RECOGNIZING THE GRANT-KOHRS RANCH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE IN DEER LODGE, MONTANA IN CELEBRATION OF AMERICA'S 250TH

RECOGNIZING THE GRANT-KOHRS RANCH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE IN DEER LODGE, MONTANA IN CELEBRATION OF AMERICA'S 250TH

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 58 (Friday, March 27, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 58 (Friday, March 27, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E283-E284] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING THE GRANT-KOHRS RANCH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE IN DEER LODGE, MONTANA IN CELEBRATION OF AMERICA'S 250TH ______ HON. RYAN K. ZINKE of montana in the house of representatives Friday, March 27, 2026 Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 250th year since our Nation's founding by recognizing the legacy of Conrad Kohrs and the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge, Montana for their historical impact on the American West. Grant-Kohrs Ranch was established as a unit of the National Park Service in 1972; the ranch preserves the story of the frontier cattle industry and the people whose determination and grit helped to shape the American West. What began as a modest ranch in 1862, founded by John Francis Grant, was later purchased and expanded by Conrad Kohrs in 1866. Through vision and hard work, Kohrs transformed the property into one of the largest open-range cattle empires in the country, operating over 10 million acres and earning him the nickname ``the Cattle King of Montana.'' Conrad Kohrs became a United States citizen in 1857 after years of travelling and working in the American south. Conrad made his way to the Montana Territory in 1862 looking for gold and found it not in the mines, but in cattle. Kohrs recognized the growing demand for beef among miners and settlers. Conrad purchased the ranch in 1867 and by the 1880's held fifty-thousand grazing cattle. Today, the ranch still stands as a museum that tells the story of a different era when millions of cattle roamed freely across the western plains. The historical site spans more than [[Page E284]] 1,600 acres and contains over 90 historic structures from preserved barns and blacksmith shops to the grand ranch house that once served as the center of a thriving cattle empire. Visitors can walk the same grounds where cowpunchers once saddled their horses, tended livestock, and prepared cattle drives that helped supply a growing nation with beef and agricultural prosperity. Grant-Kohrs Ranch offers an immersive look into daily life on the frontier. Guests can watch a range of ranching traditions like cattle drives, roping, branding, blacksmithing, and haying. Observing these once daily tasks shows how generations of ranch hands and families sustained a way of life built on perseverance and responsibility. These traditions highlight the ingenuity and work ethic that defined the American frontier and contributed to the development of the West and still does. Mr. Speaker, places like Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site remind us that America's history was not built solely in cities, but also on wide open landscapes where hard work and resilience shaped the future of our country. By preserving the story of the frontier cattle era, this historic site ensures that future generations can learn from and appreciate the people who helped define the American West. Mr. Speaker, on the 250th anniversary of the United States, it is important to look back at our country's history and the people who shaped it. The story of the Grant-Kohrs Ranch shows us the true American spirit and the idea of the American dream. ____________________