The ranch changed hands in 1883 when Mr. Holly and his partners sold it to an English Company under the name of the Arkansas Land and Cattle Company. The ranch eventually grew to be one of the largest cattle ranches in the West, encompassing nearly 2,500,000 acres of land.
Back in the early days, ranch headquarters acted as community centers, not only for those employed at the ranch, but also for neighboring homesteads. The centers not only provided many services, but in many cases, sold supplies and food. The SS Ranch was one of these community centers, or service centers, that grew to be the small town of Holly.
Photographs on this page by Ray Leigh, ©1999
Pictured above is the SS Ranch house and on the left is the barn on the SS Ranch. These are shown as they stand today.
Some interesting facts:
There was a post office as early as 1893, but Holly was officially assigned a post office in 1900.
The first telephone switchboard was installed in 1902.
The first waterworks and electric light plant was installed in 1911.
The first established church organization was the Presbyterian Church of Holly, which dates back to September, 1900. The First Methodist Church of Holly, however, was holding services in 1898.
There was a railroad depot as early as 1896.
Picture of the remodeled Holly Train Depot that also houses the Holly City Hall.
SCHOOLS
Little Red School House on the SS Ranch
Horse Creek School-also called Headwater School
Holly School-1891
Holly Union Central School-1898
Holly Union High School-First graduate was May Emery in 1906.
Prairie View School-located north of Holly
Source: A Prowers County History, by Ava Betz, published by the Prowers County Historical Society, 1986.
