Log cabins--Conservation and restoration

Historian Ray H. Mattison reports on his study of the authenticity of the Maltese Cross cabin. Mattison concludes that the cabin in question is the one occupied by Roosevelt when he first moved to Medora, North Dakota. Whether or not it was his home beyond 1885, it continued to be the base of Roosevelt’s cattle ranching operation. In addition to a thorough history of Roosevelt’s time in the Badlands Region and the efforts of others to preserve and/or showcase the Maltese Cross cabin, the report includes photos and sworn affidavits from Medora locals.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1950-05-24

Creator(s)

Mattison, Ray H., 1903-1980

Four note cards cite newspaper articles concerning Theodore Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin being moved back to the North Dakota Badlands from the state capitol grounds in Bismarck, North Dakota. Three cards were created by the State Historical Society of North Dakota (SHSND).

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1949

Creator(s)

Unknown

Article discusses the relocation of the Maltese Cross Cabin to the North Dakota Badlands and the dedication of new facilities at Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1959-08-26

Creator(s)

Unknown

William Oren Trenor, current owner of the land that made up Theodore Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross ranch, is building two cabins based on the buildings used by Roosevelt. He has been advised by Joseph A. Ferris and George W. Myers.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1936-08-03

Creator(s)

Unknown

Newspaper photo with caption of the Maltese Cross cabin being moved to Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park by a flatbed truck.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1959

Creator(s)

Weinrich, Bernard W., 1937-

Three titles undergo scrutiny in the “Book Review” section. William N. Tilchin admires Candice Millard’s The River of Doubt about the Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Expedition of Brazil’s River of Doubt, and he provides a summary of its contents, noting that it would meet with Theodore Roosevelt’s approval as a combination of history and literature. Robert Wexelblatt expresses mixed feelings about Morton L. Kurland’s historical novel Theodore Roosevelt Rides Again, noting that the author takes care with historical facts, but that his portrait of Roosevelt is cartoonish and “the writing is uneven and uncertain.” Gregory A. Wynn finds that Mike Thompson’s The Travels and Tribulations of Theodore Roosevelt’s Cabin adds to the understanding of Roosevelt’s time in the Dakota Badlands with its many details about the cabin and the rancher who inhabited it.

Two photographs of Roosevelt during the River of Doubt expedition and one of the Maltese Cross cabin appear in the review section.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

2007

A form nominating the Elkhorn Ranch Site and Maltese Cross Cabin in Theodore Roosevelt National Park for entry onto the National Register of Historic Places. The form includes basic information about these sites, including name, location, and managing agency, as well as descriptions of the physical appearance of the sites and statements describing their historical significance.

Collection

Midwest Archeological Center

Creation Date

1976-12-22

Creator(s)

Wyatt, Barbara