The Chateau de Mores in Medora, North Dakota, United States, is a historic home built by the Marquis de Mores in 1883 as a hunting lodge and summer home for his family and guests. The home is now part of the 128-acre (0.52 km2) Chateau de Mores State Historic Site, which also includes Chimney Park and de Mores Memorial Park.
The Marquis was a French aristocrat and entrepreneur who came to the Dakota badlands in 1883 to establish a new kind of cattle operation.[2] He planned to slaughter and cold pack his cattle and ship it east in refrigerated rail cars. The slaughterhouse was built in the town which the Marquis founded and named for his wife, Medora Marie Von Hoffman.[3] Medora was named for her aunt, the second wife of Samuel Cutler Ward. She was also the granddaughter of John Randolph Grymes and his wife Suzette Claiborne, who was also the third wife of Gov. William C.C. Claiborne. He built many structures in the town for those he employed in his operations, including St. Mary's Catholic Church. For three years the small town bustled, but in 1886 the operation collapsed due to drought, competition from meat packers back east,[4] and the Marquis' own lack of business experience, and the plant was abandoned. The Marquis and his family returned to Europe, but left behind a small town rife with the flavor and romanticism of the American Old West.
The chateau was occupied seasonally by the family for only three years from 1883 to 1886.[5] During the harsh winter months they would go to France, returning again in spring. After 1886 the Marquis visited the chateau twice, in 1887 and 1889, while Medora and their children visited only once more in 1903 after the Marquis' death, at which time she spent six weeks there.[6]
From this time on the house was maintained by caretakers. They would ready the house for occupation in the spring but the family never returned. The eldest son gave the caretakers permission to operate the chateau as a boarding house in 1921. During this period the house suffered from theft and lack of maintenance.
The home and the land on which it sat was given to the state of North Dakota in 1936 on the condition that it be maintained and opened to the public. It was restored from 1937 to 1941 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and again in 1995.
Museumedit
The Chateau de Mores is currently operated as a museum by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. It is open to the public with guided tours available. Its features include reproduced carpets and wallpaper and authentic artifacts, along with period furniture. A permanent exhibit focuses on the Marquis de Mores, who built the house, and changing exhibit galleries include displays of art, culture and history.
Architectureedit
The chateau itself is a two-story 26-room wood-frame building. The house is not a true chateau but was given the name by locals. While rough by aristocratic standards it was considerably more luxurious than most contemporary homes built by Dakota settlers, which were mostly constructed of sod or logs.
See alsoedit
Von Hoffman House, also associated with the Marquis de Mores, also in Medora and NRHP-listed
^Morris, Edmund (1979). The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. New York: The Modern Library. pp. 194. ISBN0-375-75678-7.
^Kennon, Bob and Ramon Frederick Adams (1965). From the Pecos to the Powder: A Cowboy's Autobiography. Norman and London: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 99. ISBN0-8061-2212-9.
^Gavett, Joseph L. (2010). North Dakota Counties - Towns & People. Seaside: Watchmaker Publishing. p. 47. ISBN978-1-60386-342-1.
^"Aristocracy on the western frontier: the legacy of the Marquis de Mores". The Journal of the State Historical Society of North Dakota: iii. June 1, 1994.
^Hyatt, H. Norman (2009). An Uncommon Journey -The History of Old Dawson County, Montana Territory - The Biography of Steven Norton Van Blaricom. Helena: Sweetgrass Books. p. 311. ISBN978-1-59152-057-3.
Chateau de Mores - State Historical Society of North Dakota[permanent dead link]Antonio Areddu,
Antonio Areddu, Vita e morte del marchese di Mores Antoine Manca (1858-1896), Cagliari, Condaghes, 2018
Antonio Areddu. Il marchesato di Mores. Le origini, il duca dell´Asinara, le lotte antifeudali, l´abolizione del feudo e le vicende del marquis de Morès, Cagliari, Condaghes, 2011.
External linksedit
Chateau de Mores State Historic Site - State Historical Society of North Dakota
City of Medora official website
December 15, 2023
chateau, mores, medora, north, dakota, united, states, historic, home, built, marquis, mores, 1883, hunting, lodge, summer, home, family, guests, home, part, acre, state, historic, site, which, also, includes, chimney, park, mores, memorial, park, national, re. The Chateau de Mores in Medora North Dakota United States is a historic home built by the Marquis de Mores in 1883 as a hunting lodge and summer home for his family and guests The home is now part of the 128 acre 0 52 km2 Chateau de Mores State Historic Site which also includes Chimney Park and de Mores Memorial Park Chateau de MoresU S National Register of Historic PlacesChateau De MoresShow map of North DakotaShow map of the United StatesLocationSW of Medora North Dakota US on west bank of Little Missouri RiverNearest cityMedoraCoordinates46 54 40 N 103 31 57 W 46 91111 N 103 53250 W 46 91111 103 53250Area128 3 acres 51 9 ha Built1883NRHP reference No 75001299 1 Added to NRHPApril 16 1975 Contents 1 History 2 Museum 3 Architecture 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe Marquis was a French aristocrat and entrepreneur who came to the Dakota badlands in 1883 to establish a new kind of cattle operation 2 He planned to slaughter and cold pack his cattle and ship it east in refrigerated rail cars The slaughterhouse was built in the town which the Marquis founded and named for his wife Medora Marie Von Hoffman 3 Medora was named for her aunt the second wife of Samuel Cutler Ward She was also the granddaughter of John Randolph Grymes and his wife Suzette Claiborne who was also the third wife of Gov William C C Claiborne He built many structures in the town for those he employed in his operations including St Mary s Catholic Church For three years the small town bustled but in 1886 the operation collapsed due to drought competition from meat packers back east 4 and the Marquis own lack of business experience and the plant was abandoned The Marquis and his family returned to Europe but left behind a small town rife with the flavor and romanticism of the American Old West The chateau was occupied seasonally by the family for only three years from 1883 to 1886 5 During the harsh winter months they would go to France returning again in spring After 1886 the Marquis visited the chateau twice in 1887 and 1889 while Medora and their children visited only once more in 1903 after the Marquis death at which time she spent six weeks there 6 From this time on the house was maintained by caretakers They would ready the house for occupation in the spring but the family never returned The eldest son gave the caretakers permission to operate the chateau as a boarding house in 1921 During this period the house suffered from theft and lack of maintenance The home and the land on which it sat was given to the state of North Dakota in 1936 on the condition that it be maintained and opened to the public It was restored from 1937 to 1941 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and again in 1995 Museum editThe Chateau de Mores is currently operated as a museum by the State Historical Society of North Dakota It is open to the public with guided tours available Its features include reproduced carpets and wallpaper and authentic artifacts along with period furniture A permanent exhibit focuses on the Marquis de Mores who built the house and changing exhibit galleries include displays of art culture and history Architecture editThe chateau itself is a two story 26 room wood frame building The house is not a true chateau but was given the name by locals While rough by aristocratic standards it was considerably more luxurious than most contemporary homes built by Dakota settlers which were mostly constructed of sod or logs See also editVon Hoffman House also associated with the Marquis de Mores also in Medora and NRHP listed Badlands Theodore Roosevelt National ParkReferences edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 Morris Edmund 1979 The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt New York The Modern Library pp 194 ISBN 0 375 75678 7 Kennon Bob and Ramon Frederick Adams 1965 From the Pecos to the Powder A Cowboy s Autobiography Norman and London University of Oklahoma Press p 99 ISBN 0 8061 2212 9 Gavett Joseph L 2010 North Dakota Counties Towns amp People Seaside Watchmaker Publishing p 47 ISBN 978 1 60386 342 1 Aristocracy on the western frontier the legacy of the Marquis de Mores The Journal of the State Historical Society of North Dakota iii June 1 1994 Hyatt H Norman 2009 An Uncommon Journey The History of Old Dawson County Montana Territory The Biography of Steven Norton Van Blaricom Helena Sweetgrass Books p 311 ISBN 978 1 59152 057 3 Chateau de Mores State Historical Society of North Dakota permanent dead link Antonio Areddu Antonio Areddu Vita e morte del marchese di Mores Antoine Manca 1858 1896 Cagliari Condaghes 2018 Antonio Areddu Il marchesato di Mores Le origini il duca dell Asinara le lotte antifeudali l abolizione del feudo e le vicende del marquis de Mores Cagliari Condaghes 2011 External links editChateau de Mores State Historic Site State Historical Society of North Dakota City of Medora official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chateau de Mores amp oldid 1187477457, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
