http://realestate.msn.com/largest-us-landowners#1
Largest US landowners
By Judy Martel of Bankrate.com
In the movie "Gone With the Wind," Scarlett O'Hara's father tells her: "Land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for, worth dying for, because it's the only thing that lasts."
The top 100 landowners featured in Land Report 100, published by Land Report and Fay Ranches, seem to agree. Together, they added 700,000 acres to their holdings in 2012. They now own about 2 percent of the nation's landmass, totaling more than 30 million acres.
Largest US landowners
John Malone - 2.2 million acres
As the nation's largest landowner, Malone, chairman of Liberty Media, owns significant property in New Mexico and this year added more acreage to his holdings in Wellington, Fla., including a $7.8 million home next to his 123-acre horse farm.
Ted Turner - 2 million-plus acres
Another media tycoon, Turner, like Malone, favors New Mexico and is that state's largest landowner. Already the owner of three major ranches, this year he purchased and renovated the Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa, originally built in 1929. It is located in Truth or Consequences, N.M., named in honor of a radio quiz show.
The Emmerson family - 1.86 million acres
This is one of many multigenerational families on the list of the 100 largest landowners. Patriarch Curly Emmerson founded Sierra Pacific Industries, a lumber producer, in 1949. Last year, the family added 20,000 acres to its land holdings, which are mostly in Northern California and Washington.
Brad Kelley - 1.5 million acres
Kelley's holdings include ranches in Florida, Texas and Nevada. With a net worth of $2 billion, the former tobacco tycoon comes in at No. 273 on the Forbes list of richest Americans.
The Irving family - 1.25 million acres
Among the nation's largest landowners, the Irving family acquired more than a million acres of Maine timberland to enhance the family business, which was founded in 1882 and involves shipbuilding, construction, transportation and forestry products.
The Singleton family - 1.1 million acres
Patriarch and Teledyne co-founder Henry Singleton purchased the 81,000-acre San Cristobal Ranch in New Mexico in 1986. Since then, the family has bought additional ranches in New Mexico and California to add to its considerable acreage.
The heirs of King Ranch - 911,215 acres
King Ranch, the company formed by the King family, recently celebrated 160 years of continuous operations. With land holdings primarily in Texas, the family business includes ranching and a wide variety of farming activities.