History & Culture

Human presence in the Little Missouri River Badlands stretches back thousands of years. Indigenous peoples including the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, and later the Lakota (Sioux) lived, hunted, and traveled through the region, relying on bison herds and river corridors for survival. The badlands’ rugged terrain offered both resources and refuge, forming part of long-standing cultural and trade networks across the northern Plains.

In the 1880s, the area became deeply connected to Theodore Roosevelt, who arrived in the North Dakota Badlands following the deaths of his wife and mother on the same day in 1884. Roosevelt invested in ranching operations, including the Elkhorn Ranch, and spent extended time living in the badlands. These experiences profoundly shaped his views on conservation, land stewardship, and the importance of protecting wild places.

Recognizing both the region’s natural significance and its connection to Roosevelt’s legacy, the area was first designated Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park in 1947 under President Harry S. Truman. In 1978, the site was redesignated as Theodore Roosevelt National Park by an act of Congress signed during the administration of President Jimmy Carter, ensuring permanent protection of the badlands landscape that helped inspire the modern conservation movement.