Last updated: March 25, 2021
Place
Bunkhouse Sitting Room
NPS/C Tongish
Quick Facts
Location:
Deer Lodge, MT
Significance:
Historical Structure
Designation:
National Historic Site
Amenities
6 listed
Accessible Sites, Cellular Signal, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information, Restroom - Seasonal, Trash/Litter Receptacles
At the core of the bunkhouse is the large sitting room. It was originally one of the two cabins built by Johnny Grant in the early 1860s. Conrad Kohrs and John Bielenberg built the current bunkhouse row between 1884 and 1890 and converted one of those cabins into a sitting room for the ranch's cowboys. The original cabin wall is still visible today by looking closely at the exterior of the sitting room. The sitting room has multiple doorways that connects it to rooms on either side, which allowed the cowboys to go from the bunk room to the dining room without having to go outside.
The sitting room was a place where the ranch’s cowboys could relax and spend some social time together. In the evenings they would play cards, tell stories, or enjoy some quiet time. This room was also a place where the cowboys could wait for the cook to call them to the table for a meal if they were not out on the ranch working before the gong was sounded. Originally, there was a wash basin located by the front door so the cowboys could wash their hands or face. A variety of furniture was used in the room over the years, from a large round table to a few chairs and some benches. The small stove was used to heat the room, as well as provide hot coffee for the cowboys to drink.
The sitting room was a place where the ranch’s cowboys could relax and spend some social time together. In the evenings they would play cards, tell stories, or enjoy some quiet time. This room was also a place where the cowboys could wait for the cook to call them to the table for a meal if they were not out on the ranch working before the gong was sounded. Originally, there was a wash basin located by the front door so the cowboys could wash their hands or face. A variety of furniture was used in the room over the years, from a large round table to a few chairs and some benches. The small stove was used to heat the room, as well as provide hot coffee for the cowboys to drink.