Visit Medora, North Dakota

When you're planning your trip out West for next summer, you might want to include Medora, North Dakota, on your itinerary. My wife and I first came close to Medora in 2004 on a trip to visit my wife's cousin in Montana. Our time and knowledge were limited at the time, and we didn't know all of the activities available in this small town.

We learned more when we attended a play in the Twin Cities and noticed an ad for Medora on the back of the program. We did some checking and eventually included Medora in our plans for a trip to the northwest United States this year (2008).

Medora (the official 2007 population was 92 people) lives off the tourist trade. What the town lacks in size, it makes up in activities.

The biggest draw during the summer season is the Pitchfork Steak Fondue and Medora Musical. The dates for the 2009 season are June 3 through September 6. Both activities are held outdoors, although there is a roof over part of the area where the Pitchfork Steak Fondue is served. Reservations for the both events can be made online or by phone. Reserve early to be sure you get tickets for the dates most convenient for you.

The Pitchfork Steak Fondue. Most of you probably have some idea of what fondue is: a piece of meat on a fork and cooked in hot oil. Enlarge your thinking to a good-sized steak on pitchfork and you have a good idea of what Pitchfork Fondue! My wife and I didn't see it actually being cooked, but we saw the steaks being loaded up on pitchforks and we tasted the result. It was great! Each steak had two holes in it, but it was great! There were 300 of us to be served our steak, baked potato, beans, vegetables, brownie, beverage, etc., but it took a relatively short time.

Medora Musical. After supper, we had time to wander the grounds before going to our seats for the musical in a beautiful outdoor theater. A nice touch was an escalator to move people down to the seats. (There's also an elevator.) The musical, self-described on our Twin Cities play program as "a Broadway-quality, western variety show," was humorous, well-done, clean, and included a tribute to Theodore Roosevelt. There is a new show every year.

Other Activities. The Medora Web site lists a variety of activities to fill whatever time you may available during your time in the Medora area. My wife and I visited the Chateau de Mores, a home built by a prominent resident of the Dakota Territory, the Marquis de Mores. Medora is named for his wife. The chateau gives an up-close look at the lifestyle of the 1800s. The Theodore Roosevelt National Park is another stop in the Medora area. The park itself is not very exciting-it has the feel of the Badlands and it was a hot day when my wife and I drove through it. We enjoyed the prairie dogs and the roaming buffaloes...and the "Maltese Cross Cabin," named for the shape of the cross "branded" into a log that helps form a corner of the cabin. The cabin was the residence of Theodore Roosevelt during the time he lived, worked, and wrote in North Dakota. He later said, according to a National Parks Web site, "I would not have been President, had it not been for my experience in North Dakota". A tour guide at the cabin gave a good summary of Roosevelt and his time in North Dakota. A check of the Medora website will give the interested person a good overview of Medora's other activities, including golf, a Cowboy Hall of Fame, a doll museum, and many others.

Whether you have a short time or a lot of time to spend in Medora, you'll have no trouble finding something to do.

Sources:

www.medora.com/

www.nps.gov/thro/