Medora

Explore North Dakota’s wild side in Theodore Roosevelt’s stomping grounds

One of North Dakota’s undisputed highlights, the restored Old West town of Medora oozes historical charm. Founded by a French nobleman, the Marquis de Mores, it’s a place to leisurely wander along cobblestone streets and dip into quaint stores and museums, which are quirky and informative in equal measure.

Château de Mores

Just southwest of Medora, Château de Mores State Historic Site commemorates the life and work of Antoine de Vallombrosa, the Marquis de Mores, who founded the town in 1883. Originally built as a summer residence for the Mores family, the 26-room, two-story frame building has been given a multimillion-dollar nip and tuck and is now a museum.

Frontier Tales

Medora’s museums and attractions speak to the region’s pioneer past. The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame entertains young families with a colorful, interactive homage to the American cowboy. You can also relive frontier history with an entertaining 30-minute stagecoach ride that retraces the Medora to Deadwood Stagecoach Line. From early June to mid-September, the town celebrates the Pitchfork Steak Fondue.

Tap your toes at the Medora Musical, performed at the Burning Hills Amphitheater and featuring western-themed song and dance performances.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Theodore Roosevelt credited his presidential accomplishments to his experiences in North Dakota’s Badlands, where he hunted and ranched. Concerned about the future of America’s wilderness, Roosevelt’s conservation efforts led to the founding of the National Park Service. Theodore Roosevelt National Park was designated in 1947, in honor of the man.

The park’s popular south unit features an awe-inspiring, 36-mile scenic driving route and a petrified forest. There’s also the Painted Canyon, which provides travelers the first view of the Badlands when driving west on Interstate 94. The views from the canyon of grasslands and prairie broken by the inhospitable Badlands terrain have inspired fear and awe in travelers for centuries.

For More Information

Medora Area Convention and

Visitors Bureau

701-623-4830

www.medorand.com

North Dakota Tourism Division

800-435-5663

www.ndtourism.com