George Chrane purchased 160 acres in Callahan County in the early 1900s and constructed the house that is now known as "The Home Place" in 1905. This is how the Chrane Ranch came to be. Soon after, he relocated his family twenty miles south to Dudley, Texas, where the ranch is located, from Abilene, Texas.  Since that time, the ranch has continuously been owned by the Chrane family. Up until the Great Depression, George quickly increased the ranch's land and his cattle business. As was the case for many ranchers at the time, some of his acreage was lost as a result of the difficulties of the Great Depression and the severe drought.

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From an orphan to a self-made man, George chose to count his losses and focus his attention on the future with an optimistic and determined outlook.

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He would do whatever it took to keep a roof over his family's heads and food on the table. He would buy cattle from surrounding neighbors during the next ten years, bring them to Fort Worth for sale, and use the money earned to repurchase his property. He claimed humbly that he had twice bought ranch property.

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George and his first wife, Lucy Coffman had 5 children: Odell, Leo, Oleita, Troy, and Wanda. Lucy died when her youngest daughter Wanda was about 3 years old.  George later wed Mary Lee Howe, affectionately referred to as "Momma Chrane," and they had a son named Frank.

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The children were given equal shares of the land after George passed away, with some of the children buying parcels from siblings who were residing elsewhere. 

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The Chrane Ranch's tradition is being continued by Frank Chrane and his wife Pat, together with their eldest son Terry and his wife Daphna. Their primary livestock consists of a herd of mostly Black Angus cattle and Dorper sheep. The family's beloved Ranch has faced many difficulties over the years, such as drought and brush control, but they proudly continue to run it so that future generations can benefit from and preserve its rich history!