Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site will host a Holiday Open House on Sunday/NPS
It's commonly held that we should take only pictures and leave only footprints when we visit the parks, but Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge, Montana, is offering visitors a chance to take home a bit more this holiday season.
The annual Holiday Open House will be held this coming Sunday from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. There may be a chill in the air, but a warm welcome will await visitors. Crafts and refreshments, as well as Santa and Mrs. Claus, will be found in the old Dairy Barn. Snowflakes and holiday mice are the new kids' crafts this year. Visitors of all ages can make the pine cone-and-suet bird feeders, which are always popular with wild birds.
The ranch house will be decorated with all the extravagance for which the Victorian era was famous and music will fill the formal parlor. Breaking with the tradition of providing visitors with a recipe from Augusta Kohrs' cookbook, this year will feature the recipe for Johnny Grant's favorite childhood candy, 'sucre d'orge.'
Roasting marshmallows and making popcorn will keep the bonfire over at the Dairy Barn well-attended, and wagon rides powered by the ranch's draft horses will be offered. There will be a drawing for two handmade wreaths at 3 p.m. by the bonfire.
In the blacksmith shop, the workbench will display a variety of reproductions and adaptations of toys, games and other items from the ranch collection, including patterns for visitors who would like to try their hands at bringing a bit of the past into the present. Meanwhile, the blacksmith will hammer out iron 'candy canes,' and the shop cat will put in an appearance as it suits him.
The house will remain decorated through the end of the year.
Admission to the ranch is always free.
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