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, Nevada |
The Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park is a special place in Douglas County, Nevada. It helps us remember one of Nevada's very first ranches. It's like a time capsule showing how people lived and worked long ago.
Contents
A Look Back: The Dangberg Ranch Story
The Dangberg Ranch began in 1857. A man named Heinrich Friedrich Dangberg, Sr. started it. He built the first ranch house in the early 1860s. Later, in the 1870s, a bunkhouse, cellar, and barn were added.
Growing the Ranch
This ranch grew to be very large, covering about 48,000 acres. It became the biggest ranch in the Carson Valley. The Dangberg family formed a company to manage everything. They raised cattle, pigs, and horses. They also grew hay and processed animals for meat.
Building a Town: Minden
In the 1900s, Heinrich Dangberg's children took over. His oldest son, Henry Fred Dangberg, Jr., led the family. They used some of their land to create the town of Minden, Nevada. They even helped build many of its first buildings.
Ranch Life Through the Years
More buildings were added to the ranch about ten years later. These included a place for processing meat, a cook's house, two garages, and a fancy entrance gate. The Dangberg company did very well for a long time. They faced tough times during the Great Depression but recovered after World War II. The family kept the ranch running until 1978.
New Owners, New Uses
In 1960, a man named Donald E. Bently bought some land. This land used to be part of the Dangberg Ranch. Over the next twenty years, he bought even more. He ended up owning over 35,000 acres. He renamed it Bently Ranch. On this land, he raised beef cattle and grew alfalfa.
Donald Bently'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.
A Historic Landmark
The original ranch home became a very important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 5, 1980. This means it is officially recognized for its historical value.
Visiting the Historic Park
Today, about 5.5 acres of the original ranch are a public park. Douglas County owns this land. A group called the "Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch" helps manage it. They work together to fix up and protect the old buildings. This includes the main house, which has 15 rooms!
What You Can See
Inside the park's buildings, you can see many old items. These artifacts show what life was like long ago. The park is located on Nevada State Route 88, just west of Minden. It's a great place for a day trip. You can even take a guided tour to learn more about its history. Tours are available all year by appointment.
