Located in the heart of the North Dakota Badlands, Medora is a quirky little town with a population of just 181 —but don’t let its size fool you. This unassuming place played a pivotal role in shaping one of America’s greatest conservation legacies. Founded in 1883 by French nobleman Marquis de Mores as a hub for meatpacking and rail transport, Medora became the unexpected turning point in the life of a young, grieving Theodore Roosevelt.

Roosevelt came to hunt bison and seek solitude in Medora. Years later, he credited his time in the rugged Badlands of North Dakota for inspiring his conservation mindset, famously declaring, “I never would have been President had it not been for my time in North Dakota.” Today, Medora is the charming, underrated gateway to Theodore Roosevelt Nationa

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