On Saturday July 30th, Dave and I went to the Grant-Kohrs Ranch in Deerlodge, MT.
It is a historical ranch that is run by the Park Service.
When you first see the ranch house you see it from the perspective below. My first thought was "This is not a very big ranch house for the wealthiest cattleman in Montana".
The house was built in 1862 by John Grant. He was the first owner who started the ranch and brought cows to the area. He sold the ranch to Conrad Kohrs in 1866. John Grant lived there for about 6 years before he sold it stating that "It was getting too crowded in the area".
But, when you go around to the side, you see the addition that was added to the house in 1890 by Conrad Kohrs. The house has a total of 9 bedrooms. Three bedrooms are downstairs. There was even a green house attached to the southern side of the house.
We went on a tour of the house. They don't let you take pictures in the house. I found the 3 pictures below from the Park Service Web site. The house has all the original furnishings right down to the linens. Apparently when Augusta Kohrs (Conrad Kohrs' wife) died in 1945 they closed the house up and left it the way it was.
August and Conrad got married after they dated for 3 weeks. Augusta came from Germany and was 6 foot tall. Conrad was 6 foot 3 inches tall. When she came to the ranch it was a mess, full of cowhands, spittoons and bedbugs. She cleaned up the place and insisted that the hired help not live in the house. She transformed the dirty, rustic ranch house to the elegant decorated home below.
Augusta and Conrad had 3 children. Two girls and one boy.
Con Kohrs had this desk made with hinges in the middle. It could be closed up and locked to keep his business papers secure.
This was the green house attached to the house. Augusta grew flowers in it.
The ranch was known for having the largest herd of purebred Belgians that they bred.
Beaverslide for stacking the grass hay.
I found out that the beaverslides were made with skids so they could be slid to different spots on the field for stacking the hay.
The horse barn was huge. It had over 20 stalls.
Today they store the buggies and wagons used on the ranch.
The flower garden area.
The cowboy bunkhouse.
The ranch raised herefords and long horns. The steers below are part of the current ranch herd (redish horsebarn in the back). These steers are raised for the jerky that is sold in the visitors center. Because it is a working ranch, there are about 45 head of catle for breeding.
I love how the wood weathers on the barns. It is such a rich golden color
After seeing the ranch, we went to the Territorial Prison.
Deerlodge is home to the first territorial prison.
The prison was in use up until 1979.
The prison walls have 6 guard towers like below.
This part of the prison has 4 levels of cells.
One of the cells
The showers are that hospital green color.
The prison theatre must have been pretty fancy in its day.
Inside the theatre is where a portable gallows has been put for storage.
This gallows has been used to hang men.
The prison is located in the middle of town, right on main street.
