Jul 11, 2007 - 04:05:42 CDT
Just south of Fort Mandan, Meriwether Lewis wrote about the "handsome hight prairie" that bordered the Missouri River in 1804.Like Lewis, the Nature Conservancy noticed the area's rolling prairie and quiet beauty. In 1982, the Nature Conservancy purchased land in the area to create Cross Ranch Preserve.
This year, the Nature Conservancy will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the preserve by hosting an open house from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Cross Ranch Preserve, 1401 River Road, Center.
This free open house includes wagon rides, talks by naturalists and refreshments. Children's activities and self-guided nature hikes will run all afternoon.
Amy Carlson, donor relations director for the Nature Conservancy, hopes at least 100 visitors will attend.
Also on Saturday, neighboring Cross Ranch State Park will host its visitor appreciation day, with free admission and activities all day.
"I think a lot of folks don't know we're out here," Cross Ranch Preserve manager Eric Rosenquist said.
"We're hoping, with the Nature Conservancy, Cross Ranch State Park can encourage more people to come out," Cross Ranch State Park manager Eric Lang said.
Located along the only free-flowing section of the Missouri River in the state, the Cross Ranch area is rich with North Dakota history.
In the late 1800s, A.D. Gaines purchased more than 11,000 acres in the area and Teddy Roosevelt's Maltese Cross brand. Both were passed to Bob and Gladys Levis when they purchased the property in 1956.
When the Nature Conservancy purchased the the Cross Ranch in 1982, it also secured rights to Roosevelt's Maltese Cross brand, which it uses to brand its bison herd.
Cross Ranch Preserve is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an archaeological district because prehistoric American Indian sites dot the preserve, Carlson said.
There also are foundation markings from an original homestead and a resident pioneer family's cemetery.
In 1987, the Nature Conservancy and Burlington Northern Railroad donated land to create the 589-acre Cross Ranch State Park.
Today, the Nature Conservancy's 6,000-acre preserve works in cooperation with North Dakota Parks and Recreation, private landowners and local farmers and ranchers.
For more information about Cross Ranch Preserve's 25th anniversary celebration, visit www.nature.org/northdakota or call 222-8464.
(Reach reporter Alyssa Schafer at 250-8264 or alyssa.schafer@;bismarcktribune.com.)
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