Then and now — See changes to East Entrance of Theodore Roosevelt National Park

We sat on top of a hill that old Highway 10, the Old Red Trail had once wrapped around to take traffic past the park.

Then

We love finding old photos and doing our best to locate the scene so we can duplicate the shot. When the weather was warm enough for a picnic, we headed to the East Entrance of the South Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It’s a short jaunt, through a prairie dog town. Lining up the photo we printed out from the National Park Service, we were able to recreate the shot.

There was one way into the Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit in the late 50s. From a winding, hilly Highway 10 northeast of Medora, people could enter the park from the east.

From about 1960, cars line up just off of old Highway 10, about 15 miles northeast of Medora. (Photo: public domain, National Park Service)

Now

April 1, 2018, East Entrance to South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Flagpole and outside monument are gone, and the hills have changed a bit, getting softer, and adding more vegetation.

The East Entrance is still there, but only as a landmark, and accessible only by a short trail, less than one-mile-long through a prairie dog town.

We discovered that when we lined up this shot, we were very nearly on the old roadbed of Highway 10 that used to wrap around the hills and valleys.

If you want a quick hike without much effort, the East Entrance Trail will lead you through the prairie dog town to the old entrance and back to your car in about 30 minutes. Of course, you can use the short trail as a jumping-off point to go explore the region, climb some hills and see the view. We did.

We sat on top of a hill that old Highway 10, the Old Red Trail had once wrapped around to take traffic past the park.

Do you remember the old rodeo days? That’s the topic of this “then and now?” The Killdeer Rodeo?

Peaceful Valley Ranch is another “then and now” image comparison from the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Here’s a “then and now,”A historic church building was moved to be preserved, otherwise it would be under water.

Share this with a friend who likes to see history. Just click “share.”

Mike Kopp

Love to tell stories -- romantic, nostalgic stories of our explorations in the Northern Plains. 15 years a television reporter/anchor, 12 years radio news director, 3 years newspaper editor, 6 years documentary producer -- a lifetime of communication.

Next What happened to Highway 16? *POOF* It ends! Part 1 Sentinel Butte to Golva »

Previous « Part 2 -- Small Sightings and the Sounds of Solace -- Spring, Songbirds and Theodore Roosevelt

View Comments

Deb Ness says:

April 5, 2018 at 7:12 am

That short is on our list! Thanks for the story.
- Mike Kopp says:
  
  April 5, 2018 at 9:37 am
  
  Deb, feel free to wander the region...and watch out for the prairie dogs! They'll laugh at you -- or whatever that is they do to passing humans. ;-)
Janinne L Paulson says:

July 25, 2019 at 1:59 pm

The Memorial Congregational Church was destroyed by an arsonist earlier this year. :-( This piece with it's additional links was written about a year before the fire, so I'm sure you know that. Just thought your readers might like to know that it's no longer there. The cemetery is still there, though.
- Mike Kopp says:
  
  July 28, 2019 at 2:45 pm
  
  Hi Janine, yes, that is a tragic event. We wrote about that event here:
  https://www.beautifulbadlandsnd.com/hearts-broken-and-memories-lost-by-arsonist-burning-elbowoods-church/