North Dakota America the Beautiful Quarter
The North Dakota America the Beautiful Quarter will be released in 2016 as the thirty-fourth issue of the circulating commemorative coin series. The site selected to be depicted on the reverse of the quarter is Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The site selection is appropriate and notable due Theodore Roosevelt’s significant contributions to the cause of conservation and development of the National Parks System. During his presidency, he had put aside 194 acres of land for national forests, national wildlife refuges, and special interest areas. Before the common obverse design of the series featuring a portrait of George Washington had been revealed, many had recommended that Theodore Roosevelt grace the obverse of the coin.
The reverse design for the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Quarter won’t be known for some time. The US Mint prepares several design candidates ahead of the year of release. These candidates are reviewed by the Commission of Fine Arts, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, and others before the final design is selected by the Treasury Secretary.
The image above is a medal created for the National Wildlife Refuge System, depicting Theodore Roosevelt.
About Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Today politicians and presidents have the reputation of being very formal entities that are completely absorbed with the struggles of running a country and a government. It can be hard to imagine American Presidents as anything but government figures, but the truth is that early U.S. Presidents usually had many other jobs and life adventures before they came into office.
Their strength and bravery as businessmen and pioneers are one of the things that make this country great, and prove that any one citizen has the ability to do great things for their country. Theodore Roosevelt has become one of the most loved presidents in the history of the United States, and it is no surprise that he attributes his time spent as a rancher in the North Dakota hills as one of the things that made him the strong leader that he was.
It was 1883 when Teddy Roosevelt first came to the Badlands of North Dakota on a hunting trip. He loved the wildlife and scenery of the area so much that he eventually bought not one but two cattle ranches there, named the Maltese Cross and the Elkhorn. These two locations eventually became the basis of recognizing the historical significance of the area, and they would make up the bulk of what is now known as the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
Officially recognized by the federal government in 1946, the park provides a unique place for visitors to learn more about the ecosystem and the environment of North Dakota, and how spending time there early in his life helped Roosevelt form very strong opinions about conserving the natural areas of this country.
