L. Roy Houck

L. Roy Houck (January 28, 1905 – November 2, 1992) was an American rancher and politician from the U.S. state of South Dakota. A Republican, he served in the South Dakota State Senate from 1948 through 1954 and as lieutenant governor of South Dakota from 1955 through 1959.

L. Roy Houck
Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
In office 1955–1959
Governor	Joe Foss
Preceded by	Rex Terry
Succeeded by	John F. Lindley
Personal details
Born	January 28, 1905 Near Gettysburg, South Dakota, US
Died	November 2, 1992 (aged 87) Rapid City, South Dakota, US
Political party	Republican

Early life

Houck was born on January 28, 1905, on a ranch near Gettysburg, South Dakota. He graduated from Gettysburg High School[1] and began selling life insurance. In 1925, Houck, his father, and his older brother started the Triple U Hereford Ranch, where they raised Hereford cattle. He was president of the South Dakota State Livestock Council from 1943 through 1945 and president of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association from 1947 through 1949.[2]

Political career

In 1948, Houck decided to run for the South Dakota State Senate as a Republican.[3] Houck served in the state senate from 1949 through 1954.[4]

In 1954, Houck ran for lieutenant governor of South Dakota.[5] He was elected lieutenant governor and was reelected in 1956, defeating John F. Lindley. He ran for governor of South Dakota in 1958.[6] He lost the nomination to Phil Saunders, the Attorney General of South Dakota.[7] In the 1964 Republican Party presidential primaries, Houck organized support among South Dakota delegates for Barry Goldwater.[8]

Later life

In 1959, Houck sold the ranch near Gettysburg due to impact from the construction of the Oahe Dam[9] and bought a ranch in Stanley County, South Dakota.[10] A March 1966 blizzard killed Houck's cattle but spared his buffalo. He refocused his efforts on raising buffalo and renamed his ranch the Triple U Buffalo Ranch.[11][12] The ranch grew to 60,000 acres (24,000 ha)[13] and about 3,500 buffalo. The 1990 film Dances with Wolves used the ranch as a shooting location.[14]

In 1992, Dale Lewis wrote a biography about Houck titled Roy Houck Buffalo Man.[13]

Houck married Nellie (née Boehmer) on June 20, 1928. She died in 1988.[1] They had four children.[4] Houck died on November 2, 1992, in Rapid City, South Dakota.[11]

References

1. "Former Lieutenant Governor Roy Houck dies in Rapid City". Argus Leader. November 5, 1992. p. 4B – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Lindley and Houck Compete For Lieutenant Governorship". Argus Leader. Associated Press. November 1, 1956. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Roy Houck Will Run For S.D. Senate Post". Argus Leader. March 6, 1948. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Niciejewski, Ed (January 22, 1957). "This Man Houck: What About Our Lieutenant Governor?". Rapid City Journal. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Yeager, Anson (July 27, 1954). "Houck 'Joins Team' to Aid GOP Stand on River Program". Argus Leader. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Houck Is Third Republican In Contest for Governor". Argus Leader. Associated Press. January 29, 1958. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Milner, Harold S. (June 4, 1958). "Saunders Wins; Democrat West River Race Noted". Argus Leader. Associated Press. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Houck Likes Goldwater". Argus Leader. July 5, 1963. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.; "Unpledged Delegation Is Favored". Rapid City Journal. Associated Press. January 7, 1964. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Roy Houck Sells Hereford Ranch Near Gettysburg". The Daily Republic. Associated Press. August 26, 1959. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Lee, Stephen (September 28, 2015). "Ted Turner buys famed Triple U Ranch". Capital Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
11. "Famed Stanley County buffalo rancher dies". Rapid City Journal. Associated Press. November 4, 1992. p. C3 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Buffalo herd beefs up family luck". The Minneapolis Star. July 20, 1977. p. 7C – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Buffalo rancher featured in book". Rapid City Journal. November 1, 1992. p. D3 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Tourists becoming common stock on 'Dances' ranch". Argus Leader. September 2, 1991. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.; Spomer, Ron (September 5, 1991). "It May Have Been Kevin Costner's Movie, But Those 'Extras' Who Rampaged Across The Plains In 'Dances' Belonged To Roy Houck. Dances With Buffalo". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Retrieved September 22, 2020.

Further reading

• Lewis, Dale (1992). Roy Houck Buffalo Man. Buffalo Press. ASIN B0041F02U8.