Another historic Texas ranch has hit the market — this one west of Fort Worth.

The Swenson Ranch's Flat Top Division includes more than 40,000 acres outside the town of Stamford near Abilene.

The Texas-size spread has a price tag of $49.2 million. The huge property was first settled in 1853 by the family of Swedish immigrant Svante Magnus Swenson.

"This is the first time in its 165-year history to be offered for purchase," said Cody Hutchison of real estate broker Chas. S. Middleton and Son. "It is very seldom that a ranch of this magnitude and history becomes available."

The working cattle ranch encompasses a large mesa — Flat Top Mountain — and has 7 miles of frontage on the Double Mountain Fork of the Brazos River.

1 / 3The Swenson Flat Top Ranch includes 7 miles of frontage along the Brazos River.(Chas. S. Middleton and Son) 2 / 3The Swenson Flat Top Ranch includes land along the Brazos River.(Chas. S. Middleton and Son) 3 / 3The Swenson Flat Top Ranch includes land along the Brazos River.(Chas. S. Middleton and Son)

About 6,300 acres are being farmed and up to 1,000 cattle are run on the spread.

The property includes a main headquarters building, barns, livestock pens and other structures.

Founder Swenson is said to be the first Swedish immigrant to come to Texas. He was a friend and ally of Texas president Sam Houston and was a Travis County commissioner in the 1850s.

He ran businesses in Austin and at one time owned 680,000 acres of ranching and farmland across Texas. Flat Top Ranch is still owned by his direct descendants.

"This ranch has been in our family now extending into the seventh generation of Swensons," Steve Swenson, chairman of Swenson Land & Cattle Co., said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we have come to a point where we have so many family owners, it is difficult to maintain a continuity of focus.

"We have, therefore, come to a difficult decision to sell the ranch, as the owners are all now in their 50s, 60s and 70s," he said. "We love the ranch and have tried to be good stewards of the land, livestock and wildlife."