Dougherty Wagon

This Dougherty wagon has an incredible story that not only connects the two families who called this ranch home, but also ties Grant-Kohrs Ranch NHS to two other National Park Service sites.

This wagon was purchased by Johnny Grant in 1862. It was shipped to Fort Benton, MT from St. Louis, MO up the Missouri River. The Missouri River was a natural "highway" to the West, and steamboat traffic into Montana reached enormous proportions during the early 1860s, bringing both passengers and merchandise. Conrad Kohrs later acquired the wagon with the purchase of the ranch from Johnny Grant.

Dougherty wagons were made for long distance travel and during the Civil War they were adapted for use as an ambulance. The park Dougherty wagon served in both capacities. Following the Battle of the Big Hole in 1877, it was used as an ambulance to carry injured soldiers to St. Joseph Hospital in Deer Lodge, MT. This was also the carriage wagon the Kohrs family used for their seven week tour of Yellowstone National Park in 1883. This was reported in the New North West Newspaper: "Mr. Conrad Kohrs and family left for the National Park Saturday with carriage, riding horses, provision wagon and all the necessary paraphernalia for a good camping trip." (New North-West Newspaper August 31, 1883).