Roosevelt, Ranches, and Resources: Theodore Roosevelt National Park's Search for a Balance Between Human and Natural History

Abstract

National parks share the same challenge debating the significance of their cultural and natural resources. In the past, many parks decided to emphasize the value of natural resources over that of their human histories. Theodore Roosevelt National Park was an exception to that trend because of its connection to President Theodore Roosevelt. In the early years of the park’s existence, National Park Service management emphasized the value of its cultural resources. The preservation and interpretation of Theodore Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin and Elkhorn Ranch were two of the park’s top priorities. Around the 1980s, park officials increasingly placed emphasis on the park’s natural resources in an attempt to balance the significance of its natural and cultural resources. Through this attempt, Theodore Roosevelt National Park has embraced the concept that human and natural history cannot and should not be separated.