Conrad Kohrs facts for kids
Conrad Kohrs (born Carsten Conrad Kohrs) was a famous cattle rancher and politician in Montana. He was born on August 5, 1835, and passed away on July 23, 1920. People often called him "Montana's Cattle King" because of his huge ranching business.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Journey to America
Conrad Kohrs was born in a place called Holstein. This area was part of the German Confederation, but it was ruled by Denmark at the time. When he was just 15 years old, he decided to go to sea. For the next 17 years, he worked many different jobs. He was a sailor, a butcher, and even sold sausages. He also helped float logs down the Mississippi River. In 1857, he officially became a citizen of the United States.
Finding Fortune in the West
Conrad heard exciting stories about gold in California. He traveled there first, then went to the Fraser River area in Canada. Finally, in 1862, he arrived in the gold camps of Montana Territory. But Conrad didn't dig for gold himself. Instead, he found a different way to get rich. He opened butcher shops in the gold camps. He sold beef to the many miners, which helped him build his wealth.
Building a Ranching Empire
In 1866, Conrad started his huge ranching business. He bought a ranch near Deer Lodge, Montana from a man named Johnny Grant. At first, he used the ranch to keep the cattle that supplied his butcher shops. But his operation grew and grew! At its biggest, he owned 50,000 cattle. These cattle grazed on a massive 10 million acres of land. This land spread across four states and two Canadian provinces. Each year, he would send 10,000 cattle to the Chicago stock yards.
A very harsh winter hit in 1886-1887. Tens of thousands of cattle died, which was a disaster for many ranchers. This event also marked the end of the "open range" style of ranching. Conrad and his half-brother, John Bielenberg, were among the first to recover. They adopted new, modern ways of ranching. They bought special purebred cattle for breeding. They also started fencing their land and growing food for their animals. This is how Conrad earned his famous nickname, "Montana's Cattle King."
Involvement in Politics
During his life, Conrad Kohrs also became active in politics. He started at the local level and then moved to state politics. In 1869, he was elected as a county commissioner. He served in that role for two years. He was also a member of the Territorial Assembly in 1885. In 1889, he was chosen to be part of Montana's first State Constitutional Convention. This was a very important meeting to create the state's rules. He also served as the President of the Montana Stockgrower's Association. Conrad Kohrs passed away on July 23, 1920, at his home ranch in Deer Lodge. He was 84 years old.
Legacy
A Gift to the Community
In 1902, Conrad Kohrs and his wife, Augusta, built a library in Deer Lodge. They spent $30,000 on it. They built the library to honor their son, William K. Kohrs. The William K. Kohrs Memorial Library was designed like the famous Carnegie Libraries. As of 2012, it was the only public library in Powell County, Montana.
Preserving History
The original home ranch near Deer Lodge, Montana, stayed in the Kohrs family for many years. In 1972, Conrad's grandson sold it to the National Park Service. Today, this historic ranch is known as the Grant–Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site. It helps people learn about the history of ranching in America.
Honors and Recognition
In 1958, Conrad Kohrs was honored for his contributions to the American West. He was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners. This hall is part of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
