The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1916-07-29
MEDORA HOLDS
CELEBRATION
FOR TWO DAYS
THE RED TRAIL BRIDGE OVER
THE LITTLE MISSOURI IS
DEDICATED,
Remaining Time Given Over to
Mammoth Wild West Show
Thousands in Attendance,

Medora, the gem of the Bad Lands,
was the scene of mammoth gather
ing on Monday and Tuesday last,
when the annual Frontier Days cele-
bration was held and the Red Trail
bridge over the Little Missouri river
dedicated on Monday. Thousands of
people were in attendance, the great
er number coming in automobiles.
Others came by train, team and
horseback.
The ceremonies which formally
opened to traffic ''the Bridge that
Boost Built" were typical of frontier
days. Automobile parties, as they
dipped into the basin of the Little
Missouri, where Medora is located,
were met by cowboys and cowgirls,
headed by the Hebron band. Attired
in gay trappings of the plains, the
cow-pnucher gave an atmosphere to
the reception which had in it a touch
of the regal way in which the early
settlers of the Medora vicinity well
coined the "tenderfoots" of the east.
J. W. Foley and w. J. Ray, pron1i-
nent Medora men, were masters of
ceremony. Led by the band and the
cowboys, the vast throng moved out
to the bridge about 11:0O o'clock,
where the dedication ceremonies took
place. Mr.. Foley opened the program
with the reading of an interesting
paper dealing with the early history
of picturesque historic Medora. He
told of the struggles and tribula tions
of Marquis De Mores, the French
nobleman, who, inspired by the
picturesque surroundings, decided to
make this wonderful spot his home.
He built a beautiful home, church
and later packing plant, and named
the settlement, Medora, in honor of
his wife. Mr.. Foley also told of Ex-
President Roosevelt, who for thirteen
years was the owner of a ranch at
Medora. He told Of the Bad Lands
when they were a paradise for the
game hunter-in fact he followed the
history of his interesting town up
until the time of the building of the
bridge across the river, forming the
connecting link of the Red Trail,
which now extends from coast to
coast.
The bridge, costing in the neigh
borhood of $4,000, was the result of
a big boosting campaign, headed by
F. W. Turner and John Orchard of
Dickinson. Practically every dollar
that went to pay for the bridge was
raised by popular subscription in the
towns between Fargo, North Dakota,
and Fallon, Montana.
The dedication exercises were brief.
When Mr.. Foley completed the read
ing of his paper he introduced Cover
nor Hanna, who in a short address
depicted the wonderful growth of our
great west and the great strides that
have been made in the interest of
better roads. J. P. Hardy of Fargo,
secretary of the Red Trail associa-
ton, followed Mr.. Hanna with a few
remarks that were full of humor and
timely interest. Mr.. Foley then
called upon F. w. Turner of Dickin-
son, former president of the associa-
ton and chief booster for the Medora
bridge. Mr.. Turner was not antici-
pating a speech, but was equal to the
occasion and appeared before the
audience in his automobile togs and
told of many interesting incidents in
connection with the raising of money
and building the bridge.
Medora is the parental home of
Jimmie Foley, North Dakota's be-
loved poet. To dedicate the bridge
without the accompaniment Of a few
verses from his versatile pen, did not
seem just right, so friends got busy
and communicated with Mr.. Foley in
New York. The result is the poem,
CONTINUED on page 81.