldest and 
largest family-owned ranches. Today, I ask my colleagues and residents 
of the Silver State to join me in recognizing Stewart's 96 Ranch for 
this great achievement and honor.

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