John Grant had this house built in 1862 and used it as a trading post and headquarters for his ranching operations. Grant sold the house to Conrad Kohrs in 1866. Conrad later became the "cattle king" of Montana grazing 50,000 cattle on ten million acres of open range. For more information visit Understanding the past.
Shown below are just a few of the rooms in the house.
Formal Parlor
This was not always the formal parlor. It lived through the Grant trading post days, the Kohr/Bielenberg bachelorhood, Augusta's (Conrad's wife) frontier indoctrination, affluence and finally, disuse. Here the Kohrs children (Catherine, Anna, and William) would be on their best behavior when entertaining guest.
Sitting Room
Less formal than the parlor, the sitting room was were the family and close friends would spend time together.
Dining Room
As Conrad's success in ranching increased, so did the size of his home. In 1890 the Kohrs added a brick addition to the home. The addition included this dinning room, a larger kitchen, a new bathroom with running water, a basement, and several additional upstairs bedrooms.
Bathroom
Not many homes in the 1890's could boast having an indoor bathroom. This addition reflects the financial and cultural progress for the Kohrs and the West.
Master Bedroom
Originally the north part of Grant's "Big Room," used for trading, later became one of twelve bedrooms in the house.
Office
Conrad's office and record keeping was meticulous. He kept detailed records from his days as a butcher in Bannack to his later success in cattle ranching, mining, water rights, and land acquisition
Kitchen
Part of the 1890 addition, the kitchen was where the household help ate, but not the family or bunkhouse residents. By 1890 or so, there was a full-time cook and housekeeper, with additional help from time as needed for special occasions.