Theodore Roosevelt National Park "I never would have been
President if it had not been for my experiences in North
Dakota," Theodore Roosevelt once remarked. Roosevelt first came
to the badlands in September 1883 on a hunting trip. While here
he became interested in the cattle business and invested in the
Maltese Cross Ranch. He returned the next year and established
the Elkhorn Ranch. Whenever he managed to spend time in the
badlands, he became more and more alarmed by the damage that was
being done to the land and its wildlife. He witnessed the
virtual destruction of some big game species, such as bison and
bighorn sheep. Overgrazing destroyed the grasslands and with
them the habitats for small mammals and songbirds. Conservation
increasingly became one of Roosevelt's major concerns. During
his Presidency, Roosevelt established the US Forest Service and
signed the 1906 Antiquities Act under which he proclaimed 18
national monuments. He also established 5 national parks, 51
wildlife refuges and 150 national