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Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established by an Act of Congress in 1947 to memorialize Roosevelt’s western legacy and his conservation ethic. The national park encompasses roughly 70,000 acres of rugged badlands in western North Dakota, the place about which Roosevelt declared, “It was here that the romance of my life began.”
The Theodore Roosevelt National Park collection includes federal documents, historical studies, photographs, and a variety of three-dimensional items related to the development of the park. Historical studies such as Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch, written by National Park Service historians, offer insight into Theodore Roosevelt’s time as a rancher in the Badlands. Other materials tell the story of how two Civilian Conservation Corps camps and the National Park Service developed the early infrastructure and framework of the park. Historical photographs depict the park’s development and illuminate the history of other nearby points of interest, including the town of Medora, the Chateau de Mores State Historic Site, and former ranches now within the park boundary.
This collection has been digitized and cataloged on site at Theodore Roosevelt National Park by digital library staff. See below to view items from this collection in the digital library.
Digitization of items at the National Park sites was possible thanks to National Park Service Centennial Challenge Funding in partnership with Dickinson State University.
Conrad Louis Wirth of the National Park Service congratulates W. L. Gardner of the Greater North Dakota Association on the successful dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Wirth thanks Gardner and the others involved in the ceremony for their hospitality.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-07-12
L. F. McIntosh thanks Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park Superintendent Hanks for his hospitality when McIntosh and his wife attended the dedication ceremony for the park. McIntosh is the Minister for Cooperation and Cooperative Development in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-07-07
Hugh Thompson of the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce thanks Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park Superintendent Hanks for the note regarding the recent dedication ceremony for the park. Hanks wrote to thank the Chamber of Commerce for their help with the dedication ceremony.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-07-05
Secretary of the Interior Julius A. Krug writes to National Park Service Regional Director Lawrence C. Merriam regarding the recent dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Krug congratulates Merriam and the park personnel for a successful ceremony and thanks them for their hospitality.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-24
W. L. Gardner congratulates Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park Superintendent Hanks on the recent dedication ceremony for the park. Gardner thanks Hanks for his efforts on behalf of the park and for Hanks’s willingness to cooperate with the dedication committee, of which Gardner was chairman.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-21
National Park Service Director Drury congratulates Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park Superintendent Hanks on the recent dedication of the park. Drury comments on how impressed he and the other government officials who attended the ceremony were with the park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-09
National Park Service Director Drury writes a detailed letter to Horace M. Albright about the recent dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Drury describes the ceremony, other events that took place while he was in North Dakota, and the time he spent with other government officials who also attended.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-08
Lawrence C. Merriam writes to Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park Superintendent Hanks regarding the recent dedication ceremony for the park. Merriam notes that Hanks can be proud of how successful the ceremony was and that some improvising is always necessary when so many people are involved in the planning.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-23
Representative Lemke writes to Superintendent Hanks regarding the recent dedication of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Lemke assures Hanks that the Secretary of the Interior is committed to making the park an outstanding place.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-20
Representative Baring tells Superintendent Hanks how much he enjoyed attending the recent dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Baring also thanks Hanks for mailing him the souvenirs Baring had misplaced.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-18
Senator Young thanks Superintendent Hanks for the newspaper clippings Hanks sent about the dedication of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Young also informs Hanks that during his time at the park for the dedication he heard many nice things about Hanks.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-17
Senator Robertson writes to Superintendent Hanks regarding the recent dedication of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Robertson notes that even though his flight was very long he greatly enjoyed seeing the park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-17
National Park Service Regional Director Merriam thanks Superintendent Hanks for writing letters of appreciation to government officials who attended the recent dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-17
National Park Service Regional Director Merriam thanks Secretary of the Interior Julius A. Krug for attending the recent dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Merriam especially appreciates that Krug clearly defined the objectives of the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service so that all parties interested in the future management of the park understand them.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-14
Fred J. Overly tells Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park Superintendent Hanks how much he enjoyed the dedication ceremony for the park. Overly regrets that they did not have time to talk over the land issue, presumably the park’s efforts to acquire the Elkhorn Ranch site.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-06
Superintendent Hanks thanks L. F. McIntosh for attending the recent dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Park. McIntosh is the Minister for Cooperation and Municipal Affairs for the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Hanks also informs McIntosh that he has sent some newspaper accounts of the ceremony.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-13
Ray H. Mattison responds to Superintendent Hanks’s request for advice on the content of the address to be given at the dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Park Historian Mattison includes a number of Roosevelt quotations on a variety of topics and his opinion on the focus of the address.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-05-21
The document outlines the responsibilities of the Greater North Dakota Association and Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park regarding the dedication ceremonies for the park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-05-26
Gardner, W. L. (William L.), 1880-1956; Hanks, Allyn F. (Allyn Frank), 1906-1973
Ray H. Mattison, historian for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, gives a report on the recent dedication ceremony for the park. Mattison lists the names of the members of the planning committee and of the program participants, provides an estimate of the number of people in attendance at the ceremony, and describes the pageant that was presented. He also provides a list of names of noteworthy guests.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-06-20
Howard W. Baker, Associate Regional Director for Region II of the National Park Service, writes to Allyn F. Hanks, Superintendent of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, regarding Hanks’s request for a Department of the Interior Official Directory. Hanks requested the Directory so that invitations could be issued for the park’s dedication ceremony.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-03-31