BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) - A new exhibition featuring 26 original watercolors by Medora Manca, the namesake of the western North Dakota town of Medora, opened Wednesday at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum.

Titled “Medora: Artist. Heiress. Bear Hunter. Namesake of a Wild West Town,” the free exhibit highlights Manca’s artistic legacy and adventurous life. Alongside her paintings of the Badlands, the display includes photographs, personal items, her riding outfit, and a portable outdoor painting studio.

Manca was married to the Marquis de Morès, who founded the town in 1883. Their former hunting lodge is now the Chateau de Morès State Historic Site.

The exhibition runs through March 2026 in the Governors Gallery. Museum hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and

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