Our visit to Medora started at the South Unit Visitor Center for Theodore Roosevelt National Park. With our limited time, we did all we could do there: admired the informative exhibits, watched the 17-minute park film to acquaint us with the park, and toured the Maltese Cross Cabin.
The little museum houses artifacts from Theodore Roosevelt's presidency and his time in the Badlands. This was our North Dakota introduction to the "man of the day". In 1901 Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th President of the United States, and ultimately one of its greatest conservationists. He later said, "I would not have been president had it not been for my experience in North Dakota."
Those experiences began in 1883, when Roosevelt arrived in the Dakota Badlands to hunt bison. Before he left, he purchased the primary interest in the Chimney Butte Ranch (known locally as the Maltese Cross Ranch). Roosevelt thrived on the vigorous outdoor lifestyle, actively participating in the life of a working cowboy. He would write three books about his experiences, which would deepen and broaden his career-defining conservation ethic.At Roosevelt's request, ranch managers Sylvane Ferris and Bill Merrifield built a one and one-half story cabin complete with a shingled roof and root cellar. Constructed of durable ponderosa pine logs, the cabin was larger than most frontier homes, with wooden floors and three separate rooms (kitchen, living room and Roosevelt's bedroom). The steeply pitched roof, an oddity on the northern plains, created an upstairs sleeping loft for the ranch hands.What became known as the Maltese Cross Cabin was only a temporary home for Roosevelt. He would split his time between Dakota and New York for the next several years. After returning to Dakota in 1884, he established a second ranch he named the Elkhorn. By 1887, Roosevelt began to sell his interests in the cattle industry. By 1900 the Maltese Cross Cabin was claimed by other residents.
Noon found us at the Town Square Patio delighting in the music of the Coal Diggers.After lunch we had the opportunity to learn about another great man of Medora- Harold Shafer. Creator and Chairman of the Board of Gold Seal Company, Harold Schafer is the founder of North Dakota's largest home-owned business. In addition, he is responsible for restoration and development of Medora, one of North Dakota's leading tourist attractionsBefore founding the Gold Seal Company on May 1, 1942, Schafer traveled western North Dakota working for several Bismarck firms. At the time of its founding, his company was only regional, but soon the Gold Seal products, among them Glass Wax, Mr. Bubble and Snowy Bleach, became known worldwide.His local story fascinates me. Harold had a lifelong interest and love for the Badlands and the little town of Medora. He felt a kinship with Teddy Roosevelt because of their shared love of the great North Dakota Badlands and desire to be of service to others. Harold was known throughout North Dakota for his generosity and community spirit. As he grew older he gave the town of Medora more and more of his devotion and energy. In 1962, when Mr. Bubble was beginning to take the world by storm, and add more profits to the Gold Seal Company, Harold Schafer purchased the old Rough Rider Hotel and Ferris Store in Medora and restored it.
The Coal Diggers was an incredible band, many of whom we saw performing in Town Square.The guest performer was the delightful duo rePercussion. "It starts as a show. It ends with the room playing along. Stand-up timing. Improv instincts. Electronic beats. Stupidly good drumming. Funny. Loud. Interactive. rePercussion blurs the line between rock concert and stand up comedy. The audience isn’t just watching—they’re reacting, clapping along, laughing, becoming a part of the show!"
City pride.State pride. Their version of "Almost heaven, North Dakota" had us laughing and missing John Denver.America pride. What a show!
What a thoroughly full, wonderful day in Medora. We came for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library yet discovered so much more. We will be back!
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