Theodore Roosevelt first visited the Dakota Territory in 1883 to hunt bison, but a personal tragedy a year later led him back here to re-center.  He built a ranch, which ultimately failed, but the rugged beauty brought him back again and again for the rest of his life.   More importantly, Roosevelt credited his experiences in the badlands for shaping his character and his preservation policies.  As president, he established the U.S. Forest Service and signed the 1906 Antiquities Act, under which he proclaimed 18 national monuments.  He worked with Congress to create 5 national parks, 150 national forests and dozens of federal preserves resulting in over 230 million acres of protected land.  Needless to say, he drastically expanded the national park system.  He championed it and it has  served as a model for other countries preserving land around the world.  To honor Roosevelt, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established in 1947.

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