Watford City in McKenzie County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Man and Grass
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 21, 2015
1. Man and Grass Marker
Throughout history livestock growing has depended upon abundant grasslands. An unused sea of grass in this region attracted cattlemen who brought large herds here in the early 1880s. Damage from overstocking and overgrazing brought a quick decline of the open range cattle industry. Protection today is healing the effects of past abuse of the vegetation. Grass within the park now supports the native wildlife.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Industry & Commerce.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 47° 37.715′ N, 103° 23.54′ W. Marker was in Watford City, North Dakota, in McKenzie County. It was on Scenic Drive, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located at the Man and Grass Pullout in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Watford City ND 58854, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker was in North Dakota’s Bakken Oil Patch. It was also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor, on the prairies, and on the Northern Plains. Globally, it was in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies: Work in Progress / Better Together (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bentonitic Clay (approx. 0.7 miles away); The View that Launched a Park
this page online
Other markers no longer nearby. Building From Hard Times (was approx. 1½ miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Edge of a Glacier (was approx. 2.3 miles away but has been permanently removed); Long X Cattle Trail (was approx. 2.8 miles away but has been permanently removed); Roosevelt and the Boat Thieves (was approx. 2.9 miles away but has been permanently removed); Cannon Ball Concretions (was approx. 3.6 miles away but has been permanently removed).
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 21, 2015
2. Man and Grass Marker
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 21, 2015
3. Marker in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 14, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 492 times since then and 18 times this year. Last updated on August 20, 2025, by Susan Van Den Bosch of Almond, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 14, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
