Red Bluff Research Ranch

About Red Bluff

The 10,803-acre Red Bluff Ranch is located near Norris in Madison County, Montana, along the west side of the Madison River and is used for both teaching and research. Most of this ranch is rangeland with cattle and sheep maintained year round, as well as limited hay meadows along the valley bottoms. Elevations range from 4,600 feet to 6,200 feet above the Madison River canyon.

Red Bluff

Red Bluff was settled in 1864 as a mining town and stage station on the Bozeman Road. During its heyday, Red Bluff had two gold mills, various stores, businesses, a school, post office and 12 saloons. This stone home was erected in 1867 as the office and residence of James Isaacs, field superintendent for a New York City gold mining company. As the gold mining enterprise was failing, the owners abandoned the office-residence in 1868. In 1870 Virginia City merchant Frederick Merk picked up the building at a Madison County Sheriff's sale and sold it to Robert Foster in 1877. At 35 miles from Bozeman, it was half-way to Virginia City and a good place for a stage stop and hotel, which was how Foster used it. "Foster's Hotel" later sold to Franklin Weaver and then Albert Tanner. It continued in use as a hotel until about 1916, when it was purchased by the Rowe Brothers for a ranch. The Rowes sold it to MSU in 1956 for use as part of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. A fire in 2006 destroyed the stone structure. Photo and history courtesy of www.mtghosttowns.com.