Chateau De Mores State Historic Site

Chateau De Mores State Historic Site Home of the Marquis de Morès, founder of Medora. Summer Hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm MST, Daily. Last tickets sold at 4:00pm MST. Covers entry to Interpretive Center.

Covers entry to the Interpretive Center and Chateau de Morès. Off-Season Hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm MST, Tuesday-Saturday. Located just across the river SW of Medora, the site interprets the North Dakota ambitions of Antoine de Vallombrosa, the Marquis de Morès, who arrived in 1883. His enterprises included a beef packing plant, stagecoach line, freighting company, refrigerated railway cars, cattle, and sheep raising, land ownership, and a new town named Medora in honor of his wife. Chateau De Mores: This 26-room, two-story frame building was built in 1883 as the summer residence of the Marquis's family. The Chateau is now a historic house museum containing many original furnishings and personal effects of the de Morès family. Tours are available during the summer months for a fee. School and commercial bus tour group rates are available. Allow at least one hour for your visit. De Mores Memorial Park: Located in downtown Medora, the park features a bronze statue of the Marquis de Morès donated in 1926 by his sons. The statue is surrounded by a flagstone courtyard, the result of a 1938 WPA project. This is the perfect spot for a break in the shade. Packing Plant/Chimney Park: Situated on the west edge of Medora, the site once contained the plant, a slaughterhouse, three ice houses, several outbuildings, a railroad spur track, and a corral. The building burned in 1907, leaving the tall, native clay brick chimney standing. The only picnic area in town is located next to the ruins.

Take a new look at the Chateau de Morès! 👀 Do you know what this item is and which part of the Chateau the photo was tak...
09/09/2026

Take a new look at the Chateau de Morès! 👀 Do you know what this item is and which part of the Chateau the photo was taken in? Comment your guess below and check back tomorrow for the answer!

Our guests are amazing! 🤩 A recent visitor did a 10-minute watercolor painting of the north side of the Chateau de Morès...
09/07/2026

Our guests are amazing! 🤩 A recent visitor did a 10-minute watercolor painting of the north side of the Chateau de Morès before touring the home. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that Medora, the Marquise de Morès, also painted the Chateau using watercolors! 🎨

Meet the Chateau Crew! 🦝Richard is a historic interpreter, and this is his first season at the Chateau.Favorite part of ...
09/03/2026

Meet the Chateau Crew! 🦝

Richard is a historic interpreter, and this is his first season at the Chateau.

Favorite part of the Chateau: The veranda, which provides a great view of the scenery and local wildlife. Richard notes that this was one of the original reasons that people, including the Marquis and Medora, came to the Badlands of North Dakota.

Hobbies: Genealogy research and anything outdoors, such as walking, gardening, and exploring.

Fun fact: As Richard is originally from Billings County, he one of a select few who are eligible to be buried at the Medora Cemetery.

Did You Know the Marquis Had His Own Bathtub?And when we say his own bathtub, we really mean his. Not even Medora used i...
08/29/2026

Did You Know the Marquis Had His Own Bathtub?

And when we say his own bathtub, we really mean his. Not even Medora used it! She purchased this unusual tub specifically for the Marquis.

It is known as a hat tub, and once you know the name, it is easy to see why. Take a good look at its shape. The raised center and wide rim make the whole thing look a little like an upside-down hat. But that unusual shape wasn't just for looks—it was actually a rather clever piece of Victorian design.

Unlike a hip bath, where the bather sat down in the water, the hat tub came with its own small seat. The Marquis would sit on the raised seat while his feet rested in the water below. Look closely beside the seat and you can even find a little place meant to hold a bar of soap.

And that wide "brim"? It had a job too. Water running off the bather could collect in the brim instead of immediately ending up all over the floor. Considering that there was no modern showerhead or faucet to turn on, keeping the water where it belonged was important!

Bathing still required a little work. Water had to be brought into the room, and a pitcher could be used to scoop up water and pour it over the bather.

Naturally, the Site Supervisor had questions.

"So...you sat here?"

Sheriff Hank narrowed his eyes.

"Yes."

"And your feet went down there?"

"Yes."

The Site Supervisor studied the little seat. Then the soap holder. Then the brim.

"You know, there is really only one way to find out how comfortable this thing actually was—"

"No."

"I wasn't going to do anything."

Hank stared at her.

"...I was only thinking about sitting in it."

Sheriff Hank planted himself firmly between the Site Supervisor and the tub.

"Artifact."

"I know it's an artifact."

"Then why are you looking at it like you're about to take a bath?"

The Site Supervisor sighed.

"Research?"

"Artifact!"

Once again, Sheriff Hank had successfully protected the Chateau's collection from its greatest threat:

an overly curious Site Supervisor.

08/23/2026

History Alive! A. T. Packard, editor of the Bad Lands Cow Boy

It has been a busy season so far! With exciting things happening all over Medora, ND, the State, and the country! We s...
08/22/2026

It has been a busy season so far! With exciting things happening all over Medora, ND, the State, and the country! We saw the grand opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, a visit from the President of the United States (well, he passed by and was in Medora), a visit from The Rough Riders, guests from all over the country and the world, Sheriff Hank has been busy with making sure everyone visiting the Chateau has fun, and the Site Supervisor isn't causing any mischief.
Since the Site Supervisor was particularly interested in the wine bottles found in the wine cellar by the Civilian Conservation Corps, Sheriff Hank has personally inspected each and every bottle stored in the Chateau's linen room for signs of rascaliness. Thankfully, other than the missing contents, everything looks good!

The Chateau staff want to wish a happy birthday to our leading lady, Medora Marie von Hoffmann, the Marquise de Morès! ...
08/21/2026

The Chateau staff want to wish a happy birthday to our leading lady, Medora Marie von Hoffmann, the Marquise de Morès! Today the town of Medora's name sake is turning 170!!

Over her life time, Medora learned 7 languages, hunted with the experts, rode horseback as if she was born in the saddle, worked for the betterment of her community, married and raised 3 children as a single mother after being widowed, was the name sake of a Dakota town, and always remembered her love for the Badlands of Dakota Territory.
The legacy left behind still stands tall to this day.

Address

3426 Chateau Road
Medora, ND
58645

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(701) 623-4355

Website

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