Peaceful Valley Ranch

Peaceful Valley Ranch is a historic homestead in Theodore Roosevelt National Park featuring a one-and-a-half-story building designed in Victorian style. The main structure has encircling porches with a log addition extending toward the Little Missouri River in the rear.

Benjamin Lamb acquired the property in 1885 and built the original structures that later became part of the Roosevelt Recreation Demonstration Area. The site then developed into a significant location for recreation and understanding the badlands landscape.

The ranch served as a gathering place for visitors seeking horseback exploration of the badlands landscape. It reflects how ranching families in this region adapted their homesteads to welcome travelers.

The property sits roughly 3 miles from Medora and offers visitors parking areas, picnic spots, and restroom facilities. You can walk around the grounds and photograph the historic structures at your own pace.

This ranch house is the only original homestead structure surviving in the South Unit of the park while maintaining its Victorian design among predominantly log-built buildings. Its architectural style sets it apart from the typical log cabins found throughout the area.

Location: Medora

Inception: 1885

Architectural style: Victorian architecture

GPS coordinates: 46.95889,-103.50361

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:40