Cultural Landscape Inventory and Analysis: Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site

Keohan, Thomas

The Grant-Kohrs Ranch in western Montana is one of the last remaining great cattle ranches associated with open-range cattle ranching from the 1860's to the early 1900's in the western United States. Beginning in the late 1850's, Johnny Grant settled in the Dear Lodge Valley and in less than a decade had assembled a large herd of cattle by trading with westward-bound emigrants along the Oregon Trail. Then in 1866, Grant sold his ranch to Conrad Kohrs, a young German immigrant and entrepreneur who had successfully established a market selling beef to mining camps in Montana. Kohrs success on the ranch peaked in the 1890's when he and his half brother, John Bielenberg owned 25,000 acres and controlled over 10 million acres of grazing land in 4 states and Canada. After a period of decline and the deaths of Kohrs and Bielenberg, the ranch was again productive under Kohrs grandson, Conrad Kohrs Warren, who pioneered different breeds of cattle on the ranch during the 1930's to the early 1970's. On August 25, 1972, Congress established the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site (NHS) "...to provide an understanding of the frontier cattle era of the Nation's history, to preserve the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, and to interpret the nationally significant values thereof for the benefit and inspiration of present and future generations." The study area identified in this report includes both the area within the official park boundary and an area outside the boundary that incorporates the various landscape types related to the ranch's historic operation. The defined study area provides the physical and visual qualities necessary to maintain the ranch's historic integrity, while providing a resource base necessary for public understanding and interpretation of the western cattle frontier. The same study area boundary was also identified in the June 1987 National Park Service (NPS) Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Analysis as an area of land which can feasibly be managed to maintain the landscape's historic association with the ranch. The Cultural Landscape Inventory and Analysis map in this report illustrates both the NHS boundary and the study area boundary. The study area includes about 2,630 acres. Nine individual landscape types have been identified in this report as having distinct qualities that add to the historic character of the Grant-Kohrs Ranch. Delineated by visual and functional qualities, each landscape type has its own identity, yet all combine to establish an overall identity to the ranch. Each landscape type is described within the report along with any associated historic elements. The historic significance integrity, and period of significance of each type is also identified.

Cultural Landscape Inventory and Analysis: Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site

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