The grounds include indigenous plants that have been transplanted to the house's river-bottom surroundings, a place where they would not normally exist, but which are in keeping with the headquarters of a large ranch.

[3] Cody's TE Ranch was the center of his efforts to irrigate more than 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) of semi-arid land under the Carey Act of 1894.

Cody's manager was George T. Beck, who began what became known as the Shoshone Reclamation Project, which culminated in the construction of Buffalo Bill Dam.

The TE's ranch lands bordered on the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve, established in 1891, which offered summer range grazing.

Groves continued the ranching operation but also used the TE as a family retreat, building cabins and a log octagonal library/game house.