{"id":666,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:40:08","latitude":47.02709681322640022926862002350389957427978515625,"longitude":-109.85020062499961568391881883144378662109375,"title":"Meadowbrook Stock Farm","subtitle":"","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/f5911f8ee63bd6b66d42b2400e1f0616.jpg","address":"U.S. Highway 87, Hobson, Montana","all_locations":[],"zoom":17,"creator":["Montana National Register Sign Program"],"description":"Scottish-born homesteader Thomas Murray came to the Judith Basin in 1883 and settled on 160 acres running cattle and sheep on the open prairie. By the turn of the twentieth century, the Thomas Murray Ranch, known in its heyday as the Meadow Brook Stock Farm, had diversified to include wheat farming and cattle, hog, sheep, and horse breeding. This early twentieth-century transition from ranching to farming in central Montana reflected both the hard lessons learned by Montana ranchers during the devastating winter of 1886-87 and the coming of the railroads in 1906 and 1908. The railroads promised better transportation to agricultural markets and sparked the growth of new communities, such as Hobson, along with a desire for more substantial dwellings. Murray and his future relatives, the Lilligard brothers, built this splendid Neo-classical Revival style residence circa 1908. Murray’s skillful use of cast stone introduced Hobson to this popular technique. Other structures, including the sheep barn and three-story gambrel-roofed horse barn, were built between 1892 and 1917. After decades of farming and ranching, however, Murray fell victim to drought and horrendous grasshopper and army worm infestations. He and his wife, Mildred, left the ranch in 1924. Today the property retains its original appearance, an excellent example of an early Montana farming enterprise.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"Private","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":["<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/826a3d7e-e889-4b75-882a-e17187e5bf63\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read about the Meadowbrook Stock Farm</a>","<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/d79ea002-0057-40fa-8c44-337f7ad400c8/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">See photos of the Meadowbrook Stock Farm</a>"],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/f5911f8ee63bd6b66d42b2400e1f0616.jpg":{"id":260,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Horse barn, from the northwest","description":"Meadowbrook Stock Farm<br />\r\nHobson vicinity<br />\r\nJudith Basin Co<br />\r\nJune 1991<br />\r\nPatrick McCleary, photographer<br />\r\nNegs at MT SHPO<br />\r\nHorse barn, from the northwest (verso)<br />\r\nb&amp;w print | Official records of the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, Helena, Montana  | June 1991 | Patrick McCleary","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/f5911f8ee63bd6b66d42b2400e1f0616.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/9750b3be01846545ba5adbd2cd91b2d8.jpg":{"id":257,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Side View South","description":"Side View South<br />\r\n4 bedrooms on this side<br />\r\nParlor, Liv[ing] room, Dining Rm + Kitchen on this side<br />\r\nJean Trammell, Photo<br />\r\n[Additional photographer info on verso]<br />\r\n10-10-90<br />\r\nMEADOW BROOK STOCK FARM<br />\r\nHOBSON, MT<br />\r\nJudith Basin County<br />\r\nSide 1 (verso)<br />\r\nb&amp;w print | Official records of the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, Helena, Montana  | October 10, 1990 | Jean Trammell","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/9750b3be01846545ba5adbd2cd91b2d8.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/9d328ca6a212a034b5e85dbc206f71b8.jpg":{"id":258,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Back of house showing entry into kitchen","description":"Back of house showing entry into kitchen. Small building is coal storage. Building to right of it is ice house. Notice doors at 3 levels to remove ice as it was used up. 10-10-90<br />\r\nMEADOWBROOK STOCK FARM<br />\r\nHOBSON, MT. JUDITH BASIN Co.<br />\r\nJEAN TRAMMELL - PHOTOS     East<br />\r\n[Additional photographer info on verso] (verso)<br />\r\nb&amp;w print | Official records of the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, Helena, Montana  | October 10, 1990 | Jean Trammell","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/9d328ca6a212a034b5e85dbc206f71b8.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/f1b5611c325f6d847d9c925598801c30.jpg":{"id":259,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Lean-to A, from the southeast","description":"Meadowbrook Stock Farm<br />\r\nJudith Basin Co<br />\r\nJune 1991<br />\r\nPatrick McCleary, photographer<br />\r\nNegs at MT SHPO<br />\r\nLean-to A, from the southeast (verso)<br />\r\nb&amp;w print | Official records of the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, Helena, Montana  | June 1991 | Patrick McCleary","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/f1b5611c325f6d847d9c925598801c30.jpg"}}}