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A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 6 May 2019

Backers seek funds for North Dakota Teddy Roosevelt library

By BLAKE NICHOLSON wife, Serena, who serves on
Associated Press the foundation board were
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A unsuccessful. Great-great
Walmart heir, a wealthy grandson Kermit Roosevelt
governor and energy com- III, who also serves on the
panies profiting from North library foundation board,
Dakota oil could fund a big did not respond to requests
chunk of the private mon- for comment.
ey needed by developers A few national groups also
of a presidential library for have pledged general sup-
Theodore Roosevelt in the port but not money, includ-
western Badlands where ing the National Trust for
he hunted and ranched Historic Preservation, the
before becoming the 26th National Park Foundation,
U.S. president. and the Boone and Crock-
It's unclear how much ett Club, a hunting and
money might come from habitat conservation group
the Roosevelt family itself, founded by Roosevelt.
though at least one de- The library and museum
scendant lobbied state would be built in Medora,
lawmakers on behalf of the a tourist town on the door-
project. step of Theodore Roosevelt
Legislators last month ap- National Park. Ed Schafer,
proved $50 million to op- son of the town's developer
erate the library, but that and a former governor and
must be matched by $100 U.S. agriculture secretary,
million in private money to heads the foundation that
build it and fund an ongo- oversees development in
ing project at Dickinson In this June 11, 2014 file photo, James Lyons and Florence Reaves, from Kirkwood, Mo., hike to a the area. Neither he nor
State University to digitize stone lookout over the Little Missouri River inside the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, located in the group plan to donate
tens of thousands of Roos- the Badlands of North Dakota. to the library project.
evelt's papers. Associated Press "Our responsibility, in my
Roosevelt spent four years questions from The Associ- (the Waltons) were at the and later worked as a opinion, is to keep Me-
on a ranch in the North ated Press to the Walton Capitol in January stump- Microsoft executive, will dora strong and vibrant,
Dakota Badlands while Family Foundation. ing for it. I guess it's really no contribute, his spokesman because that's the best
in his 20s. The area of rug- Spokeswoman Kiki McLean secret." Mike Nowatzki said. But he thing for the library, to
ged hills, ridges, buttes and didn't immediately com- Neither the governor's of- wouldn't say how much. be integrated into the
bluffs is now a national park ment. fice nor foundation CEO Tweed Roosevelt, Theo- community."q
and the state's top tour- Gov. Doug Burgum, who Mike Eggl would reveal dore's great-grandson
ist attraction. An effort to pushed for state support, who has made pledges. and CEO of the New York-
build a presidential library told lawmakers in Janu- Eggl said the foundation based Theodore Roosevelt
in his native New York failed ary that they could expect has a two-year goal to raise Association formed by
— and North Dakota lead- some quick and large pri- the remaining $48 million. Congress in 1920 to perpet-
ers saw an opportunity. vate donations if they ap- The North Dakota Petro- uate Roosevelt's legacy,
The library foundation has proved public money. He leum Council, a trade said the association is likely
$52 million in private pledg- then brought the Waltons group representing about to pledge only "some token
es. The source hasn't been and a Roosevelt descen- 500 energy companies, support" because it has its
publicly disclosed, but all dant to Bismarck to meet backs the project. Presi- own money needs. As far
indications are that most with lawmakers. dent Ron Ness said both for whether he would do-
of it is coming from former "We were led to believe at the council and individual nate, he said, "I'll cross that
Walmart Inc. Chairman least one big donor that oil and gas companies are bridge when I get there,
Rob Walton and his wife, was planning on giving — if likely to contribute "sub- but I'm not a rich guy."
Melani, a Dickinson State the state put up $50 million, stantial support." Theodore Roosevelt V lob-
graduate and library foun- they were willing to match Burgum, who sold a soft- bied lawmakers on behalf
dation board member. it," Senate Majority Leader ware company to Micro- of the project, but efforts by
Melani Walton referred Rich Wardner said. "They soft in 2001 for $1.1 billion the AP to reach him, and his