[Transcript]

The Unique Honor of Theodore Roosevelt National Park

All right, before we get any further, let's address the elephant in the room. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is the only national park named after a person. And why is that? And why did Teddy, I mean T.R., get his own park? Hmm. 

Well, sorry for the cliffhanger, but I'll tell you all about how this park came to be later in the tour. For now, let's talk a little about the man himself, because I really want you to see this place through his eyes.

T.R.'s First Encounter with the Badlands

Now, take a look out your window at those Badlands. Imagine a young T.R. coming here for the first time on a hunting trip in 1883, when he was just 24 years old. T.R. spent 15 days hunting bison and other game, and absolutely fell in love with the area. If you stopped at the visitor's center, you may have seen his first hunting cabin, the Maltese Cross.

But it wasn't until a year later that T.R. actually moved here. That year started out great for the Roosevelts. At just 25 years old, T.R.'s political career was on the rise.

Tragedy Strikes

And on February 12th, his wife gave birth to their daughter, Alice. But just two days later, T.R.'s life took a tragic turn. On that cold, bitter Valentine's Day morning in 1884, T.R.'s mother died.

And then, just hours later, his beloved wife also died. In one day, T.R. became a motherless widower, with a newborn child to care for. He wrote in his journal, The light has gone out of my life.

Seeking Solace in the Badlands

And so, T.R. left his infant daughter with his sister, and retreated to the solace of the Badlands, to be alone with his grief. But what about his daughter, and his burgeoning political career?

As the tour continues, we'll learn more about T.R. and his time here. And I'll occasionally share quotes from his books and journals, to try and help you see this place through his eyes.