John and Rosina Branger

A BRIEF ROSEBUD HOMESTEAD HISTORY

1920-2025

The T-O BAR ranch in Roscoe, Montana was established in 1920 by John P. Branger and his wife, Christina Rosina Trepp.

The two moved to America to maketh a new life separately and met in Lewiston where they fell in love and married. The pair moved to East Rosebud lake; a tiny community in Roscoe where they built log cabins and hotel which is currently a small community of Summer dwellers. Down the road sat a homestead which would become the T-O Bar ranch within one of the most stunning valleys you ever did see. Some say the Swiss were drawn here because the mountains look so similar.

The T-O BAR ranch began with building the home from rocks (scientifically proven to be the oldest in the world) in the river close by and the barn from first growth pine trees blanketed along the valley. They raised three boys and housed three families, worked cattle, sheep, rams and chickens.

In the 1930’s, the Brangers opened the ranch to city dwellers as one of the first dude ranches in the U.S. City dwellers from the East took a train to Colombus where a car picked them up and delivered them for a stay on the cowboy ranch.

T-O Bar eventually was sold in the 1960’s. A family from Billings with early ties to the valley purchased this priceless property and over 2400 acres. The land was then parceled off and turned into the Black Butte homeowners association. All but a few live in the valley full time.

The rock house and barn still stand almost perfectly preserved and are owned by the artist Danielle Mourning who purchased the property in 2017. As an artist passionate about history and making work most of her career surrounding the honoring of those who came before us, she is upholding the legacy of the Brangers’ creative vision and establishing the barn into an arts foundation. Raising of funds has begun to restore the infrastructure and create both studio, entertainment and living spaces inside.

THE WORKS FOR SALE WILL HELP SUPPORT THIS VISION.

Papa Branger and his boys