The meaning of the Running W remains a mystery.
The Running W brand was first registered in 1869. Some have said that it represents one of the Ranch’s many diamondback rattlesnakes or the Santa Gertrudis Creek, while others are sure it signifies the sweeping horns of a Texas Longhorn. The Running W could also be interpreted as a section of a continuing wave pattern – signifying the uniting of the past with the present and suggesting continuity into the future. Regardless of its meaning, the Running W brand is handsome and practical, designed to heal quickly, thwart rustlers, and grow with the animal that bears it — just as it has evolved with King Ranch through the generations. Today the Running W appears on both prize-winning cattle and top-quality leather goods as an indisputable icon of the American ranching industry.
