Theodore Roosevelt National Park Turns 60 Years Old

Date: April 27, 2007
Contact: Bruce Kaye, 701-623-4466

Theodore Roosevelt National Park turns 60 years old on April 25.  In recognition of this notable milestone the park will host an open house at the South Unit Visitor Center in Medora on Wednesday, April 25 between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. MDT.  Everyone is invited to stop by for refreshments and help celebrate the park’s birthday.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park was added to the National Park System as a memorial park on April 25, 1947, to pay tribute to a great leader and for the 26th president’s enduring contributions to the conservation of our nation’s resources.  Later, on November 10, 1978, this site gained national park status in recognition of its many diverse cultural and natural features.

During its 60-year-old history, the park has provided panoramic vistas and a sense of solitude, inspiration, and timelessness similar to Theodore Roosevelt’s experience in Dakota Territory in the 1880s. 

Today, Theodore Roosevelt National Park diligently protects and preserves the natural scene and the cultural landscape and provides the opportunity to understand and appreciate the rugged Little Missouri Badlands topography, with its unique flora and fauna, which inspired Theodore Roosevelt in the 1880s.  The park provides the opportunity for a half a million visitors a year to experience a great mix of prairie plants and animals and to learn about an environment and way of life that helped shape Theodore Roosevelt’s attitudes and philosophy regarding conservation.

“This landmark anniversary is a great time to remind everyone that the park has a lot to offer,” remarked Valerie Naylor, park superintendent. “I encourage all to explore and discover what this national treasure has to offer.  To look at its past and think about the future of this extraordinary place.”