Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, in Deer Lodge, Montana, preserves an open range cattle ranch started in the mid-1800’s. Open range ranchers made fortunes grazing their cattle on the open range. Open range land is land in the public domain—that is, land that belongs to the government and has never been privately owned. At its height, the Grant-Kohrs Ranch owned herds of cattle that grazed over 10 million acres (4 million hectares) of open range in both the United States and Canada.
The ranch was established by Canadian trader John Grant, who traded cattle with pioneers traveling west to settle in new territories. In 1866, Grant sold the ranch to German immigrant Conrad Kohrs. Kohrs built the ranch into a profitable business by selling meat to mining camps in the area. The ranch quickly expanded, eventually shipping thousands of head of cattle to Chicago for sale in the East. Raising cattle on the open range proved profitable because ranchers did not have to pay to feed their cattle. However, overgrazing led to the decline of open range ranching and the closing of the open range. By 1918, Kohrs had sold all of his range cattle. The ranch continued to operate on a smaller scale.
Visitors to the Grant-Kohrs Ranch can tour several historic structures, including the Kohrs family residence and the bunkhouse where cowboys and ranch hands slept. A horse barn houses historic wagons, carriages, and sleighs. Everyday items used by ranch workers and residents from the 1860’s to the 1960’s are on display throughout the ranch.
The Grant-Kohrs Ranch was designated a national historic landmark in 1960 and a national historic site in 1972. The ranch still operates today, raising cattle, horses, and chickens.
