A sprawling ranch recently listed for $3.2 million on Natural Bridge Caverns Road isn’t just surrounded by wilderness, it tells the story of a wild one.
The property’s late owner — motorcycle racer John Presley Bishop — lived life fast and on his own terms, but he was far from a rebel without a cause. Quite to the contrary, he seemed to be born with an uncommon sense of purpose.
“He wasn’t necessarily a daredevil, but he liked speed and mechanics, and he was good with numbers,” said Bishop’s grandson, Presley Jackson, who’s both named after him and is the listing agent on the ranch. Bishop was born and raised in San Antonio during the Great Depression, but that didn’t stop him from building an empire using his mechanically inclined mind. Enterprising from an early age, he began renting out his bicycle to friends when he was just 8 years old, according to Jackson.
With the money Bishop earned from renting his bike, he built an engine onto it, converting it into a small motorcycle. Bishop then sold his invention to buy a Model T. He was only 15 years old at the time.
Bishop also began racing motorcycles in San Antonio’s underground street races.
“He was known as the fastest bike in town,” said Jackson. “He used to ride his motorcycle a lot and get a lot of attention for it.”
Bishop quickly made a name for himself on SA’s streets. Indeed before Bishop’s death in 2023, another gentleman in his 90s recognized him from the famed motorcycle racing days of his youth, according to Jackson.
As a young man, Bishop took his love for mechanics and turned it into a business. His machine shop, Texas Toolmakers, Inc., made small parts for entities around the world, including Ray-Ban and NASA. The shop is still operational and based in San Antonio.
With his fortunes, Bishop began buying properties in Austin and Port Aransas, as well as this sprawling 55-acre ranch on the outskirts of San Antonio. Listed at $3.2 million, the spread is perched on a lush hilltop — in fact, it’s called Hilltop Ranch.
“It’s beautiful topography when you first come in the driveway,” Jackson said. “There’s a pretty good steep slope, and once you go up the hill, the house borders up on a bluff.”
Longhorns and goats graze on the ranch’s rolling hills of greenery. Atop the hill, a single-story, ranch-style home sits with large interior spaces, a metal roof and an attached four-car garage.
Jackson says Bishop largely built the house and outbuildings himself, although he sought some help from contractors. The property also features a workshop, a pool and a livestock enclosure with a shed and fencing ready for horse or cattle.
Bishop never stopped riding motorcycles, and his thrill-seeking extended into a passion for deep-sea fishing around the world.
With its dynamic landscape, it’s easy to see why Bishop chose this property in 1983. It seems like the perfect starting point for a cruise.
This home is listed by Presley Jackson with United Real Estate Austin.
All photos and listing info via Realtor.com.
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