It was settled in 1867 by former New Yorker, Judge Edward M. Ross, who had fought in Mexican war, then served in 1850's at Camp Verde, army's camel post near Bandera. Daughter Kate Ross, wife of Ebenezer Buck, of a prominent pioneer family, inherited the ranch in 1901. Offering fine foods and hospitality, the Bucks established this as Bandera's first guest ranch in 1920, continuing it until their deaths in 1941. It became a recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1966.
Here is an excerpt from Texas Monthly: Dude ranches didn’t straggle into Texas until around 1920, when Bandera’s now-defunct Buck Ranch began welcoming paying guests for $10 a week. Ebenezer Buck and his wife, Katie, whipped up picnics and ran the place. Uncle Frank Buck led trail rides and, at night, would teach guests the cotton-eyed Joe and the schottische. “You can run more dudes to the acre in these hills than you can cattle,” one of the Bucks’ neighbors reportedly quipped. By 1947 at least 25 dude ranches dotted the state, many of them clustered around Banderaa situation that hasn’t changed to this day.