Distinctly Montana Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.distinctlymontana.com/i/20776
ELLEN BAUMLER A portrait of Conrad Kohrs with his grandson Conrad Warren. ish chairs, fine carpet, and an exquisite example of her skill with a needle. Augusta’s fine needlework illustrates the curious blending of the frontier with Victorian culture. She won a blue rib- bon at the territorial fair for her footstool, made circa 1870. The petit-point cover depicts “The Thracian Slaying the Lion,” a scene from Greek mythology. The incongruous pairing of this clas- sical subject with legs fashioned from steer horns reveals the merging of two disparate worlds into one harmoni- ous whole. Parlor of the Grant Kohrs residence. Grant-Kohrs cattle grazed on 10 million acres of public John Bielenberg partnered with his half-brother, Conrad Kohrs, to establish a vast ranching empire. Note the pommel bag from page 43 on his saddle. Building a Future? Professional & Business Services Tax Planning & Consulting Business Valuation Retirement Plan Administration Retirement & Financial Planning Estate Planning land in four states and Canada, and the partners controlled another million acres in eastern Montana. While Kohrs pioneered feed production and cattle breeding, Bielenberg turned to horses: Belgian draft horses and thoroughbreds. Augusta’s needlework again demonstrates Victorian sensi- bilities woven into ranch life. She embroidered a beautiful blue wool corona, or racing saddle cover, for her bother-in- law who raced his horses on the eastern circuit. After the 1880s, fencing livestock on the open range brought monumental changes to Montana’s cattle in- dustry, and personal tragedy influenced the future of the ranch. In 1901, the Kohrses’ only son William, away at school, died of appendicitis. After his death, the grief- stricken family sold most of their holdings and moved to Helena, but continued to spend summers at the home ranch. In the 1930s, grandson Conrad Warren took over management of the remaining 1500–acre ranch. Warren and his wife kept the property intact, eventually selling a portion of it to the National Park Foundation. They donated the buildings and their contents. The Park Service began restoration in 1974 and brought in purebred Short- horn cattle and Belgian horses to preserve the working ranch. Today the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, a National Historic Landmark, is a cultural resource unique to our National Parks. Its many and varied treasures foster the understand- ing of a bygone lifestyle. For more information write to: Trusted Advice. Certified Public Accountants and Advisors The Grant Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site 266 Warren Lane, Deer Lodge, MT 59722. Or call (406) 846-2070 or visit http://www.nps.gov/grko/.Open daily except Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1. 9-5 Memorial Day-Labor Day; 9-4 the rest of the year. Billings • Bozeman • Havre • Helena • Missoula • Idaho Falls (406) 442-5520 ghghelena@ghg-cpa.com 44 Ellen Baumler is the Montana Historical Society’s interpretive historian and the author of many articles and books including the just-released Montana Moments: History on the Go. She is best known for her books exploring Montana’s haunted places including Montana Chillers for younger readers. DISTINCTLY MONTANA • WINTER 2011