James Van Der Beek helped his family lay down some serious roots in Texas before his death ... he bought the ranch they'd been renting for years and sealed the deal just one month before he died amid a cancer battle.

The late "Dawson's Creek" star bought the sprawling Spicewood ranch back on January 9 for $4.76 million ... according to a new report from Realtor.com.

James moved to the ranch in 2020 with his wife and six children ... they were renting it, fell in love with the place, and one of his last acts was buying it.

TMZ broke the story ... James died died Wednesday morning after a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer. He was diagnosed in mid-2023 and in November 2024 he publicly shared his fight.

The ranch is a massive 36 acres with a 5,149-square-foot main house that features 5 bedrooms and three bathrooms. There's also cabins and a pool on the ranch, plus sweeping views of the Pedernales River.

James' widow started a GoFundMe after his death, saying the family exhausted all their funds in his cancer battle ... and generous folks have already donated $2.37 million and counting.