Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a sprawling expanse of rugged beauty in western North Dakota, stands as a testament to the transformative power of the American West and the enduring legacy of a president deeply connected to its landscape. More than just a scenic vista, the park encapsulates a rich tapestry of human history, from the ancient cultures that first inhabited the Badlands to the pivotal experiences that shaped Theodore Roosevelt’s conservation ethic.
When a young Theodore Roosevelt, a New Yorker known for his spectacles and slight frame, first ventured into the Dakota Territory in 1883 to hunt bison, he could scarcely foresee the profound impact this journey would have on his life and, consequently, on the nation’s environmental policies. The raw, untamed terrain and the demanding lifestyle he encountered here forged a deep appreciation for the natural world, ultimately influencing his commitment to conservation, a commitment that continues to benefit generations.
Theodore Roosevelt’s arrival in the remote settlement of Medora, North Dakota, on the Little Missouri River, marked the beginning of an adventure that would irrevocably alter his personal trajectory and leave an indelible mark on the American landscape. Stepping off the train into the predawn darkness on September 8, 1883, Roosevelt, driven by a desire to hunt buffalo and experience the allure of the West, stood alone, his pregnant wife, Alice, thousands of miles away in New York. Unfamiliar with the land and unsure of his reception by the locals, he walked towards the Pyramid Park Hotel, entering a world that seemed to distrust outsiders, especially those from the East. Little did he know that this unfamiliar environment, teeming with hardy and independent individuals, would forever change the course of his life. Theodore Roosevelt National Park stands today as a reminder of that fateful journey.
In 1883, the North Dakota Badlands were a land largely untouched by private ownership, where the prairie stretched unfenced and wildlife thrived. During his time there, Roosevelt witnessed rapid transformation as ranches, homes, businesses, roads, and towns emerged, altering the landscape he had come to admire. These changes undoubtedly influenced his later conservation efforts. Theodore Roosevelt National Park serves as a preserved window into a time of both immense opportunity and potential environmental degradation.
However, the story of the Badlands extends far beyond the arrival of early settlers. Echoes of ancient civilizations resonate within the boundaries of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Archaeological evidence, such as bison processing camps, ceremonially placed arrowheads, and the remnants of lodges, hint at the presence of indigenous peoples who called this forbidding land home long before Roosevelt’s time. These artifacts raise fundamental questions: Who were these early inhabitants? What drew them to this challenging environment?
The North Dakota Badlands present a unique blend of challenges and opportunities, factors that undoubtedly contributed to Theodore Roosevelt’s deep connection with the land. The ecological diversity and distinctive geological formations of the Badlands provided ancient peoples with resources for survival. They gathered plant materials, procured clays for paints, located sources of water, and hunted animals for sustenance. Yet, the rugged terrain and slick clay soil made travel exceptionally difficult. Consequently, the archaeological record suggests that long-term occupation was not practical.
According to modern interpretations of prehistoric cultures by tribal elders, the hardships associated with life in the Badlands and the awe-inspiring landforms held profound spiritual significance. The buttes were considered the dwelling places of animal spirits, and people ventured into the Badlands for vision quests and other rituals, in addition to hunting and gathering. This spiritual connection to the land is an integral part of the history preserved within Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Throughout history, a diverse range of cultures has utilized the Badlands region. The Mandan and Hidatsa tribes were particularly significant, their traditional bison hunting grounds encompassing the Little Missouri River basin. West of the Badlands, the Hidatsa’s close relatives, the Crow, also frequented the eastern fringes of their territory. Numerous other tribes, including the Blackfeet, Gros Ventre, Chippewa, Cree, Sioux, and Rocky Boy, journeyed to western North Dakota in the early 19th century primarily for hunting and trading, often at the Fort Union Trading Post. These groups did not necessarily seek out the Badlands in the same way as the Mandan, Hidatsa, or Crow. The Assiniboine occupied a vast area of the Northern Great Plains north of the Missouri River, while the Arikara entered western and central North Dakota, and various Lakota (Sioux) bands expanded their territory into western North Dakota in the 19th century. Each group possessed its own unique history, traditions, spirituality, stories, and practices associated with the Badlands, including eagle trapping, bison hunting, and other spiritual activities.
Eagle trapping held particular importance in Mandan and Hidatsa culture, an intensely spiritual practice governed by specific social, spiritual, and astrological protocols. Even today, many of the ritual’s details remain known only to those with rights to the knowledge within the tribes. Traditionally, only men with the authority to perform eagle trapping were permitted to do so, and only during specific times of the year, as determined by astrological observations, likely coinciding with eagle migration patterns. Preparation, including fasting and prayer, was essential before trapping an eagle.
Bison represented another vital resource for traditional societies, and the Badlands provided effective hunting opportunities. The steep terrain allowed hunters to drive bison over steep drop-offs, eliminating the need for projectiles. Several sites within Theodore Roosevelt National Park are known to have served this purpose, including the remnants of a bison processing area. Plains peoples utilized every part of the bison, with the meat and hide being the most important for food, clothing, blankets, and tipi coverings. Other parts of the animal were used for tools, medicine, toys, decorations, rituals, and more.
Springs were the preferred locations for collecting colored clays used to create paints for warriors’ faces, horses, and homes. Paint was considered a powerful medicine. Some springs were designated for specific purposes, such as drinking, collecting specific materials, or performing rituals or ceremonies. Evidence of these activities is scarce, relying largely on oral traditions preserved by contemporary tribal members.
Today, Theodore Roosevelt National Park remains a significant place for many Native Americans whose connection to the land is deeply rooted in history. Modern visitors can experience the landscape with the same sense of fascination, wonder, and reverence as these traditional peoples, even if their spiritual beliefs and values differ. The park is a living testament to the enduring connection between humans and the natural world.
Theodore Roosevelt’s personal experiences within this landscape are central to the park’s identity. Upon arriving in 1883, he enlisted the assistance of Joe Ferris, a 25-year-old Canadian, as a hunting guide, and the two embarked on a journey to the Maltese Cross Ranch. They passed near Howard Eaton’s Custer Trail Ranch, which would later become one of the first dude ranches in the United States. After fording the Little Missouri River twice, they reached the Maltese Cross Ranch house, where Roosevelt met William Merrifield and Sylvane Ferris, Joe’s brother. The following day, the three men continued south along the river to Gregor Lang’s place near the scoria hills, 50 miles south of Medora.
Roosevelt’s pursuit of buffalo proved challenging, as commercial hunters had decimated the bison population in recent years. Unbeknownst to him, a herd of 10,000 had been killed nearby just a week before his arrival.
After a week of hunting in near-constant rain, Roosevelt and Joe Ferris discovered fresh buffalo tracks, which they followed through the rugged Badlands. Although they eventually encountered an old buffalo bull, the rough terrain caused Roosevelt to miss a shot at close range, and the animal escaped. After several more disappointing days, Roosevelt finally succeeded in bagging his buffalo, firing three shots into the bison as it disappeared over a ridge.
While using the ranch as a base for his buffalo hunt, Roosevelt spent evenings with Gregor Lang discussing politics and the prospects for the cattle industry in the Badlands. An investment in cattle ranching in Dakota seemed promising, as cattle raised there benefited from a variety of grasses that Texas cattle did not enjoy. Furthermore, they could be shipped directly to market, avoiding long drives that reduced meat quality, leading to higher profits for Dakota ranchers. Roosevelt quickly arranged to purchase a herd of cattle tended by Sylvane Ferris and Bill Merrifield for $14,000, a sum significantly higher than his annual salary. That winter, Ferris and Merrifield constructed the Maltese Cross Cabin at Roosevelt’s request. Roosevelt likely viewed his investment not merely in monetary terms but as a tangible connection to the wide-open spaces he had come to cherish.
Returning to New York, Roosevelt resumed his legislative duties in Albany. In the meantime, his wife, Alice, gave birth to a daughter in New York City on February 12, 1884. A telegram arrived in Albany, urging Roosevelt to return to New York City immediately, as both his wife and his mother, Mittie, were dying in the Roosevelt home. On February 14, 1884, Theodore Roosevelt witnessed the tragic deaths of his mother and his wife, only hours apart.
Overwhelmed by grief, Roosevelt immersed himself in work. In June 1884, he channeled his energy into ranching at the Maltese Cross Ranch, investing another $26,000 in new cattle. Later that summer, Roosevelt brought two trusted friends and woodsmen from Maine, Bill Sewall and Wilmot Dow, to help establish a new, larger ranch downriver, the Elkhorn Ranch. While Sewall and Dow constructed the ranch house, Roosevelt embarked on numerous hunting expeditions, including a six-week excursion to the Bighorn Mountains. He returned to New York in December and the following summer returned to North Dakota. Despite his concerns about overgrazing in the Badlands, he invested another $39,000 in additional cattle and became involved in local politics as chairman of the Stockmen’s Association.
The late spring thaw of 1886 ushered in a disastrous season for the Badlands cattle industry. Scorching summer conditions, with temperatures reaching 125°F, hindered plant growth. Few crops were harvested, and little useful grazing land remained by the time winter arrived. Furthermore, ranchers had packed the Badlands with an unsustainable number of cattle. Overgrazing and an exceptionally poor growing season took their toll, as ranchers were unable to store any hay for the winter.
The winter of 1886-87 proved extraordinarily harsh, exacerbating the already dire situation created by the scorching summer. Unable to feed their cattle, ranchers were forced to let them fend for themselves. A succession of blizzards quickly buried what little grazing land remained, and cattle were found "frozen to death where they stood" in temperatures as low as -41°F. Tens of thousands of cattle perished in the Badlands during the winter of 1886-1887, representing approximately 80% of the total population. Gregor Lang, who had convinced Roosevelt in 1884 that cattle ranching in the Badlands was a safe investment, lost 85% of his herd of 3,000.
Roosevelt was abroad with his new wife, Edith, during the devastating winter and remained unaware of the horrors until his return to the United States in late March 1887. Upon his return to Medora, Roosevelt discovered that he had lost over half of his herd. The blow proved financially disastrous for Roosevelt, who lost over half of his $80,000 investment, equivalent to approximately $1.7 million today. Regarding the future of the Elkhorn and Maltese Cross Ranches, Roosevelt wrote to his sister Bamie, "I am planning to get out of it."
The tragedy proved fatal for Medora. In 1887, the Pyramid Park Hotel, where Roosevelt spent his first night in the Badlands, was loaded onto a flatbed car and shipped to Dickinson. Medora became a ghost town within two years.
Although the ranching venture resulted in financial ruin for Roosevelt, the physically and psychologically transformative experience proved invaluable. Roosevelt had sought to test his mettle and manhood in an exceptionally challenging part of the West and had excelled in every way. He had transformed from a scrawny asthmatic to a burly, barrel-chested man with a dark suntan and tireless riding ability. He had also gained prominence, respect, and admiration among the local Medora community for his manner and conduct. Roosevelt’s enthusiasm and genuineness resonated with ordinary people, forming the foundation for his later political success. His passion for cowboy life inspired him to form the Rough Riders, the renowned cavalry unit that brought him national recognition during the Spanish-American War.
Importantly, the collapse of the cattle ranching industry and his experiences in the wilderness solidified his commitment to conservation, which he pursued notably during his presidency. The Dakota experience left an indelible mark on Roosevelt’s heart, although he would not return often or for extended periods after 1887. The place where "the romance of my life began" became a beloved part of his past and a stepping stone for his future.
Following Roosevelt’s death on January 6, 1919, a movement began to establish a Roosevelt National Park in the Little Missouri Badlands. In 1921, Carl Olsen, owner of the Peaceful Valley Dude Ranch, introduced a bill in the North Dakota Legislature petitioning Congress to establish Roosevelt Park, but Congress did not respond favorably at that time.
In the mid-1930s, the Resettlement Administration began purchasing the lands that now comprise the park. Under the technical direction and supervision of the National Park Service, and with labor and materials provided by various relief agencies, the park was initially developed as the Roosevelt Recreational Demonstration Area. In 1946, the area became the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge. An Act of Congress on April 25, 1947, established the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park and returned its administration to the National Park Service. In 1978, Congress officially changed the park’s name to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and designated 29,920 acres of the park as wilderness.
Visitors to the park today can experience the Badlands in much the same way as Theodore Roosevelt did, as the landscape is preserved as he would have known it. Whether riding horseback through the Badlands or relaxing in the shade of a cottonwood tree, visitors can enjoy pastimes that deeply resonated with Roosevelt. The same sights, sounds, and smells are all to be experienced, just as Roosevelt described them. Most of the animals that Roosevelt saw and hunted still inhabit this unique landscape. It was here that the need for conservation was born in Theodore Roosevelt’s heart and mind, and the land is preserved in his honor.
Since the park’s establishment, over 15 million visitors have rediscovered the history of this rugged land and the men and women who challenged it. Theodore Roosevelt National Park stands as a place to reflect on our nation’s history and environment.