Grant-Kohrs Ranch Historic Resource Study

This report is only a beginning. It serves as an introduction to the lengthy and complex history of a large Montana ranch, an institution in whose story is reflected the early settlement of the state and more than a full century of subsequent history: dynamic, prosaic, and multifaceted at one and the same time. A constant aspect of the story is the magnitude of it. The Grant-Kohrs Ranch, the "home ranch" of the immense open range cattle and mining operations of Conrad Kohrs and John Bielenberg, contains a myriad of structures and buildings and a richly furnished ranch house, each worthy of detailed consideration. The documentary collections concerning the Kohrs and Bielenberg Home Ranch are massive and detailed, revealing a range cattle operation that spanned all of Montana and parts of Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and the Canadian province of Alberta. The raising of thoroughbred cattle is also an important part of the Kohrs and Bielenberg home ranch story. One of the partner's business ledgers for the period 1892 to 1901 listed 591 separate accounts, some for amounts over half a million dollars, yet others noting only a few hours pay for a summer ranch hand who helped in haying.

Within the necessary limits of time and funds available to meet the immediate and pressing needs of the park, and the requirement to produce material for use in interpretation, legislative compliance, planning, and exhibits, it is obvious that a lengthy and comprehensive history of the ranch could not be produced at this time. Instead, this report attempts to provide an introduction to the many activities of the ranch, focusing primarily on the broad history of the Kohrs and Bielenberg cattle operation. Necessary additional research is discussed in detail in the Recommendations section at the end of this study, and many of the appendices will provide guidance to the source materials on the park.

Part of the study—virtually a project within a project— was the compilation, organization, and microfilming of the voluminous records owned by Mr. Conrad Kohrs Warren, last owner of the ranch. This work, executed by University of Montana Archivist Dale Johnson and his photographer Gerald Kling, was done under contract to the National Park Service. It is somewhat ironic to note that Mr. Johnson's excellent work, paid for by funds for this study, could not be utilized, except peripherally, in the preparation of this report. Yet the seven reels of microfilm serve to strengthen this study's reason for being: to provide data for further research and for interpretation of the park. An index of the seven rolls of film is contained as an appendix.

The study is organized in two parts: The first is a Historic Resource Study (Project 2001-1016-483, Type 32, Package 113), which includes a Cultural Resources Statement; the second is the Historical Data section of the Historic Structure Report (Project 2001-1033-487, Type 35, Package 113). Naturally, there will be some overlapping of information. Because the two are being produced under one cover, the bulk of the general historical data that appears will be in the Historic Research Study, with material in the Historic Structure Report confined to structural history and allied information. A map of the historical resources, an initial effort subject to change as more historical data become available, but one which can serve as an interim Historic Base Map, is included in the report and relates to both parts of the study.

The Historic Resource Study is organized chronologically. For the 1866 to 1918 period it has as its core an unpublished manuscript, "The Autobiography of Conrad Kohrs," owned by Mr. Conrad Warren. Numerous other materials, most of them either county records or manuscript material from the Kohrs Papers—also owned by Mr. Warren—or those at the Montana Historical Society, buttress the material in the Kohrs autobiography. The Historic Structure Report is organized by structure, with appropriate park-wide data preceding the building-by-building studies.

Both reports will center around the home ranch, today's national historic site. Studies of Conrad Kohrs's activities in mining and politics, and detailed studies of the range operations conducted hundreds of miles away from the home ranch, must await future examination.

Many individuals have provided time and effort to help produce this report. Con Warren, of the Warren Ranch in Deer Lodge, has been generous with his knowledge of his grandfather's ranch—a ranch he first managed and then owned—and in allowing the use of the manuscript materials that he and his wife, Nell Warren, carefully protected and organized. No doubt many individuals will, in the years to come, recognize the immense debt owed to the Warrens by all those who appreciate the creation of this historical park that commemorates the cattle industry in the American West. It is a special privilege to be among the first in the National Park Service to he able to do so in print. Con and Nell Warren carefully protected the documents and the furnishings of the old ranch, recognizing their national significance long before most others The result of their vigilance and concern for the integrity of the collection is a historical unit of the National Park Service in which much of the furnishings, structures, lands, and historical documents remain in their original relationships to each other—a uniquely complete historical park.

The staff at the park have all been most cooperative and helpful Superintendent Richard Peterson and Administrative Officer Georgia Sumner provided a great deal of help in the many visits to the park required the author. Park Historian Paul Gordon's research assistance, which considerable, is recognized on the title page. It is a pleasure to thank him again for the valuable data he provided and to state that it was rewarding to work with him and his assistants, Ranger-Historians Larry Martin and Michael Holm. At the Montana Historical Society, Harriet Meloy and her staff, particularly Lory Morrow and Rex Myers, were both efficient and helpful in providing materials and guidance on how best to utilize them. Throughout the project, Historical Architect Peter Snell at the Denver Service Center and I have worked together and his many contributions are most appreciated. Peter's work has been of such broad scope, it is only fitting that he be recognized as an adjunct historian for the project as well as the historical architect. He contributed the bulk of the structural data on the ranch buildings and drew the interim Historical Base Maps. Linda Greene's fine editing hand strengthened the manuscript as it has many others. Her help is gratefully acknowledged. Bill Kelly provided much guidance in the search for funds to microfilm the Kohrs Papers, and Bill Siney guided the contract through the maze for such activities. The assistance of both is appreciated.

The materials at the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library proved to be as valuable as they have been on other projects involving the West, and the staff as helpful. The Milwaukee Road offices at Deer Lodge provided the 1907 map that was a key document and the earliest map showing any ranch structures. The personnel of the Powell County offices in Deer Lodge were all most kind, and the efforts of Bonnie Miller and her staff in the clerk and recorder's office particularly valuable in tracking down the numerous Kohrs and Bielenberg real estate transactions.

George A. Reinhold, of the Rocky Mountain Regional staff, prepared Map 2, and his help was greatly appreciated. Historical Architect Rodd Wheaton of the same office provided the information for Map 2, prepared Appendix 17, and provided guidance and suggestions throughout the project. His assistance proved to be of significant value, and is gratefully acknowledged.

Two friends, Mathew Kane, Jr., and Wayland Smith, Jr., both ranchers in Osage County, Oklahoma, looked over the draft manuscript and provided suggestions for improvement. Many of their comments were incorporated into the study.

While there have been an unusually high number of caveats listed above, each one carefully noting what this study is not, it is necessary to add even one more. It is that this study does not attempt to portray that particular mystique associated with the cattle business that all cattlemen have but few will acknowledge. There is no attempt to explain that drive, emotion, dedication, or whatever it is, that once kept and still keeps cattle growers devoted to a business in which the good years are rare, the bad years common, and the disastrous years not infrequent. That task is avoided in this study, and remains to challenge others.

For the benefit of those whose duties or inclinations will not permit them to read entire chapters, an introduction outlining the events to be described opens each chapter, and a summary synthesizing the material just presented closes each one.

The historian and historical architect worked together on this project from the beginning, within the limits imposed by the two professions, even conducting joint research. Because time and place came together at the Denver Service Center, this arrangement was possible. Since much of the research was done jointly, the usual repetition of information in the historical and architectural data sections has been avoided in this report. At least that was the intent.

The entire research and writing project for Grant-Kohrs Ranch was looked at as a whole, and in the division of labor much information usually found in the historical and architectural data sections was moved. As a result, the historical resource study contains more than a usual amount of ownership data on the ranch—the kind of information usually found in structure reports. It also contains a section entitled "Cultural Resources Statement," which includes some data often found in historic structure reports. Because of these deletions, the historical data section of the historic structure report is much briefer than usual. The relative paucity of material here is balanced by a larger amount of historical data in the architectural section.

As of this writing, the preceding appears to be a good solution and to make the overall document much more utilitarian to the interpreters, planners, and researchers who will be using it. Whether or not the unique arrangement will work, however, is not yet known. Like any other experiment, the results will not be final until tested. All data required in the current Activity Standards is included. But the data are not always exactly where the Standards calls for them to be. If the experiment works then it can be tried with other projects. If it does not, then the attempt can be abandoned.

Despite the considerable assistance noted above, the principal author accepts full responsibility for any errors of fact and interpretation of fact that may appear in this narrative.

Introduction
Historic Resource Study | Cultural Resources Statement | Historic Structure Report