Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
Encyclopedia
Established by Canadian
fur
trader Johnny Grant, and expanded by cattle baron
Conrad Kohrs
, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site commemorates the Western cattle
industry from its 1850s inception through recent times. The park was created in 1972, and embraces 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) and 90 structures. The site is maintained today as a working ranch by the National Park Service
. The ranch was designated a National Historic Landmark
on December 19, 1960.
Conrad Kohrs was born on August 5, 1835, in the Holstein
province, a part of the German Confederation
. At the age of 22, he became a citizen of the United States
. He ventured to California
during the gold rush
days. He then moved on to Canada
and finally to the gold
camps of Montana
in 1862. There he became a wealthy man by selling beef
to the miners. Kohrs built his cattle operation up until at one time he owned 50,000 head of cattle and had grazing pasture of 10 million acres (40,000 km2). After the harsh winter of 1886-1887, Kohrs and his half-brother, John Bielenberg turned to more modern methods of ranch
ing. These methods included buying purebred breeding stock, fencing the ranges and raising and storing feed. His nickname became "Montana's Cattle King."
Conrad Kohrs ventured into the Sun River Valley west of Great Falls
looking for more grazing land. He was impressed by what he saw in this lovely valley. It looked like a cattleman's paradise. The waters of the Dearborn and Sun Rivers were sweet, sparkling, and clear. The river bottoms had lush grassy meadows and the benchlands rolled on both sides of the rivers. Kohrs brought in several thousand steers from his Deer Lodge ranches to fatten on the rich grasses of the Sun River Valley. The days of "free grass" soon ran out and Conrad Kohrs left the Sun River Valley.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
trader Johnny Grant, and expanded by cattle baron
Cattle baron
A cattle baron is a historic term for a person who possessed great power or influence, generally as owner of a large ranch and many cattle, specifically beef cattle. A cattle baron in the United States was sometimes called a cowman or a rancher...
Conrad Kohrs
Conrad Kohrs
Conrad Kohrs, born Carsten Conrad Kohrs was a Montana cattle rancher .He was born in Holstein, a province that was ethnically and culturally German and part of the German Confederation but ruled at the time in personal union by Denmark...
, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site commemorates the Western cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
industry from its 1850s inception through recent times. The park was created in 1972, and embraces 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) and 90 structures. The site is maintained today as a working ranch by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. The ranch was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
on December 19, 1960.
Conrad Kohrs was born on August 5, 1835, in the Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
province, a part of the German Confederation
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
. At the age of 22, he became a citizen of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He ventured to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
during the gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
days. He then moved on to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and finally to the gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
camps of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
in 1862. There he became a wealthy man by selling beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
to the miners. Kohrs built his cattle operation up until at one time he owned 50,000 head of cattle and had grazing pasture of 10 million acres (40,000 km2). After the harsh winter of 1886-1887, Kohrs and his half-brother, John Bielenberg turned to more modern methods of ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
ing. These methods included buying purebred breeding stock, fencing the ranges and raising and storing feed. His nickname became "Montana's Cattle King."
Conrad Kohrs ventured into the Sun River Valley west of Great Falls
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
looking for more grazing land. He was impressed by what he saw in this lovely valley. It looked like a cattleman's paradise. The waters of the Dearborn and Sun Rivers were sweet, sparkling, and clear. The river bottoms had lush grassy meadows and the benchlands rolled on both sides of the rivers. Kohrs brought in several thousand steers from his Deer Lodge ranches to fatten on the rich grasses of the Sun River Valley. The days of "free grass" soon ran out and Conrad Kohrs left the Sun River Valley.
External links
- National Park Service: Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
- Cowboys to Cattlemen: Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Virtual Museum Exhibit from National Park ServiceNational Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
- Cowboys to Cattlemen: Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Virtual Museum Exhibit from National Park Service