North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame
2010 National Cowboy Museum of the Year
“You can’t just have a museum. It has to change every year. It has to breathe, it has to move so we try to have something new every year.”
That is why the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, Center of Western Heritage and Culture: Native American, Ranching and Rodeo (NDCHF) in Medora, North Dakota, was named the 2010 Western Museum Award at the National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration in Lubbock, TX, September 9-12, 2010.
Executive Director Darrell Dorgan has been a historian and storyteller all his life and he leads the NDCHF with the passion of an evangelist at a conversion ceremony. He grew up near Regent, about 30 miles southeast of the Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport at Dickinson, ND, where Great Lakes Airlines flights arrive and depart daily.
He made his mark as an award winning broadcast journalist before signing on to run the NDCHF. He is passionate about the plains horse culture, totally immersing himself in preserving, promoting and presenting the story.
His enthusiasm is untamed and contagious as he speaks about the opportunities for education and entertainment that envelope visitors to Medora and the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.
“We are unique,” Dorgan says with rapid fire, staccato recollection of the region “People came here from around the world with virtually nothing—a promise of 160 acres and an opportunity to vote,” he said. “The perceived risk was that if you worked hard you could succeed.”
The NDCHF presents the story of the American cowboy culture that is admired throughout the world. “When you stand in Trafalgar Square in London, the billboard you see has the Marlboro Man on it. People around the world know a lot about western history and our job is to preserve it and tell the story of the people who roamed the land, created the ranches, ride the rodeos,” he said.
In 15 years, the NDCHF has grown from an idea into a world class living, breathing heritage center, mirroring the people exhibited in the facility and reflecting the entrepreneurial spirit of the NDCHF Board of Directors.
The 15,000-square-foot facility includes galleries dedicated to telling the story of ranchers, homesteaders, American Indians and the sport of rodeo. The selection puts the NDCHF “in the tall grass” and was “a breath-taker”, Dorgan said.
The NDCHF is a 501(C)3 corporation that has 1,200 members working together to protect, preserve and present history. The future calls for more of the same and Dorgan is excited.
The NDCHF plays an important part presenting the history, heritage and culture Medora and the west. “The Cowboy Hall of Fame is a great venue for visitors because of its modern, attractive displays that engage and educate about the traditions of Medora and the part Medora has played in history,” Medora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Leona Odermann said.
“Education, presentation and preservation are important segments of the Medora story. Darrell unselfishly shares the NDCHF facility and his talents to create memorable experiences for historians, leisure travelers and visitors,” she said.
The opportunity to expand the plains horse culture will continue. “The board of directors has talked about an expansion plan,” Dorgan said “We have been offered a collection of Native American memorabilia that is worth several million dollars.”
The expansion will mean clearing up current debt and preparing to move forward. Dorgan said there are many opportunities for people to support the NDCHF, which is a 501(c) 3 non-profit, tax-exempt entity of 1,200 members.
Individuals can assist through with tax-deductible contributions through memorial plaques from $1,000 and up, naming rights on various parts of the building or the expansion. To participate, contact the NDCHF at 701-623-2000 or email Dorgan at ddorgan695@aol.com or visit the NDCHF website: www.northdakotacowboy.com/.
For more information about Medora, contact the Medora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at 701-623-4829 or email at bcm@midstate.net.