Conrad Kohrs House, 804 Dearborn Avenue, Helena, Lewis and Clark County, MT

Significance: This house was purchased by Conrad Kohrs in 1900 after he and his wife moved to Helena from their ranch at Deer Lodge. This was Kohrs' home until his death there in 1920. Kohrs had come to Montana in 1862, prospecting and following the rumors of gold strikes in the Territory. He was employed as a butcher in Bannack, then in Alder Gulch opened his own meat shop. Before long he was buying cattle throughout the state in order to fill the demand for meat. In 1866, he purchased the John F. Grant farm near Deer Lodge and stocked it with breeding cattle. Within a few years, Conrad kohrs was the largest cattle owner in Montana and the northwest. The development of the cattle industry in Montana owes much to Kohrs. He introduced shorthorns to the Territory in 1871, and Herefords in 1880. He was also active in the Montana Stockgrowers Association throughout his career. Theodord Roosevelt was a friend of Kohrs from the 1880's when Roosevelt ranched in the Dakota Territory. In 1911, when the ex-president was on a political tour of the West he dined with Kohrs here in this house.
Survey number: HABS MT-32
Building/structure dates: 1890 Initial Construction