ND Cowboy Hall of Fame - Archived Articles

1999

February 9, 1999

---HALL OF FAME MEETING, HONOREE CANDIDATES TO BE PICKED---

People from across the country are on their way home for the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame (NDCHF) annual meeting and banquet. The general membership meeting, gathering of Trustees to name potential 1999 Hall of Fame Honorees, and dinner/fund-raising auction will be held Saturday, February 26 and 27 at Mandan’s Seven Seas. The special banquet speaker will be former Dallas Cowboy running back and PRCA Cowboy Walt Garrison. Garrison will speak Saturday evening and a fund raising auction will follow.

Space limitations will only allow the sale of 325 banquet tickets and anyone wanting tickets is urged to make reservations at the Seven Seas quickly. Room and Banquet reservations are on a first come, first serve basis. They are limited but can be reserved by calling the Seven Seas at 663-7401.

Cowboy Hall of Fame Executive Director Darrell Dorgan says events begin Friday evening February 26^th with a free evening of entertainment and refreshments. On Saturday the 27, the Hall of Fame will hold its annual membership meeting at 11:00 a.m. Ground breaking for the Hall of Fame is now planned for the year 2001 in Medora and a highlight of the membership meeting will be a project progress report. At 2:00 p.m., the Hall of Fame Trustees will hold their annual meeting to pick potential honorees whose names will appear on the 1999 ballot.

In 1998 Trustees picked nine individuals and one event as the first inductees for the center of western heritage and history that will be built in Medora. Dorgan says this year there have again been numerous nominations and the Trustees will have to narrow down the list of names that will be on the 1999 ballot. Eleven inductees will eventually be selected for the Hall of Honorees in 1999. The 1999 Honorees will include: three ranchers and one ranch for the Ranching division; four individuals for the Rodeo Division; one person for excellence in the Western Arts and Entertainment Division; and one event for the Special Achievements Division. One individual will also be picked for the newly created Great Westerner Division. The Trustees will receive ballots in May. The Honorees selected will be formally inducted at ceremonies August 7^th and 8^th in Medora and Sentinel Butte.

A special fund raising auction will be held following the February 27 banquet with proceeds going to the Hall of Fame. Limited edition gifts for sale will include original oil paintings, pottery, vacation packages and antiques. Three commemorative rifles, part of a limited edition of 50 made for the Hall of Fame, will also be formally presented to Hall of Fame officials. One of the three will be sold this summer.

Work on the NDCHF began with a Bismarck organizational meeting four years ago and the group now has more than 800 members from across the country. Among the charter members are ranchers, cowboys, kids with a dream who have donated nickels and dimes, two U.S. Senators, a Judge and a nationally acclaimed opera singer.

Plans call for the center of western heritage and history to be located in the proposed multi-million dollar Center for the American West in Medora. The Center will be built by the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation with the Hall of Fame featured as the centerpiece of the project. The North Dakota Historical Society will also use part of the Center to display memorabilia and artifacts from the state’s rich western heritage.

March 5, 1999

---HALL OF FAME MEETING, HONOREE CANDIDATES TO BE PICKED---

The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame had a good year in 1998 and 1999 will be even better. But the secret is in the numbers. If you haven’t sent in your annual membership dues please do so now. Preserving yesterday and today for tomorrow costs. Also start planning for our second induction of Honorees in Medora on August 7^th and in Sentinel Butte at the Champions Ride on the 8^th. Last year’s induction at the beautiful Tjaden Terrace was nearly mystical. This year’s list of potential inductees is impressive and our ceremony will be even better. Mark your calendar today for the annual meeting and induction ceremonies. Order the limited banquet tickets for February 27^th today from the Seven Seas (663-7401). Make your room reservations for the weekend of August 7^th and 8^th in Medora soon (1-800-633-6721). Rooms will be at a premium.

March 8, 1999

---NOMINEES PICKED FOR COWBOY HALL OF FAME---

NDCHF Executive Director Darrell Dorgan says ballots will now go out, the Trustees will vote, and on August 7^th and 8^thten individuals and one event will be selected for the second round of inductions into the Hall of Fame.

Eight individuals were nominated in the ranching division. They include William V. Wade of Sioux. Emmons, Grant, Morton and Oliver Counties. Wade was a native of Massachusetts who helped settle much of central North Dakota. In addition to ranching, he also served as a Deputy U.S. Marshall and in the Legislature; Jay Grantier of McKenzie County. Grantier arrived in Dakota Territory in 1882 and worked as a buffalo hunter. He founded the Cattleman’s Association and was known as an outstanding cowboy; Frieda Bohnsack of Ransom County. Bohnsack inherited her father’s 2,000-acre ranch in the 1930’s and built it into one of the states finest. She was active in the Stockman’s Association and produced rodeos; Paige Baker Sr. of Mckenzie County. Baker was a successful rancher who also well known as a roper and rodeo announcer. He also served on the Tribal Council and as a Tribal Judge;

George Fenton of Dunn County. Fenton ranched 11,000 acres and loved to play for barn dances and watch rodeos; Jack McCrory of Emmons County. McCrory was a civil war veteran who came to North Dakota in 1877. He raised both cattle and sheep and was also a stockholder in local banks. Only four of the eight nominees will be selected for induction into the Hall of Fame.

Two ranches were also nominated for the Ranching Division. The include: The Eaton Brothers Custer Trail Dude Ranch near Medora. The ranch owned by the Eaton brothers Willis, Alden and Howard is credited with being the nation’s first “dude” ranch. Guests slept several to a bed or on the floor for $25.00 a month for a chance to be a cowboy; The Cannonball Ranch south of Mandan in Sioux County. The ranch is located at the confluence of the Missouri and Cannonball Rivers and was a gathering spot for settlers as early as 1865. Several families have owned the ranch and today Monte and Nancy Allan raise buffalo on the 7,500-acre prairie wonderland. Only one of the ranches will be selected for induction into the Hall of Fame.

November 26, 1999

--COWBOY HALL OF FAME SNAGS BUILDING SITE---

The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame (NDCHF) has signed a 100-year lease on the building housing the Museum of the Badlands in downtown Medora. The lease, with the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation (TRMF), turns control of the 7,000 square foot building and adjoining 5,000 square lot over to the Hall of Fame in September 2001 for a fee of $1.00 per year.

Cowboy Hall of Fame Executive Director Darrell Dorgan called the lease, “a gift from heaven”. He says, “This provides us with a separate building with the space we need in one of the greatest locations in Medora. The offer was extremely generous and comes without strings attached. We maintain our freedom and integrity as a separate organization and are now working on a major remodeling of the existing facility and hope to open as the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame within two years.” Dorgan places the value of the 7,000 square foot building and adjoining lot at more than $700,000 dollars and says work is now underway on raising the additional two million dollars to complete financing for the project.

The terms of the lease will enable NDCHF to develop and maintain a Hall of Honorees, interpretive and interactive exhibits, archives, video production facilities, office and meeting space as well as specialty gift shops. NDCHF President Phil Baird says acquiring a building on Medora’s west edge will provide wonderful visibility for the project and notes, “Our Board has already started working with an architect on plans for remodeling and creating a center to preserve the heritage of ranching rodeo and Native American cultures.”

The agreement follows a decision by TRMF not to proceed with a proposed multi-million dollar Center for the American West. The Cowboy Hall of Fame was slated to be part of the Center. Plans called for the Hall of Fame to occupy approximately 4,000 square feet of the proposed 56,000 square foot project which was to be built on the west side of the Little Missouri overlooking the old de Mores packing plant and the community of Medora.

TRMF President Randy Hatzenbuhler says, “After a two-year evaluation of the Center of the American West project, it was decided the project was too big for us to handle at this time.

Following meetings with architects and museum specialists it was easy to see that the costs could have escalated to 15 to 20-million dollars, that amount of money is difficult to raise and there are other projects in Medora we are considering.”

Hatzenbuhler notes, “the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation has marketed Medora and the North Dakota Badlands as the Center for the American West. There are other projects that will now be developed that will add to this concept. Our Board Members recognized that the NDCHF is an important part of Medora’s future. We are excited that the Hall of Fame is in Medora and felt it needed a prime location.

December 6, 1999

** NOMINATIONS FOR YEAR 2000 HALL OF FAME HONORESS**

North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame (NDCHF) Trustees are preparing nominations for year the 2000 round of inductions into the Hall of Fame Hall of Honorees. Since 1998, 18 individuals and two events have been nominated and selected as inductees for the center of western heritage and history that will be built in Medora.

Hall of Fame board members have approved plans to again induct Honorees in the Ranching, Rodeo, Western Arts and Entertainment, Special Achievement and Great Westerner Divisions. A new category for rodeo livestock and producers has also been added this year.

NDCHF Executive Director Darrell Dorgan says, “The number of inductees this year will increase to 13 with the addition of the new division. There will be four inductees in the Ranching category. Three of the four inductees will be individuals but the fourth will be a ranch; four will again be inducted in the Rodeo Division; one individual for excellence in Western Arts and Entertainment; one individual will be selected for the Great Westerner Division; one event will be selected for Special Achievement; and one person and one animal will be selected in the new Rodeo Producers and Livestock Division”.

Criteria for nominees in the newly created Rodeo Producers and Livestock Division specifies it will be presented to individuals and animals who through their achievement, participation or promotion in and of rodeo and rodeo events, have distinguished and brought honor to themselves and the sport of rodeo. Recognition can have been achieved through high school, college, state and professional rodeo associations.

Trustees will make nominations to the Hall of Fame on or before January 7, 2000. Anyone with knowledge of a person or event they feel belongs in the Hall of Fame should contact a Hall of Fame Trustee. All nominations must include a brief biography of no more than one standard, double-spaced page, photos and other supporting material. Trustees will meet in February to decide which of the nominees will be placed on the year 2000 ballot. Selection for induction into the Hall of Fame will be made by the Hall of Fame’s 180 Trustees who will vote in May and June of 2000.

The names of those selected will be announced in July. Formal induction ceremonies will be held in Medora on August 5^th and August 6^th in Sentinel Butte.

Inductees will be featured in the Hall of Honoree in the center of western heritage and history that will be located in the present Museum of the Badlands building in downtown Medora. An architect has been retained. Fundraising and planning is now underway for a major remodeling of the facility.

The NDCHF began with a Bismarck organizational meeting four years ago and the group now has about 850 members from across the country. In August, nearly 800 people attended the 1999 induction ceremony in Medora that was carried live state-wide by six radio stations.

Enclosure: List of District Trustee Chairs and map outlining Hall of Fame North Dakota District’s.

July 4, 1999

---1999 COWBOY HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES SELECTED---

Trustees of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame (NDCHF) have selected nine individuals, a ranch and one event for the second round of inductions into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame. The 11 honorees will be formally inducted into the NDCHF Hall of Honorees during ceremonies in Medora on Saturday, August 7 and Sentinel Butte on Sunday, August 8. Among the individuals selected by 180 voting Trustees, former Medora area rancher and U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and four members of the Three Affiliated Tribes who were known nationally for their skills in rodeo and ranching.

Former Medora-area rancher and U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt is the Hall of Fame’s first honoree in the newly created Great Westerner Division. The country’s 26^th President came to the Badlands and began ranching in 1883. Roosevelt owned the Maltese Cross and Elkhorn ranches until selling his interests in the 1890’s. The Commander of the famed Roughriders in the Spanish American War was elected Vice-President in 1900 and became President upon the assassination of William McKinley in 1901. Representatives of the Roosevelt family are expected to attend the Medora induction on August 7^th. 80-year-old granddaughter Edith Williams says. “The former President had many lasting friends among the cowboys in the West. Many went on to enlist in the Roughriders. The few years he spent in the West made a tremendous life-long impression on him and huge numbers of cowboys were tremendously important in helping him get elected President.”

In the Ranching Division, NDCHF Trustees selected three ranchers and one ranch. Ranchers selected include Fort Berthold rancher Paige Baker Sr. Baker who died in 1982 at the age of 69 was widely known for his advocacy of education. He was also involved in tribal politics and served as a Tribal Judge for many years. Baker loved good horses and was also a well known roper and rodeo announcer.

Also selected was pioneer McKenzie County rancher Frank Keogh. Keogh was the ranch foreman of the 225,000-acre Fort Berthold open range spread called the J.E. Phelon Cattle Company, managing a herd of 10,000 cattle and 1,000 horses. He later established his own ranch and served as President of the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association.

Also selected was former Stark County Sheriff John Goodall who came to Dakota Territory in the late 1870’s.

Goodall served as foreman of the Marquis de Mores’ Badlands ranching operations and considered fellow rancher Theodore Roosevelt a good friend. He also served as Stark County Sheriff in the 1890s. He died at the age of 74 in 1931.

The NDCHF Trustees also selected the Cannonball Ranch as an honoree in the ranching division. The Sioux County ranch located at the confluence of the Missouri and Cannonball rivers served as a gathering point for travelers as early as 1865. By 1913, Alma Galpin Parkin, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, was running the ranch that included thousands of acres and 700 cattle. The John F. Sullivan family later owned the ranch for more than 65 years. Today Monte and Nancy Allan raise buffalo on the 7,500-acre ranch located 35 miles south of Mandan.

For the NDCHF Rodeo Division the four honorees selected for 1999 include: Dean Armstrong of Sentinel Butte and Beulah; Joe Chase formerly of Elbowoods and now of Loveland, Colorado; Emanuel Chase who grew up at Elbowoods; and Pete Fredericks of Halliday. Interestingly, the Chase brothers and Fredericks are cousins.

Armstrong was raised in Steele and Sentinel Butte and was one of six talented North Dakota Cowboys who traveled the country in the 1950s and ‘60s competing in Roughstock events, steer wrestling and calf roping. He was consistently ranked nationally and won 11 North Dakota Rodeo Association titles from 1954 to 1962.

Joe Chase grew up at Elbowoods and won his first rodeo title and buckle in 1949 while still in high school. He won two National Intercollegiate Rodeo championships and he too became part of the famed six-pack along with Armstrong, Jim and Tom Tescher, Alvin Nelson and Duane Howard. The Teschers, Nelson and Howard were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. Chase won titles at the nation’s major rodeos and competed in the National Finals Rodeo in 1960 and ‘61.

Emanuel Chase, the older brother of Joe Chase is credited with starting the rodeo careers of many young men from the Fort Berthold Reservation. In 1949 Emanuel produced the first North Dakota Saddle Bronc Championship at Sanish. He won the Saddle Bronc title at one of the first Match of Champions Rides in Dickinson. Emanuel was known for his furious spurring and also competed in bareback and calf roping. He won numerous titles and died tragically at the age of 25.

Pete Fredericks began winning high school rodeo titles in 1953 claiming the bareback championship that year, and capturing the saddle bronc and all-around titles in 1955. Pete helped organize the first rodeo team at Dickinson State College in 1958. By 1959 he was winning at some of the nation’s biggest rodeo and qualified for the National Finals three times.

Fredericks is still active in rodeo with the National Indian Finals Rodeo Commission. He raises cattle and saddle horses on a ranch near Halliday, North Dakota. He and two sons rode in the movie Dances with Wolves.

In the Arts and Entertainment Division, Trustees selected Medora western artist Ted Cornell. Cornell, who died in 1995, was born on a Badlands ranch and served as Billings County Sheriff for thirty years. The self-taught artist gained national acclaim for his sculpting and painting. In 1997, Cornell’s paintings received a Special Achievement Award from the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.

In the Special Achievement Division, the Dickinson Match of Champions was selected. Former Lt. Governor and businessman Ray Schnell and his sons Raymond, Howard and Willard, started the noted rodeo. It began with calf roping in 1946. Saddle bronc and bareback riding were added in 1948 and featured the finest broncs and riders from across the nation. For more than a decade the nation’s top 15 bronc riders came to Dickinson every August to match their skills against the best bucking horses in the world and the finest cowboys North Dakota had to offer.

Induction ceremonies for the eleven 1999 NDCHF Honorees will be held August 7^th in Medora and August 8^th at the world famous Home on the Range Champions Ride in Sentinel Butte. Ceremonies begin Saturday, August 7^thin Medora at 1:30 (Mountain Time) in the afternoon at the Tjaden Terrace. Additional activities are planned for the following day at the Home on the Range Champions Ride in Sentinel Butte. The families of the inductees as well as dignitaries from across the country are invited as special guests and plans call for a live radio broadcast of the events. Former North Dakota Governor William Guy will be Saturday’s keynote speaker.

NDCHF President Phil Baird of Mandan notes, “Those not selected for induction into the Hall this year are eligible for nomination in future years. The Hall of Fame Board of Directors and Trustees will meet in Medora prior to the induction ceremonies and set guidelines and categories for next year’s nominations. We’ll begin accepting year 2000 nominations in November.”

Work on the NDCHF began with a Dickinson organizational meeting four years ago. More than 850 people from across the country quickly became charter members. NDCHF has now launched a nation-wide corporate fund-raising drive to pay for the two million dollar Hall of Fame, which will be built in Medora. Contributions for the project may be sent to: The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, 1110 College Drive #212, Bismarck, North Dakota, 58501.

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