Hello from the other Badlands

Medora, ND  From Glacier National Park, Saturday, August 30th

Medora is the home of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  Roosevelt played a huge role in preserving the West for us "future generations" to enjoy.  Roosevelt had a strong connection to area around Medora, the Little Missouri River, and the Badlands as he chose this area to put his life back together after the death of his first wife.  This area is really dedicated to the cowboy.

In the 1880's most cattle were driven market or two a railhead to be shipped to large city (such as Chicago) for processing into beef.  Medora was founded in 1883 along the transcontinental rail line of the Northern Pacific Railway by French nobleman Marquis de Mores, who named the city after his wife Medora von Hoffman.  Marquis de Mores wanted to ship refrigerated meat to Chicago via the railroad. He built a meat packing plant for this purpose and a house named the Chateau de Mores, for his Summer guests.  After losing a reported $1.5mm (really big bucks in the 1880s), de Mores packed it in and moved back to Europe.  His wife and son maintained the house until it was sold to the state and preserved.  All that remains of the meat processing operation is the smoke stack.

North Dakota, South Dakota??  It's all flat (but greener) in those states.  This was on the way to Medora.

North Dakota Badlands

Looking across the non-tourist section of Medora towards our campground.
We were at the base of that bluff in the center of the picture.

 Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Wind/water erosion on a bluff above the Little Missouri River 

Little Missouri River 

Another prairie dog.  They were just about the only things stirring the morning
we took a drive on the wildlife loop.  Until the end...

We finally saw wild horses and a yearling (parents staring at it).  We had seen a small herd near the shoulder of I-94 but for some reason that didn't just seem wild enough as they were standing behind a clearly marked fence.  

 de Mores State Historical Site

The de Mores Summer cottage.  This building was preserved by caretakers after the death of the Count and remained in the family and maintained until purchased by the State of North Dakota.  Just about everything in the house is intact from the period it was constructed and occupied.  

I should mention that we did attend the really big Medora attraction - the Pitchfork Fondue and Medora Musical.  Quite a production and a must see in Medora. 

Our exploring was shortened a bit by the weather (rain) and we were not able to travel to the North Unit of the park.  So we hunkered down until we left for Montana and Glacier National Park.