From Rushmore to the Badlands: Theodore Roosevelt Association visits Dickinson

Jul. 11—DICKINSON — Members of the Theodore Roosevelt Association have embarked on their 2023 Strenuous Life Adventure, an immersive trip spanning three states and tracing the footsteps of one of America's most iconic leaders.

The group of Roosevelt enthusiasts meandered from Mount Rushmore in South Dakota to Devils Tower in Wyoming, ultimately finding themselves in North Dakota where they discovered a trove of Teddy treasures and knowledge at DSU.

Theodore Roosevelt, revered for his unwavering dedication to conservation, progressive politics and the embodiment of the strenuous life, continues to captivate hearts and minds even a century after his presidency.

David Architzel, Chair and President of TRA, emphasized the significance of the relationship between DSU and their organization in preserving and providing accessibility to Theodore Roosevelt relics.

"The reason we're out here is for the TRA is to be aware of the great work many of our partners are doing and Dickinson State University's TR Center is a very important partner," Architzel said.

Architzlel's interest in Roosevelt began as a young boy growing up in New York, visiting sites like Hyde Park and Sagamore Hill. His fascination with Roosevelt grew during his time as a naval aviator and later as the sixth commanding officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

"TR lives within that ship to this day. I loved that and it was easy to be commanding officer of a ship with someone like that as the namesake," Architzel said.

The expedition drew in passionate individuals from across the country like Rod Sullivan and his wife who made the trip from Florida.

"I really enjoyed the two student presentations. I enjoyed meeting President Easton and the staff here at the Roosevelt Center. I use the digital library a lot so I'm glad to see where it's physically housed. So I would say coming to Dickinson is probably the highlight of the trip," Sullivan said.

Sullivan has been with the TRA for about 10 years, though his interest in the 26th president started far earlier than that.

"Originally, I got interested in Roosevelt because my great-grandfather put the plumbing into Sagamore Hill so every year we made a family pilgrimage to Sagamore Hill to make sure the plumbing was still there. My grandmother was very proud of the fact that her father had put that plumbing in," Sullivan said.

There may be a certain level of irony in asking a room full of Teddy Roosevelt enthusiasts what it is they admire about him, though TRA Vice President Andrew Roosevelt had an answer.

"I think really, one takeaway from everything is just his enthusiasm for life and doing the right thing and basing most of his actions through his values and what he thought was right," Andrew said.

As Andrew notes, North Dakota played a crucial role in Roosevelt's life in healing from the tragic death of his wife and mother.

"It was such a big important part of TR's life and how his not only healing from the tragedy of Valentine's Day of his mom and his wife but also just a cleansing of the soul outdoors in nature. That's certainly affected his life. I mean, he always loved nature, but it was a really cathartic and cleansing experience for him," Andrew said.

Sharing a similar connection to Roosevelt, Tom Lorentzen embarked on a journey from California to the Badlands in memory of his lifelong friend, Susan.

"She's traveling with me incognito," Lorentzen said, pulling a card with a picture of Susan on it from his wallet.

Susan recently passed away from breast cancer making the trip a deeply sentimental one for Lorentzen.

"She really wanted to go on this trip. She went back to DC, we stayed together 35 years long distance and so it's a trip she really wanted to come up to see the Dakotas so I'm here in part for that," Lorentzen said.

As members of the TRA conclude their 2023 adventure, each step taken pays homage to a man who revolutionized American history while finding solace and inspiration from Theodore Roosevelt himself and the essence of a life truly lived.