MEDORA, ND ( KX N ET ) — On Wednesday, state leaders traveled to western North Dakota to sign their names on a steel beam. That piece of heavy metal is one of the final pieces of structural support for the $450 million Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library .

It was a wet day in Medora, but also an important one — as people joined together, donning their hard hats and vests, to see how the building process has progressed.

The library will be the 15th of its kind in the nation, allowing North Dakota natives and visitors to learn and celebrate the legacy of America’s 26th president and his unique connection to the state. The library will be filled with books on and artifacts from Roosevelt, along with interactive AI and digital learning tools that help young visitors relate better to history.

“This is a place that’s going to be visited year-round,” stated Governor Doug Burgum. “And this is not going to be a bunch of objects under glass gathering dust. This is going to be more Disney than dust. This is going to be the only presidential library out of the 15 in the country where kids and grandkids will be dragging their parents to it, as opposed to parents dragging their kids to it.”

Project leaders say they’ve raised $270 million so far. State officials say that the investment in the library is about four times as much investment the town of Medora has seen in the last few years.

Construction has been underway this past year. The library’s foundation says nearly 20% of the building’s superstructure has already been completed.
It will also maintain the integrity of the natural Badlands landscape, particularly the topsoil.

After the last steel beam was laid down on Wednesday, August 14, legislators, donors, and neighbors showed up to sign and place the beam this morning. Governor Doug Burgum, Senator Kevin Cramer, Senator John Hoeven, and the library’s CEO Ed O’Keefe all made an appearance, speaking to the importance of this institution.

“This is not a building,” continued Burgum. “This is an institution that’s going to continue to add value for generations to come.”

With the beam in place, project leaders say plenty more work remains, and they need to fundraise another $130 million. It is estimated that the Presidential Library won’t be finished for another two years.

Gov. Burgum says he’s hoping the center will be ready to show off to visitors by July 4, 2026.

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