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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.
Historian Ray H. Mattison writes to Hermann Hagedorn to request the names and addresses of the Board of Trustees for the Roosevelt Memorial Association, of which Hagedorn is secretary. Mattison hopes to invite Hagedorn and the members of the Board to the upcoming dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-03-15
Einar Dahl writes to the Greater North Dakota Association Executive Secretary LeRoy Pease regarding some buttons that are missing after the dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. The buttons were to be sold as a fundraiser for an event during the dedication ceremonies.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-07-27
LeRoy Pease writes to Einar Dahl regarding fundraising buttons that were sold during the dedication ceremony for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Pease, secretary for the Greater North Dakota Association, needs Dahl to provide information about how many buttons were sold so that expenses can be settled for the dedication ceremony.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-08-12
Ray H. Mattison, the historian at Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, writes to the Eaton Ranch to request contact information for the descendants of Howard Eaton and his brothers. Eaton was a close friend of Theodore Roosevelt during his time in the North Dakota Badlands, and Mattison would like to invite the brothers’ descendants to the park dedication ceremony.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-02-15
Ray H. Mattison, Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park historian, writes to Hermann Hagedorn, Roosevelt Memorial Association Secretary, requesting information on the descendants of Theodore Roosevelt’s associates in the North Dakota Badlands. Mattison wishes to invite them to the park’s dedication ceremony. Mattison also requests the Association’s help in deciding who to invite to the ceremony.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-02-14
Herbert Evison, Chief of Information for the National Park Service, informs John Bennett Silas that a copy of the letter Silas sent to NPS Headquarters in Washington, D.C., is being forwarded to the Superintendent of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Silas’s letter informed the NPS of his mother’s family’s association with Theodore Roosevelt and the Marquis de Mores when all were living in the North Dakota Badlands. Evison notes that TRNMP will be interested in this information given the upcoming dedication ceremony for the park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1949-05-05
Kate Roberts Pelissier writes to Ray H. Mattison, historian at Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, to inquire if she can be of any help regarding questions about the history of the Medora area. Pelissier, whose mother was Margaret Roberts, a good friend of Theodore Roosevelt, gives a brief history of her family’s time in the North Dakota Badlands.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1948-12-14
Ray H. Mattison thanks Kate Roberts Pelissier for her letter offering to help with any questions he might have about the history of the Medora area. Mattison notes that he plans to interview area residents who were personally acquainted with Theodore Roosevelt during his time in the North Dakota badlands. Pelissier is the daughter of one of those people, Margaret Barr Roberts.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1948-12-16
George Alexander Grant, National Park Service photographer, writes to Allyn F. Hanks, Superintendent of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, regarding photographs Grant took of long-time Medora residents. Grant apologizes for the delay in getting the photographs processed and informs Hanks that he has mailed some prints but not all of them. Grant also notes that prints should be sent to Russell Reid, historian for the state of North Dakota.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1948-11-26
Allyn F. Hanks, Superintendent of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, informs the National Park Service Regional Director that a hearing regarding a lawsuit that originated with the park’s dedication ceremony has been postponed. Hanks informs the Director that in the case of McCarten vs. the Greater North Dakota Association, a settlement was reached out of court.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1952-11-25
Allyn F. Hanks, Superintendent of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, informs the National Park Service’s Regional Director of a lawsuit that originated with the park’s dedication ceremony. Hanks had thought the case had been dropped but has learned that he may be subpoenaed. The lawsuit was brought against the Greater North Dakota Association by a program participant who claimed he had been injured during the ceremony.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1952-11-14
Superintendent Hanks writes to the National Park Service Regional Director regarding a lawsuit that is being brought against the Greater North Dakota Association. James McCarten, a participant in the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park dedication program, was injured and is suing the GNDA for medical expenses. Hanks encloses a report by District Ranger Grimm about the incident.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1950-04-26
Photograph of a group of Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees taking a break at a job site within the Roosevelt Recreation Demonstration Area.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1935
Photograph of Civilian Conservation Corps defunct vehicle dump within the Roosevelt Recreation Demonstration Area.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1935-12-28
John H. Hutton provides short answers to questions about the six months he spent in the Civilian Conservation Corps stationed near Watford City, North Dakota. Hutton does provide the names of supervisors and fellow CCC alumni, but the majority of his answers are fairly limited.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1984
Harvey D. Wickware, Superintendent of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, asks Melvern Kloubec to fill out a questionnaire about his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Wickware informs Kloubec that there will also be a reunion of CCC alumni at the park this summer.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1984-01-05
Gordon L. Mueller offers many details about the two years he spent in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Mueller was never stationed in the badlands and instead spent all his time in Northern Minnesota. Mueller provides descriptions of what life was like during the Great Depression, his own and others’ views of the CCC, projects on which he worked, and how his time in the CCC affected him in later life.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1984-01-19
Norman V. McLeod recalls in detail the positive experiences he had during the six months he spent in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Because he was not needed at the camp in Medora, North Dakota, McLeod spent two weeks there and was then transferred to northern Minnesota. McLeod reflects on the impacts the CCC had on him, the training he received, and the people with whom he worked. McLeod also includes a short note with more information on the two weeks he spent in Medora, and returns the letter sent to him with the questionnaire with a short note on it as well.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1984
Harvey D. Wickware writes a form letter to Civilian Conservation Corps alumnus Everett Rarich asking them to complete a questionnaire about their time in the CCC. Wickware also informs Rarich of plans for a reunion of CCC alumni. On the top of the letter, handwritten by an unknown person, is the note “this man passed away in Oregon 1963 or around that time.” The letter was returned to the park by this person.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1984-01-05
Harvey D. Wickware requests that A. K. Sillers fill out a questionnaire about his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Sillers sends this letter back with the completed questionnaire, and notes that his memories of his time in the CCC are fading.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1984-01-05