Billy Green still oversees the ranch from Albany, Texas, which won the 2002 American Quarter Horse Association Best Remuda Award. 33. 130,000 acres 175,000 acres as well as other partner offers and accept our. Zane and Tanya Kiehne own ranches that span seven counties in New Mexico and seven counties in Texas and consists mostly of mountainous terrain that is home to a variety of wildlife. Clayton was set to bring his cowboy image to the Texas governorship until a set of gaffs derailed the campaign in 1990. Roughly equal to: The size of Hong Kong. His purchase of the Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa brings tourists closer to two of his landmark properties and, ya know, space. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. Ford made a career in the timber business during the Great Depression. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. 500,000 acres Donald and Doris Fisher co-founded the clothing brand Gap Inc. Roughly equal to: The size of the island of Maui. Plans for his land in Wyoming include a massive wind farm that will rank among the largest in the world. 112,600 acres A study found that 31 million acres, or 1.4 per cent of the country's total land mass, is under the control of the private owners, who are noticeably wealthy, white and older. two main ranches, the 6666 Ranch near Guthrie and the Dixon Creek Ranch near Panhandle, total 275,000 acres. It's been billed "The Sale of the Century," the largest sale of deeded land in the American West for 60 years: billionaire John Malone 's purchase of the 453 square-mile Bell Ranch in New Mexico . 1,000 turbines are currently under construction on a combination of his private land and public land in Wyoming. His holdings include the 292,779 acre Great Western Ranch in New Mexico and Camp Horton, a ranch near Fort Stockton, Texas, where he hosts a children's summer camp. Pingree heirs:830,000 acres in Maine. A large extended family looking to drop in the rankings. New Mexicos State Trust Land Office oversees 9 million surface acres of land and 13 million mineral acres. She does this while also helping to fund public education and other important state institutions. 46. Bezos has also invested millions of dollars into the development of Spaceport America. Not that were keeping score, but the W.T. The top 100 landowners of America, who collectively own about the same amount of acreage as the state of Connecticut. Boswell Co. is the nations leading cotton grower. Collectively, the Robinson and Freed families own 300,000 acres in partnership. 39. The Singleton family owns a number of ranches, mostly in New Mexico. And the land, while private, is still use for commercial purposes, the 24/7 Wall Street investigation found. The oil, real estate, and ranching family bought 60,000-acre Dana Ranch in Montana earlier this year. As of 2014, Kelley's business interests include Calumet Farm, NC2 Media and the Center for Innovation and . The enormous cattle operation near Yellowstone National Park seems not to mind when elk or antelope walk by. Killam family: 277,000 acres, mostly ranches in Texas and Oregon and oil operations in Louisiana, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas. 16. Ford family: 580,000 acresin Oregon. The Lee Family owns an estimated 275,000 acres in New Mexico. A guy that came to work here once asked me what we wear in the winter, he told Western Horseman. 9 Ranch Caprock, N.M. It'll be exciting to watch this author grow and learn with her along the way. largest landowners in louisiana - legal-innovation.com Family members are farmers and descendants of, Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Thomas Lane Jr. makes the ranching business sound simple: Were just continuing a tradition and well expand if we can.. Both the Family's 06 Ranch and Leoncita Cattle Company Ranch are in West Texas. 110,000 acres The Barta family, which owes its wealth to its prescription services company, Sav-Rx, now owns one of the largest cattle ranching operations in the state. America's biggest landowners revealed | lovemoney.com Family members runlumber, newspapers, and petrochemicals businesses. Roughly equal to: Half the size of Yosemite National Park. They are holding all that land for future development or mineral exploration. Because if youre going to go softwood sawmill, you want to make it state-of-the-art. 37. 102,882 acres Roughly equal to: Twice the size of Badlands National Park. 615,000 acres Who owns the most land in America? 50 private land owners who control By Oil was discovered on their cattle ranches and today, the O'Connors now own an estimated half-million acres across Southern and Western Texas. A forest products firm with Forest Stewardship Council-certified forests in California, Oregon and West Virginia California, Oregon, West Virginia, and one of the largest private holdings in Pennsylvania. 150,000 acres 2,200,000 acres 26. Spanning over 3.5 million square miles, the United States is the third largest country in the world by landmass, trailing only China and Russia. Her goal is to ensure they receive fair market value. 119,500 acres The family behind logging company Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) with land holdings twice the size of Rhode Island. In 1916, Joe Lane established the 9 Ranch, headquarters for his far-flung operations in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. Their breeding efforts earned them a place in the Cutting Horse Hall of Fame. 14. 48. Since earning a $350 million dollar payday from Clorox, Quimby has been buying land she hopes will become Maine Woods National Park. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. But who owns the most land? Irving family:1.2 million acres in Maine. Lucien Bonaparte Maxwell (September 14, 1818 - July 25, 1875) was a mountain man, rancher, scout, and farmer who at one point owned more than 1,700,000 acres (6,900 km 2).Along with Thomas Catron and Ted Turner, Maxwell was one of the largest private landowners in United States history. 180,000 acres 29. 31 - New Mexico John Malone owns a total of 2.2 million acres of land, with a portion of it being in New Mexico. 34. 270,000 acres A 1910 advertisement for his bulls ran, Big-Bones, Broad-Backed, Bald-Faced Beauties-Buy Bar-Cross Bulls- Brites Best. Not bad. Land: Ranchlands and oilfields throughout Texas. Founded by Thomas Douglas Stimson, the Stimson Lumber Company, which today operates out of the Pacific Northwest, has remained in the family for six generations. The King Ranch heirs own a four-parcel ranch in southern Texas that spreads across 825,000 acres, making it the largest ranch in the state. The riches helped Ed Bass build the new $540 million Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, and funded the purchase of San Jose Island off the state's Gulf Coast area. Today, his family owns some 280,000 acres, primarily in Collier County, which is named after him. 100,000 acres Mike Smith:295,980 acres in Texas. 41. Background: Red Emmerson is president of Sierra Pacific Industries, a family-run lumber manufacturing business that ranks as California's largest private landowner. Much of Turner's land is used as grazing land for over 50,000 head of buffalo the largest private herd of bison in the world. Much of Turner's land is used as grazing land for over 50,000 head of buffalo - the largest private herd of bison in the world. Roughly equal to: Three times the size of Houston. . From ranchers who have owned land for generations to newcomer billionaires splashing the cash,. Background: The Lykes family-owned company began as a cattle ranching operation and has since expanded into bioenergy and farming. Peterffy,a refugee from Hungary, made his fortunes as an investor. Before he passed away last year, an employee gave Robert Earl Holding a plaque that echoed his credo: All I want is the land next to mine. That land includes ski resorts in Utah and a whole lot of real estate in Salt Lake City, all of which he built from a small stake in a Wyoming truck stop. Dont worry, the Hunts dont just own land to raise cattle, breed horses and grow hay, corn, citrus, grains and sugar. Ol A.S. bequeathed the private land to his daughters. Six of the nation's top ten largest individual landowners have put their land into conservation easements (in bold). Family members have had a long-time timber business. 30. Offering competitive leases is only the start. 140,000 acres Urban farming:Growing 600lbs of gourmet mushrooms a week, Latino immigrants:Wisconsin's dairy industry would collapse without them. Just as theres a language around buying a car, theres a dialect for selling bull semen. 22 to 27 | Nos. Land: Timberland throughout Oregon and California. I think the Longyear family and Longyear Heirs out of Marquette MI own at least 100,000 acres. 317,677 acres 220,000 acres These cookies do not store any personal information. All these logging guys love to tote the sustainability of their operations. Babacomari Ranch Elgin, Ariz. Andrew Tate, the violent, high-profile, virulently misogynistic pro-Trump social media influencer currently imprisoned and under investigation by Romanian authorities due to allegations of. Father George Hearst hit silver after coming to California as a 49er and expanded into minerals and ranching. Evans turned himself in this June. 200,000 acres And while more than a quarter of all land in the states is owned by the federal government, it turns out that only a fraction of the nation's population of more than 327 million control the most private land, the investigation found. The Lydas are Texas cattle ranchers and landowners. John Malone is the largest private landowner in the United States. In 1959, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Jack Simplot was a potato farmer who forged a deal with the former CEO of McDonald's to supply the restaurant chain with french fries. 145,000 acres Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Under the livestock feeding company Llano Partners Ltd., Hughes Abell owns and operates ranching operations in New Mexico, Texas, and Florida. 255,000 acres Land: Ranches and oilfields throughout Texas. Bezoss holdings make him one of the top landowners in the state. Roughly equal to: One-third the size of Delaware. You could spend weeks exploring the property. Crowbar Beggs for getting them to the list. 7. 27. The Kokernot family's 06 Ranch brand registered in Texas since 1837. And at No. It also oversees granting grazing leases and mineral rights on federally-owned lands. Roughly equal to: The size of Oklahoma City. Dan Hughes, patriarch of the Hughes family, was a wildcatter in Texas. Bird populations:Here's how we can save them. Jeff Bezos, John Malone are among the major landowners in America Whether its leasing land for renewable energy, agriculture, or commercial use, Commissioner Garcia Richard works with landowners. Oil and drilling profits helped him buy a sportsmans paradise in the Big Bend area of Far West Texas. For five generations, the Reed Family has owned and operated the logging company Green Diamond Resource Co. 155,000 acres 384,000 acres Errol Galt is the former Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Game commissioner. They welcome guests to hunt, fish, or go on photography safaris.. Much of the land is used to grow crops like wheat, corn, and sorghum. 125,000 acres Remember the great railroad and cattle barons of the 19th century? here is a look at how much land the government owns in every state, The Land Report magazines 2018 Land Report, Growing 600lbs of gourmet mushrooms a week, Wisconsin's dairy industry would collapse without them, Here is a look at the richest person in every state, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The Butler Heirs have partnered with government and nonprofits to help ensure their land is healthy, productive, and beautiful far into the future. Owned the 06 Ranch nearly a century after its founding. The combined landholdings belonged to former Texas governor, the late Dolph Briscoe Jr. 12. With such a large amount of land under its control, the federal government plays an important role in New Mexicos landscape. Stimson family:552,000 acres in Montana and Oregon. Brothers Farris and Dan Wilks started off with Frac Tech, a natural gas extraction company in 2002, and sold it for $3.5 billion in 2011. David Fasken, a Canadian, bought a ranch in West Texas in 1913 and the discovery of oil on the property led to the ceation of the Fasken Oil & Ranch, a major oil drilling. Billionaire, lumber entrepreneur, real estate developer, and song writer. Stefan Soloviev:325,077 acres in New Mexico, Kansas and Texas. Turner's land is utilized by greater than 50,000 head of buffalo for grazing - the biggest non-public herd of bison on the earth. Buck, who as owner of Tall Timber Trust, one of the largest owners of timberland in Maine, controls 925,00 acres. His Anschutz Entertainment Group is also the worlds largest owner and operator of sports and entertainment venues. The 90-year-old CEO of Dole Food Company plans to live to 125 on what the The New York Times calls a diet of messianic correctness that can, and will, ward off major disease in a 2011 magazine piece. 400,000 acres Background: Henry Singleton amassed his wealth in digital technology before purchasing the San Cristobal Ranch in 1986. Turner also owns the Armendaris Ranch, located in Sierra and Socorro counties. The 50th largest land ownersare the Hadley family, heirs to the Anheuser-Busch beer empire, who own 260,000 acres in New Mexico. Starting with ranches along northeast of Abilene, Texas, the Reynolds now own ranches in West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, and North Dakota. Rockin 7 Ranch is now one of the biggest in Wyoming. Boyd jumped 10 places to sit among America's 50 largest landowners after adding 18,253 acres to his portfolio. The BLM manages public lands and resources, including promoting recreational access. The 25 biggest landowners in America own 20 million acres -- nearly 1% of the country -- according to new data from The Land Report. The family has harvested hardwood timber from the land for five generations. The Emmersons have transferred 6% of that chunk to the public since Curly Emerson founded the company in 1949. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. For reference, onesquare mile is equal to 640 acres. John Malone is the largest private landowner in the United States. Not only do the private land holdings on this list often generate income for their owners, but also real estate itself is a valuable commodity. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. A logging family with a state-of-the-art $30 million softwood sawmill in Ashland, Maine. The ranch recently received a conservation easement from the U.S. Department of Defense and New Mexico Land Conservancy. What luck. 50. Horizontal drilling.). The activities help residents experience the natural world. The owners of the land are heirs to the late Dr. Howell Tyson Lykes, who left a career in medicine to raise cattle and crow citrus. The Lee family comes in at No. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Who Is The Biggest Landowner In New Mexico? - PartyShopMaine The Langdale Company, which started with a crop of turpentine timber, claims to have planted more trees than theyve cut since the 1930s. Many of the owners are ranchers, heirs to the properties or companies founded decades ago that purchased the land. They also are based on only rural land holdings. To determine the largest landowners in the United States, 24/7 Wall St . 42. An advertisement VanderSloott took out in Idaho Falls Post Register accused a reporter of bringing personal politics to a report on child molestation in a local Boy Scout troop when the reporter had not made his sexuality public. . John Malone: 2.2 million acres in Maine, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. Learn more about the scenic state of New Mexico with the articles below. As the founder of Cable News Network and now vice chairman of Time Warner, Ted Turner is famous, even legendary. The cowboy favorite is buttermilk piesugar, eggs and rich dairy products loaded into a couple of pie pans. The rest is history. Shannon Kizer: 302,000 acres inArizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Crystal is a curious writer who's always looking to learn more. That means the federal government controls 31.7% of the states land. John Irwin II bought the historic O RO Ranch in the late 70s for its fidelity to the past. His investment in Spaceport America is expected to bring jobs and economic growth to the area. The family-run business has earned high praise from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. John Cassidy began amassing his 200,000 acre logging empire in Maine before the Civil War. The former media tycoon made his wealth building the company Tele-Communications Inc., or TCI, which he sold to AT&T for $50 billion 20 years ago. The islands ranch closed in 1999, leaving animals to roam freely and almost all residents to leave for other parts of the state. The family used the sale of New Mexicos Ladder Ranch to Ted Turner to purchase La Escalera ranch in Texas. Starting with royal-looking Ramboulient sheep, the Broadbents have diversified their ranches to include cattle, horses, timber, hunting and wind turbines. The Fisher family owns 440,000 acres of land, primarily timberland in northwestern California. Richard Bransons spaceport is just a quick drive away. (The other? 170,000 acres These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Sandwiched between Flagstaff Arizona and the Grand Canyon, the Babbitt Ranches have a reputation for breeding trophy quarter horses. His book, A Forest for the Trees, documents the history of Maines Baskahegan Watershed from resettlement to 1982. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of Chicago. JOHN MALONE: 2.2 million acres in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Maine . Owns Amazon and The Washington Post, but few know Silicon Valleys leading mind spent summers on his grandfathers ranch. Now, Theyre Spurring Tourism. Wilks Brothers:702,367 acres in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. 24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Background: Phillip Anschutz's company has investments in energy exploration, telecommunications and agribusiness. His marriage to Ann Walkton Kroenke, an heir to the Wal-Mart fortune, likely adds to his good fortune. Brad Kelley's investment group purchased the 762-acre Calumet Farm, a thoroughbred horse breeding and training facility in Kentucky, in 2012. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The former Reebok CEO now owns James Stewarts old ranch in Nevada and has grazing rights to another three-quarter of a million acres. The terrain is diverse and spectacular to see. 5 with 1.4 million acres, including a 124,000 acre ranch in Montana, and additional land in Wyoming. Herbert Westervelt started a paper company in the late 1800s. 35. The familys CS Ranch in Northern New Mexico specializes in breeding prime quarter horses, like stallion Roosters Shorty, who is up for stud on the website. New Mexico, Texas, Florida, and Oregon. In Rural America, Right-to-Repair Laws are the Leading Edge of a Pushback Meet the Modern Graziers Who Broke Into Regenerative Agriculture, No Farmland Required, 7 Smokable Plants You Can Grow That Arent Marijuana, Sustainable Farmers See Promise in New Financing Options, New Solar Panels Allow Farmers to See the Light, The Buzzy Edible Insect Trend is Gaining Traction in the West. Why has the federal governments ownership of land been decreasing? Malone's 2.2 million acres are largely located in Maine, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming and include profitable cattle ranches. The Briscoes operation spreads over nine Texas counties and three Briscoe generations. 8. The type of resources that help them manage their land responsibly and sustainably. When she's not out in nature, she's writing about it. 160,000 acres Background: After Mark Reed married the daughter of Sol Simpson at the turn of the century, the Reed family continues to operate the privately owned Simpson Investment Company that is one of the oldest forest products companies in the Pacific Northwest. They list Daniel Harrison, III as the very private heir of his grandfathers oil and ranching empire. The familys Green Diamond Resource Company and Simpson Investment Company owns forests in California and Washington, all of which have an independent stamp of approval from the Forest Stewardship Council. 263,066 acres Doesn't just own CNN he is the largest landowner in New Mexico. The decrease is a result of homesteading and land grants. The family descends from the 1970s Texas governor and rancher Dolph Briscoe Jr. Briscoe was the largest Texas landowner when he . At their production sale, the Powell Family promises cows with, a heavily muscled quarter with a thick loin designed for maximum performance. 9, owns more than twice as much as Bezos. Background: Malone has served in executive positions in telecommunications firms and is currently the chairman of Liberty Media Corp. Land: 1.2 million acres of forests in Maine. The family's 1.1 million acres of land also includes land in California. King Ranch heirs: 911,215 acres inTexas. Land: 250,000-acre Baughman Farms in Kansas; 149,493-acre Overland Trail Cattle Company & Ranch in Wyoming and 35,000 acres in Colorado. Her two main ranches, the 6666 Ranch near Guthrie and the Dixon Creek Ranch near Panhandle, total 275,000 acres. 20. This put them at the top of the list for the largest landowners in New Mexico. 150,000 acres Their land includes the 190,000 acre Sunlight Ranch in Montana, just outside of Yellowstone National Park. Of the many fowls he has sired, the family says, we havent found anything we dont like about them.. Meet the 3 Largest Landowners in New Mexico - WildTH.com it's curious that the largest private landowner in America chose an office location, an hour from . The largest landowner in America owns 2,200,000 acres, located largely in Maine, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. 16:01 GMT 26 Nov 2019. Moursund III must have been one hell of a judge. 119,000 acres 36 to 40 Ted Turner is not the biggest. 111,977 acres 36. Dont over look the kitchen at the familys Pitchfork Ranch. He founded the Commonwealth Brands tobacco company in 1991 and sold the company in 2001 to Houchens Industries for US$1 billion. Now you know the top three landowners in New Mexico. 44. The 50th largest land owners are the Hadley family, heirs to the Anheuser-Busch beer empire, who own 260,000 acres in New Mexico. Roughly equal to: Twice the size of Dallas. The federal government is the top landowner in New Mexico, controlling over 24 million acres. The real estate mogul is also owner of the Los Angeles Rams and married toAnn Walkton Kroenke, an heiress to the Wal-Mart fortune. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 1 to 6 | Nos. and J.E. Malone made his fortune as a media tycoon, building the company Tele-Communications, Inc, or TCI, and acting as its CEO before selling it to AT&T for $50 billion in 1999. Who owns the largest ranch in Montana? John Riggs has a modern utopia in mind for his great-grandfathers old ranch. Boyd's Frying Pan Ranch was originally made up of 95 sections in the Texas Panhandle, which was one of the first areas to test out barbed-wire fencing over 130 years ago. 166,655 acres Some want that land for cattle, others for farming, others to test their reusable space craft (those hobby store model rockets just werent enough, were they Mr. Philip Anschutz owns 434,500 acres of land in Wyoming and Colorado. Background: Joseph M. Huber's success as a sales agent for his family's pigments and manufacturing business back in the late 1800s grew into a diversified corporation that spans many industries from paper and energy to plastics and construction. The 40 Largest Private Landowners in New Mexico - William P. Barrett The Faskens have several major properties in West Texas. 290,000 acres From Ted Turner to Jeff Bezos to the federal government, New Mexico has some of the biggest landowners in the nation. And then there are the individuals, including Shannon Kizer, who owns 302,000 acres in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. They were sustainable before sustainable was cool, man. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is not only one of the richest men in the world, with a net worth of $109 billion at the time of this writing, but he is also one of the biggest private landowners in the United States. He operates a ranch and children's summer camp. The Reese Family started with a 320 acre homestead and just kept adding to it including an extra 5,200 acres this year. Errol Galt is the former Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Game commissioner. Largest Landowners by State 2023 - worldpopulationreview.com (Just kidding. The late Truman Collins was a lumberman who became the largest private landholder in Pennsylvania before his death in 1914. This land is their land. 2,000,000+ acres Trees arent just good for wood anymore. Briscoe heirs:640,000 acres in Texas. Background: Ted Turner founded the Turner Broadcasting System that launched CNN and several other cable successful programs. Most of Ware's holdings are controlled by the Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation, which helps several causes, including animal welfare. (Say that ten times fast). Meet the largest landowner in America | Fortune Roughly equal to: Three times the size of Guam. Brad Maurice Kelley (born 1956) is an American businessman who is the 7th largest landowner in the U.S., with an estimated net worth of US$2.2 billion in 2018. Holland Ware:534,900 acres in Florida and Georgia. Koch Ranches Inc. specializes in high-quality grass-fed beef. The ranch spawned from land that was originally purchased by Captain Richard King in 1853 and subsequently passed down through generations. Soloviev uses the landto grow crops like wheat, corn, and sorghum. Hadley family: 260,000 acres including the huge Diamond A Ranch, which takes up a good part of New Mexico's southwestern tip. The Beggs can thank W.D. 125,000 acres Today, the familys private holdings in Texas and Florida make up one of the largest cattle operations in the country. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and are used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. 149,000 acres 150,000 acres New Mexico officials found 1000 emaciated cows on his ranch last May. steve@mfi-miami.com; Free Call: (888) 737-6344; . Thank you for reading! 32 - New York Columbia University owns approximately 209 properties, which collectively account to make it the largest landowner in New York. Lykes heirs:615,000 acres in Texas. Today, his family owns some 280,000 acres, primarily in Collier County, which is named after him. John Malone has 2.2 million acres, mostly in four. Roughly equal to: Three times the size of Los Angeles. Second-generation president, Allyn Ford (degrees from Stanford, Yale), keeps reforestation and recycling science at the core of his management of Rosenberg Forestry Products. But did you know that relatively few people hold the reins on vast expanses of the country's pastures? 161,093 acres With such a distinguished pedigree, no one can doubt that he will, comments San Antonio Man Magazine. Few can claim the title of cowboy philanthropist. Other than running significant cattle farms, Mechenbier and his wife help finance orphanages in New Mexico. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. New Mexicos top landowners are shaping the future of this unique state, making it an exciting place to live, work, and play. In 1864, great-great-grandmother Elizabeth Sinclair bought Niihau, the Forbidden Island of Hawaii, for $10,000 in gold from King Kamehameha V. Since, the family has honored the islands traditional culture, but not always to commercial success.