The American cowboy has become a mythical figure in the national consciousness. This would, no doubt, have surprised most of the common laborers who earned meager pay as cowboys. A number of them were indeed colorful characters. Some became outlaws and some became lawmen. Most, however, quietly worked and saved until they could start ranches of their own.Cowboys came from every ethnic background. They ranged in age from mere boys to old men. Some were well-educated and some were illiterate. Their most commonly shared traits were an independent nature and a penchant for outdoor labor. They were, above all, individualists.Many cowboys made the long ride to Medora, and some stayed to become upstanding citizens whose descendants still live in this area.Medora's most famous cowboy resident was Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt came from New York City in 1883 to hunt buffalo. He quickly invested in two area cattle ranches. He enjoyed working as a common cowboy, and often credited his time in the badlands with enabling him to pursue his national destiny.Two prominent area ranchers, Bill McCarty and George Gardner, toured for a time as riders with Buffalo Bill Cody's internationally famous Wild West Show.Early-day mulatto cowboy Henry Williams was noted for his exceptional roping and horse-breaking abilities. In July 1886, he roped a goose on the fly, a feat that was reported in newspapers and became a local legend. (Marker Number 6.)
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