Toddie Lee Wynne

Last updated
Toddie Lee Wynne Sr.
Toddie Lee Wynne Sr.jpg
Born(1896-11-28)November 28, 1896
DiedSeptember 6, 1982(1982-09-06) (aged 85)
Burial placeSparkman Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery
Other namesFat Dad
OccupationReal estate developer & oil investor

Toddie Lee Wynne Sr. (1896-1982) was a Dallas-based real estate developer and oil investor who was best known for his funding the first private rocket to space, in being a co-developer of Six Flags Over Texas, and in helping to bring Tex-Mex food to the United States. Wynne grew up in Dallas, where he graduated from the Terrill School for Boys, which later became St. Mark's School of Texas. Much of Wynne's business involvements involved partnerships, generally with family members and with Clint Murchison Jr. [1]

Wynne's real estate involvements were far flung. These included the development (with his nephew Angus Wynne Jr. and/or his son, Toddie Jr.) of Wynnewood Village and the Plaza of the Americas complex, which are both in Dallas, as well as the nearby Six Flags Over Texas. He also built hotels in Malta, Bali and Hong Kong. [1]

Wynne was the long-time president of the American Liberty Oil Company, which he bought from his partner, Murchison. [2] Wynne and Murchison were also partners in a string of racehorses. [3]

Wynne’s son and his cousin, Bedford Wynne, were minority shareholders when the Dallas Cowboys were granted an NFL franchise in 1961 (Murchison was the majority shareholder). [4]

The Wynne family's involvement in Tex Mex food stems from their development of the Six Flags theme park in 1961. The "six flags" refer to the 6 countries that have held power in Texas: Spain, France, The Confederacy, Texas, United States, and Mexico. The Mexican section of the park included a Mexican restaurant, El Chico, whose owners—the Cuellars—had been feeding the Wynne family in Kaufman Texas since 1928. This theme park restaurant is credited with introducing tacos, enchiladas, and guacamole to a broad American audience. [5]

Conestoga I prepared for launch on Wynne's land. Conestoga I prepared for launch.jpg
Conestoga I prepared for launch on Wynne's land.

As one of Space Services Inc.'s (SSI) main financial backers, Wynne financed much of the costs associated with sending the first privately-held rocket to space, in 1982. SSI's Conestoga I rocket took off on September 9, 1982 from his third of Matagorda Island, which lies off the coast of Texas and which was co-owned with the U.S. government and the state of Texas. The rocket flew 65 miles straight up, which was its goal, but Wynne had a heart attack while waiting for the launch and died en route to a hospital in Dallas. [2] [6] [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tex-Mex</span> Cuisine in the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico

Tex-Mex cuisine is a regional American cuisine that originates from the culinary creations of Tejano people. It has spread from border states such as Texas and others in the Southwestern United States to the rest of the country. It is a subtype of Southwestern cuisine found in the American Southwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Jones</span> American businessman and Dallas Cowboys owner

Jerral Wayne Jones Sr. is an American businessman and the owner, president, and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He bought the team from Bum Bright in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tex Schramm</span> American football player

Texas Earnest Schramm Jr. was an American football executive who was the original president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys franchise of the National Football League (NFL). Schramm, usually referred to as "Tex", became the head of the Cowboys when the former expansion team started operations in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair Park</span> United States historic place

Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex in Dallas, Texas, United States, located immediately east of downtown. The 277-acre (112 ha) area is registered as a Dallas Landmark and National Historic Landmark; many of the buildings were constructed for the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Tex</span> Icon of the annual State Fair of Texas

Big Tex is a 55-foot (17 m) tall figure and marketing icon of the annual State Fair of Texas held at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, United States. The figure has become a cultural icon of Dallas and Texas. Since 1952, Big Tex has served as a cultural ambassador to visitors, and the figure's prime location in the fairgrounds serves as a traditional meeting point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Stadium</span> Former stadium in Texas, United States

Texas Stadium was an American football stadium located in Irving, Texas, a suburb west of Dallas. Opened on October 24, 1971, it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct a retractable roof.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Six Flags Over Texas</span> Amusement park in Texas

Six Flags Over Texas is a 212-acre amusement park, in Arlington, Texas, east of Fort Worth and west of Dallas. It is the first amusement park in the Six Flags chain, and features themed areas and attractions. The park opened on August 5, 1961, after a year of construction and an initial investment of US$10 million by real estate developer Angus G. Wynne Jr.

Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery is a multi-faith cemetery located at 7405 West Northwest Highway in North Dallas, Texas, United States. It is owned by Service Corporation International. Among the notable persons interred here are:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angus G. Wynne</span> American businessman (1914-1979)

Angus Gilchrist Wynne Jr. was an American businessman. He was the founder of Wynnewood Shopping Center and community development in Oak Cliff, a residential and commercial district south of downtown Dallas. He also developed the Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Over Georgia, and Six Flags St. Louis theme parks in Texas, Georgia, and Missouri. He was CEO of Great Southwest Corporation and Great Southwest Industrial District in Arlington, Texas. Angus Wynne Jr. later started Wynne Enterprises, conceptualizing one of the first water amusement parks in Galveston, Texas, but died before his dream could be developed. He also served as lieutenant commander in World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Chico (restaurant)</span>

El Chico is a restaurant chain in the Southern United States. The first restaurant opened in 1940 in Oak Lawn, in Dallas, Texas. There are 16 locations. The restaurant serves a variety of Tex-Mex dishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor</span> Commemorative decoration in Texas Stadium

The Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor (RoH) is a ring that formerly existed around Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas and currently around AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which honors former players, coaches and club officials who made outstanding contributions to the Dallas Cowboys football organization. In 1993, Jerry Jones said the Ring of Honor "stands for the men who built this franchise and had it called America's team"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint Murchison Jr.</span> American football executive (1923–1987)

Clinton Williams Murchison Jr. was an American businessman and founder of the Dallas Cowboys football team. A son of Clint Murchison Sr., who made his first fortune in oil exploration and became notorious for exploiting the sale of "hot oil", Clint and his surviving brother inherited their father's wealth and business interests to which Clint Jr. added ventures of his own. These included the establishment of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys franchise, real estate development, construction, home building, restaurants and financing the offshore pirate radio station called Radio Nord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Texas</span>

The culture of Texas is very diverse, influenced by tremendous waves of migration out of the American North and West, in contrast to its eastern neighbors in the Deep South. It includes the regionalisms and distinct cultural identities of German Texan, Tejanos, Cajuns, Irish, African American, and White Southern enclaves established before the republic era and admission to statehood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint Murchison Sr.</span> American businessman (1895–1969)

Clinton Williams "Clint" Murchison Sr. was a noted Texas-based oil magnate and political operative. Among his companies was the Southern Union Company. He was also the father of Dallas Cowboys owner Clint Murchison Jr.

The 1960 Dallas Cowboys season was the inaugural season for the franchise in the National Football League (NFL).

Harvey Roberts "Bum" Bright was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was the owner of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys from 1984 to 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texan cuisine</span> Food and drinks from Texas

Texan cuisine is the food associated with the Southern U.S. state of Texas, including its native Southwestern cuisine–influenced Tex-Mex foods. Texas is a large state, and its cuisine has been influenced by a wide range of cultures, including Tejano/Mexican, Native American, Creole/Cajun, African-American, German, Czech, Southern and other European American groups. The cuisine of neighboring states also influences Texan cuisine, such as New Mexican cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine. This can be seen in the widespread usage of New Mexico chiles, Cayenne peppers, and Tabasco sauce in Texan cooking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shannon Wynne</span>

Shannon Shelmire Wynne is an American restaurateur living in Dallas, Texas. Wynne currently co-owns and operates restaurants in six states and 14 cities, including The Flying Saucers in Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri; The Flying Fish in Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas; Rodeo Goat in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; and Mudhen Meat and Greens, The Meddlesome Moth and LARK on the Park in Dallas.

Byron McLean Rankin, Jr., nicknamed "Mack," was a prominent member in the Texas oil industry who became a part-owner of the Texas Rangers.

The Mansion Restaurant is a restaurant in Turtle Creek, Dallas, Texas, United States. Located at 2821 Turtle Creek Boulevard, the restaurant, which occupies the former 1925 home of cotton magnate Sheppard King and later owned by oilman Toddie Lee Wynne, is the signature restaurant of Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. Established in 1980 by oil heiress Caroline Rose Hunt, it has been described as "one of the last storied, formal restaurants in the United States." It was renovated in 2007.

References

  1. 1 2 "Oilman Toddie Lee Wynne, oilman and investor in a..." upi.com. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Islands of the Oil Kings: Reach for the Stars". dallasnews.com. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  3. ↑ Buren, Earnestine O. Van (1 June 1986). Clint: Clinton Williams Murchison : a Biography. Eakin Press. ISBN   9780890155493 . Retrieved 28 April 2017– via Google Books.
  4. ↑ "A Forgotten Founder of the Dallas Cowboys - Know Your Dallas Cowboys". knowyourdallascowboys.com. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  5. ↑ "The Family Who Sold Tex-Mex to America - D Magazine". dmagazine.com. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "The First Privately Funded Rocket In Space - Contemporary Texas History". contemporarytexashistory.com. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "Outer-Space Entrepreneurs". Time. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2024.

http://res.dallasnews.com/interactives/oilkings/part3/

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.