This is a recount of our road trip to the Medora Musical and Sentinel Butte.
It was a drizzly June morning in 2017 when we packed up and left Grand Marais, MN for North Dakota and the Medora Musical with a stop in Sentinel Butte. It was hard to leave the majesty of Lake Superior and the North Shore, but we knew great adventures lay ahead and our spirits were high. Our trip across the Northwoods of Minnesota was not without peril. About midway on our trek we stopped for some road supplies and discovered the battery on our vehicle went bad resulting in a call for assistance. Luckily it was only an hour delay and we would address the problem when we reached Fargo.
Across the Prairie to Medora
We spent our first evening with my cousins (Meridee, Peggy, and Don). We woke the next morning and immediately addressed our vehicle issue. It was a bit spendy but the delay was minimal and we embarked on our adventure with full confidence and much merriment.
As we set out on our journey, I imagined what it must have been like to travel this land in the early frontier days. The sky was everywhere – so vast as to give me pause and contemplate my humble place in this world. A panorama of rolling hills with ever-changing personalities and colors lay beneath the quilted, azure sky. There is no equal for the incredible diversity and imagination when natural forces create their wonders.
Despite the excitement to arrive in Medora, our merry band stopped to explore the tallest building in North Dakota: the state capital in Bismarck. Cousin Don used to work there in his younger days and gave us a great tour. The door to the hallowed chamber of the state’s House of Representatives was open and we entered. In our excitement, we accidentally passed two bills and one resolution. We left quickly before our mischief was discovered.
The Medora Musical
The Medora Musical is well documented on the internet (you can start Here). I shall conserve my ink and paper to focus on our personal experience.
We found lodgings a few miles outside of Medora, and prepared ourselves for the evening festivities. Our travel dog, River, stayed behind to guard our belongings. The excitement was palpable as we pulled into the Medora Musical venue. Stunning scenery set a backdrop for our first Pitchfork Steak Fondue. Our group found a spot at one of the many long tables and settled into a hearty steak dinner among travelers from all over the country. What fortune to find President Teddy Roosevelt making his way among the feast. His charisma beamed as he regaled us with many stories.
We settled into our seats and awaited the much-anticipated stampede of revelry that was about to rush our senses. We didn’t wait long. Singers, dancers, horses, jugglers, children, musical troupes, and storytellers all performed in perfect synchronization with the moving scenery and lights to give us a thrill we would not soon forget. It was a grand and mesmerizing two hour extravaganza.
At some point during the show, the sun relinquished its grip on the day and gave way to a clear, dark sky that enhanced the bright celebration in front of us. As the show ended and the bright lights dimmed, we took note, with reverent awe, at the stars that stippled the night sky with infinite numbers, like the hopes and dreams of all those who came before us.
The Discovery of Sentinel Butte
Below: Walley loiters at Olson’s Service Station in Sentinel Butte. A most welcome oasis in a bustling world.
The great Medora Musical experience was not over yet as Cousin Don hailed from the small town of Sentinel Butte a few miles from our lodgings and it was our honor to visit there since we were so close. The first stop was the gas station where Cousin Don worked as a lad. We quickly noticed this was the hub of Sentinel Butte, ND. Surrounding the gas station was a smattering of houses. I was convinced, without merit, however, the one across the street was haunted. Ole’s Service has always operated on trust and still does. Locals would fill their tanks with gas and shout the amount from the door, only to be written down with an unspoken promise to pay sooner rather than later. It was indeed a small town, and I found it comforting.
It was time to say farewell to Cousins Don, Meridee, and Peggy. We were, and still are, so grateful for their generous hospitality in sharing a part of their world with us. It was time to continue our MNDAKLA Tour adventures on the 3,000-mile return trek. Cousin Don pointed the way home…