Theodore Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin

Theodore Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin is a small structure made from ponderosa pine logs containing three rooms: a kitchen, a living area, and Roosevelt's personal sleeping quarters with wooden floors. The building now sits at the South Unit Visitor Center of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, restored to show how it looked during his ranching days.

Roosevelt bought the Chimney Butte Ranch in 1883 during a hunting expedition to Dakota Territory and spent several years as an active rancher. His time working the land gave him direct experience that later drove his conservation efforts and protection of wild spaces.

The cabin shows how frontier life shaped Roosevelt's thinking as he lived among ranchers and settlers in the Dakota Territory. It represents a moment when Eastern ideals met the realities of survival on the Great Plains.

The cabin interior is open to visitors throughout all seasons, with access provided through the South Unit Visitor Center. The location is somewhat remote, being part of a national park far from major towns, so plan accordingly when making the trip.

The cabin traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1904 World's Fair and later to Portland, Oregon, as part of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. These journeys made it a well-known attraction far from North Dakota before it eventually returned to its current home.

Location: North Dakota

GPS coordinates: 46.91690,-103.52600

Latest update: December 10, 2025 15:58