Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park |
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 Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park
Location in Nevada
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| Location | Douglas, Nevada, United States |
| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Elevation | 4,705 ft (1,434 m) |
| Governing body | Douglas County, NV |
The Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park is a special place in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. It protects one of the very first ranches in the state. Imagine what life was like long ago on a big ranch!
The Ranch's Story
The Dangberg Ranch started way back in 1857. A man named Heinrich Friedrich Dangberg, Sr. began it. He built the first ranch house in the early 1860s. Later, a bunkhouse, cellar, and barn were added. These were places for workers and animals.
This ranch grew super big! It became the largest in the Carson Valley. The ranch ended up being 48,000 acres (19,000 ha) in size. The Dangberg family formed a company to manage everything. They raised cattle, pigs, and horses. They also grew hay and processed meat.
In the 1900s, Heinrich's children took over. His oldest son, Henry Fred Dangberg, Jr., led the way. They even founded the nearby town of Minden on their land. They helped build many of Minden's first buildings.
More buildings were added to the ranch later. These included a slaughterhouse, cook's quarters, and garages. The ranch company did very well for many years. It faced tough times during the Great Depression. But it recovered after World War II. The Dangberg family ran the ranch until 1978.
New Owners for Part of the Land
In 1960, a man named Donald E. Bently bought some land. This land used to be part of the Dangberg Ranch. Over time, he bought more and more land. He eventually owned over 35,000 acres (14,000 ha).
He renamed his property the Bently Ranch. On this land, he raised beef cattle and alfalfa. Donald's son, Christopher, later bought other buildings. These included the Minden Flour Milling Company and the Minden Creamery. The Dangberg family had built these too. Christopher turned them into the Bently Heritage Estate Distillery.
The original ranch home is very important. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 5, 1980. This means it's a special historical site.
Visiting the Park
Today, about 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) of the land is a park. Douglas County owns and manages this park. A group called "Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch" helps too. They work together to fix and save the old buildings. This includes the main house, which has 15 rooms!
The park's buildings are filled with old items. These items show what life was like long ago. The ranch is located on Nevada State Route 88. It's just west of Minden.
The Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park is a public park. You can visit during the day. You can also take a guided tour. These tours teach you about the ranch's history. They are available all year by appointment.
