Medora in Billings County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Historic Medora—Boom and Bust
Photographed By Connor Olson, August 3, 2020
1. Historic Medora-Boom an Bust Marker
Inscription.
Historic Medora—Boom and Bust. . The Marquis de Mores, a charismatic French nobleman, founded Medora in 1883. The Northern Pacific Railroad had reached the badlands only three years prior, opening the region to entrepreneurs and adventurers from the East.
For a few years the town grew and thrived while the local cattle industry flourished. The severe winter of 1886-87 killed much of the area's livestock, causing the industry, and eventually the town, to collapse.
Medora , Even during Medora's prosperous years, the town consisted of only a scattering of buildings and homes. The most notable buildings were a catholic church, a general store, a hotel, and a train depot.
De Mores Meat Packing Plant , A chimney and a few stone walls are the remnants of Medora's cornerstone operation and the Marquis' chief business venture. Shipping beef in refrigerated railcars proved profitable, but the extreme winter of 1886-87 devastated area cattle herds and put the meat packing plant out of business.
Chateau de Mores , The Marquis' 26-room hunting lodge, built in 1883, sits on a hilltop overlooking the town he named for his wife, Medora. The home was restored by the Civilian Conservation Corps and is now a museum.
Little Missouri , The tiny town of Little Missouri got its start around 1880 thanks to arrival of the railroad and construction of a military cantonment nearby. The town slowly dissolved after the founding of Medora on the other side of the Little Missouri River.
Modern-day Medora . , Decades later, Medora would recover from the ranching bust thanks largely to the efforts of Harold Schafer, who invested his fortune to revitalize the town. Medora's thriving economy now centers around tourism.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park , South Unit Visitor Center
Theodore Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin , (originally located 7 miles south)
Chimney Park , State Historical Society of North Dakota
Chateau de Mores Interpretive Center , State Historical Society of North Dakota
The Marquis de Mores, a charismatic French nobleman, founded Medora in 1883. The Northern Pacific Railroad had reached the badlands only three years prior, opening the region to entrepreneurs and adventurers from the East.
For a few years the town grew and thrived while the local cattle industry flourished. The severe winter of 1886-87 killed much of the area's livestock, causing the industry, and eventually the town, to collapse.
Medora
Even during Medora's prosperous years, the town consisted of only a scattering of buildings and homes. The most notable buildings were a catholic church, a general store, a hotel, and a train depot.
De Mores Meat Packing Plant
A chimney and a few stone walls are the remnants of Medora's cornerstone operation and the Marquis' chief business venture. Shipping beef in refrigerated railcars proved profitable, but the extreme winter of 1886-87 devastated area cattle herds and put the meat packing plant out of business.
Chateau de Mores
The Marquis' 26-room hunting lodge, built in 1883, sits on a hilltop overlooking the town he named for his wife, Medora. The home was restored by the Civilian Conservation Corps and is now a museum.
Little Missouri
The
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tiny town of Little Missouri got its start around 1880 thanks to arrival of the railroad and construction of a military cantonment nearby. The town slowly dissolved after the founding of Medora on the other side of the Little Missouri River.
Modern-day Medora
Decades later, Medora would recover from the ranching bust thanks largely to the efforts of Harold Schafer, who invested his fortune to revitalize the town. Medora's thriving economy now centers around tourism.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
South Unit Visitor Center
Theodore Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin
(originally located 7 miles south)
Chimney Park
State Historical Society of North Dakota
Chateau de Mores Interpretive Center
State Historical Society of North Dakota
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Location. 46° 55.163′ N, 103° 31.574′ W. Marker is in Medora, North Dakota, in Billings County. Marker is on East River Road, on the left when traveling
Credits. This page was last revised on August 19, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2020, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 321 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 18, 2020, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
