Preparations are underway in Medora, North Dakota, for what is expected to be one of the largest celebrations the state has seen in years: the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Scheduled for July 1-5, 2026, this gala event coincides with the nation’s 250th birthday and is anticipated to attract between 20,000 to 40,000 attendees, including dignitaries and all living U.S. presidents.
The celebration will feature a series of events culminating in a dedication ceremony that honors the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt. The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation has invited a select group of VIPs, including major donors, to enjoy exclusive access to the library before it opens to the general public on July 5.
The event gained significant attention when National Geographic included the North Dakota Badlands in its “Best of the World” travel destinations for 2026, highlighting the library’s opening. The magazine described the library as a reflection of “a complex man — and an enigmatic landscape.”
Community Response and Preparedness
Medora, a small tourist town with a population of approximately 160, is preparing to welcome an influx of visitors, which will put substantial pressure on local law enforcement and emergency services. Russel Lapp, Medora’s Police Chief, expressed excitement about the event, calling it a “lifetime opportunity.” He and Dean Wyckoff, the Billings County Sheriff, have been coordinating with state officials to ensure adequate security measures are in place to manage the crowds.
The town is accustomed to hosting tourists, particularly due to attractions like the Medora Musical and its proximity to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. However, the scale of this library dedication is unprecedented. “We’ve had to deal with the oil boom in the past, which made things busier,” Wyckoff noted, but the upcoming celebration will still present unique challenges.
Infrastructure Enhancements
To accommodate the anticipated surge in visitors, local authorities are making significant infrastructure improvements. Collaborations with the U.S. Forest Service aim to enhance a secondary emergency route leading from the hilltop site of the library and the Burning Hills Amphitheater. This route will be upgraded with gravel to facilitate pedestrian and emergency vehicle access.
Chateau Road, the main paved access to the library, is also being expanded to include an additional lane, allowing for better traffic flow during the event. Matt Briney, Chief Communications Officer for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, indicated that planners are still refining logistics and crowd control measures.
Historical attendance figures from the dedication of what was then called the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park in 1949 provide a reference point for the expected turnout. At that time, estimates ranged from 20,000 to 60,000 attendees, with most agreeing on around 30,000. Briney emphasized that modern measures will allow for more effective crowd management.
The celebration will include speeches that will be broadcast for a wider audience, as well as three nights of drone shows visible from surrounding areas. “We think that will be a really spectacular thing to see,” Briney added.
The construction of the library itself, with a budget of $450 million, is nearing completion. The 96,000-square-foot building, designed to blend into the landscape with a sod-covered roof, is expected to be fully enclosed by mid-November, with interior work continuing into early 2026. The installation of exhibits, covering 50,000 square feet, will commence in late January or early February, keeping the project on schedule for its grand opening.
As anticipation builds for this historic event, Medora stands poised to celebrate a significant chapter in both its history and that of the nation.
