GRANT-KOHRS RANCH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

MONTANA

The West is full of cowboys. At least, that's an idea commonly held by people from east of the Mississippi to the Middle East. At Grant-Kohrs Ranch in Deer Lodge, Montana, visitors from around the world get a glimpse of the true story of trail drives, roundups and cowboys. The reality is as impressive as the myth. Once the headquarters of a ranch which ranged cattle over ten million acres in four states and Canada, Grant-Kohrs Ranch NHS preserves 87 original historic structures and over 35,000 artifacts on fifteen hundred acres.

Canadian Johnny Grant settled in the valley in the late 1850s, where he found ample grazing for the fine cattle he traded with immigrants along the Oregon Trail near present-day Pocatello, Idaho. Grant could trade one healthy cow for two cows too weakened by the long westward trek to continue on the harsh journey. Trailing them north to Montana's grassy valleys by easy stages, he would rest and fatten the animals over the winter, then trail them south again to trade with the next season's immigrants.

During Montana's gold rush, in the 1860s, Grant sold his ranch to German immigrant Conrad Kohrs. Kohrs had walked from Idaho to Montana to seek gold, but soon learned there was profit to be made selling beef to his fellow miners. His butcher business led to ranching, as he needed a place to keep his stock in trade. Kohrs and his half-brother and partner Johney Bielenberg made the ranch the largest in the state. It was preserved intact by Kohrs' grandson, Conrad Kohrs Warren, who also raised cattle and horses.

Authorized by Congress on August 25, l972, the ranch commemorates the open range cattle era of our nation's history. Visitors can tour the elegant historic mansion and attend programs at the blacksmith shop and chuckwagon. The ranch raises cattle and hay, and does some work with draft horses.

DID YOU KNOW

• All the cattle trailed out of Texas during the heyday of the open range would make a solid column seven cows wide stretching 1,329 miles from Fort Worth, Texas to Billings, Montana.
• The average cowboy of the 1800s was typically a teenager or in his early 20s.
• There are about 37,000 registered cattle and horse brands in Montana today, and 98 percent of Montana cattle are still branded in the traditional way.
• Cowboys working for Conrad Kohrs came from as far away as France, Ireland and Bavaria.
• The average Montana horse eats 2 tons of hay each winter. The average Montana cow eats 1 1/2 tons - her four stomachs help her make better use of the hay than the horse with its single stomach.
• In eastern states where there is ample rain, two cows can be raised on a single acre. In the arid west there are areas where conditions are so harsh it takes 250 acres to support a single cow and calf.

DON'T MISS ATTRACTIONS

• Draft horse plow days, May 15-16, 2004. Teamsters from around Montana will gather to demonstrate their skills with draft horses and mules.
• Western Heritage Days, July 10-11, 2004. Join us for two days of western celebration. Special programs range from musicians to branding to chuckwagon cooking, including a chili cookoff. Admission is free. For detailed information on Western Heritage Days and other special events and programs, please visit our park website
• Haying: Putting up hay depends a lot on weather and water. The date for haying will be set when the outlook for a good hay crop is known. Check the website for dates.
• Holiday Open House, December 5, 2004. The Kohrs ranch house becomes even more elegant with the addition of a Victorian tree and other special displays. Wagon rides, hot cocoa, cookies and children's programs are also featured.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PRIORITIES

Two areas of concern to the ranch are the preservation of the open-range view to the west and the improvement of the Visitor Center.

At the present time, visitors have a clear view of rangeland to the west. The owner of that land raises cattle, so land once grazed by Grant and Kohrs is used in the traditional way. As more and more rural property is subdivided and developed, the Park Service is concerned that the view may be lost. While having no desire to own the land outright, the ranch is actively seeking a scenic easement that would deter development and ensure that the land would retain its open-range, agricultural character.

The ranch has had a "temporary" Visitor Center since 1972. The building, once a granary, is too small for changing exhibits or interpretive programs. Many solutions have been proposed over the years, but neither funding nor final plans have yet been established.

Another concern is the preservation and interpretation of a way of life that is central to many Americans' image of themselves. Interpreters ensure that the independent spirit of the cowboy, the partnership of nature and agriculture in range cattle operations, and the balance of opportunity and hard work in the West are all part of the Grant-Kohrs Ranch story.

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LINKS:

Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site Home Page»

Partnering & Managing for Excellence Report»

Previously Featured Parks»