The unique history of Square Butte Ranch provides a story of perseverance, family loyalty, and land stewardship throughout three generations of the Tanner family. Brothers Wilbur and John Tanner originally homesteaded in the area and quickly began to develop the land—putting it to use at its highest potential. Hereford cattle, wheat, and barley painted the landscape for decades as generation after generation worked the land. All three generations of Tanner’s have memories of working the land together, season after season, experiencing all of the highs and lows that are part of the ranching lifestyle. Wilbur’s son managed the ranch after Wilbur & John, and then Wilbur’s granddaughter took over the management in the 1990s. The ranch continues to provide a place to create and keep family traditions alive. The Tanner’s fondly remember climbing the cliff in the early summertime, enjoying the holidays with an abundance of cousins, school biology class trips to Square Butte, and hours spent hunting prairie dogs, swimming in the reservoirs, and finding fossils from the days when the Missouri River used to go through the area.

 

An old quarry remains on the property. Fully operational for over 20 years, it was a main source for large granite stones used to create memorials, monuments, and grave markers throughout Central Montana. The most notable places of use are a Fort Benton memorium dedicated to Sacajawea and her child Pompey and the still standing historic jail in the town of Square Butte. It is also thought that the enormous granite stone used as the marker at the grave site of C.M. Russell may have come from the quarry.

 

Although much history has been made on the ranch over three generations, there is still plenty of opportunities for a new owner and their family to build their own legacy at Square Butte Ranch.