Barn Sweet Barn

A UNIQUE RESIDENCE IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA UTILIZES A BEAUTIFUL BARN AT THE HEART OF THE HOME.

- Cristy Nielson

The Bitterroot Valley in the southwest corner of Montana is nestled between the rocky, bulky Bitterroot Mountains and the greener, softer Sapphire Range. This is farm and ranch country—a place where agriculture and livestock are as wedded to the land as the sun is to the big Montana sky.

In 1888 Marcus Daly, one of Montana’s infamous Copper Kings, built the 22,000-acre Bitterroot Stock Farm. To ensure his ranch employees had access to services they needed, he also established the town of Hamilton, which today serves as a central trading area for the farms, ranches and orchards that dot the valley, as well as a charming getaway for tourists who flock to the area.

Twenty years ago, financier Charles Schwab purchased 2,600 acres of the land and built an upscale development that was dubbed Stock Farm Club in honor of its history. The development features an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Tom Fazio. There’s also an equestrian center, an elk refuge, a shooting center, tennis courts, a spa and a lodge. World-class fly fishing, kayaking, river rafting, cross-country skiing, and downhill skiing are also nearby.