It took many years for Theodore Roosevelt National Park to become a reality. When Theodore Roosevelt died in 1919, proposals were immediately put forward to create a national monument in his honor.
Inspired by Roosevelt’s love of nature and his efforts to protect the environment, ideas naturally centered on a new national park or wildlife refuge. Roosevelt developed a great fondness for North Dakota during his time in the state. As he later wrote, “It was still the Wild West in those days, the Far West, the West of Owen Wister’s stories and Frederic Remington’s drawings, the West of the Indian and the buffalo-hunter, the soldier and the cow-puncher.”
North Dakota seemed like a logical location for a living monument in Roosevelt’s honor. A committee chose Medora. In 1921, the North Dakota Legislature authorized representatives in Congress to assist by setting aside land for a park. In 1925, Major E.A. Goldman led a survey to determine the suitability of the Badlands as a site. He concluded that the area “includes much scenic charm and scientific interest.” Although ranchers opposed a plan that would put grazing land off limits, Goldman believed the park would provide an economic benefit by attracting tourists who would spend money in the area.
During the drought and crop failures of the “Dirty Thirties,” the federal government was able to buy cheap land as farmers sold out. The Roosevelt Regional Park Project was approved in 1934, and the Civilian Conservation Corps immediately began building roads, campgrounds, and trails. That work halted in 1941 with the outbreak of World War II.
In 1946, the area was designated the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge. On April 25, 1947, President Truman signed the bill naming it Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. The park was officially dedicated on this day in 1949.
That was not the end of the story. On November 10, 1978, President Carter signed a law changing the name to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Today, the park receives about 600,000 visitors each year, with the busiest months being June, July, and August. The park continues to memorialize President Roosevelt and honor his dedication to conservation and the environment.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Bismarck Tribune. “Badlands Park Project Gets Indorsement [sic]”. Bismarck ND. 3/14/1925. Page 8.
- National Park Service. “Theodore Roosevelt National Park History.” https://www.nps.gov/thro/learn/historyculture/park-history.htmAccessed 5/12/2026.
- Theodore Roosevelt. “In Cowboy Land.” https://www.bartleby.com/lit-hub/theodore-roosevelt-an-autobiography/iv-in-cowboy-landAccessed 5/12/2026.
